A Web of Free Stuff

Free Audio Books: Download free audio books on the nonprofit website LibriVox.org. These are recordings of books that are found in the public domain (i.e., no longer covered by copyright) and they're read by volunteers, but the quality is generally quite good.

Free Kiddie Meals: MyKidsEatFree.com includes a nationwide directory of thousands of restaurants where kids can eat for free when accompanied by an adult. It's a great way to treat the grandchildren to a nice meal out.

Free Samples: The Internet is of course loaded with sites offering free product samples and other free stuff, but beware of rip-offs and cons. Some of my personal favorites for free samples are: TheFreeSite.com, StartSampling.com, Freechannel.net, Freenology.com and Volition.com.

Free Foreign Languages: "Habla cheapskate?" Learn a wide range of foreign languages with the help of the free online audio and visual teaching tools provided by the BBC.

Free Lodging for Travelers: And last but not least, CouchSurfing.org is a nonprofit network of more than a half-million people around the world who will let you sleep on their couch (or, often, in a spare bedroom) while you're traveling. Couch Surfing may not suit everyone's travel tastes, but I've used the Couch Surfing network extensively in my travels — as do more and more 50+ folks like me. I've found it to be a great way to meet local people and see the world on a shoestring budget. Check out its website and you might just get hooked like I did.

Jeff Yeager is the author of The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches and The Cheapskate Next Door. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com and you can friend him on Facebook at JeffYeagerUltimateCheapskate or follow him on Twitter.