10 Things You Probably Didn't Know You Could Get For Free

And no, we're not talking about hotel soap. Upgrade to Windows 10 for free today!

1. Movie and music streaming.

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As the ancient adage goes, "Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!" Today, many libraries have partnered with digital media services, allowing you to stream thousands of movies and albums through your local library membership.

2. Video games.

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With this decade's "rise of the indie developer," it's no surprise that there are more than a dozen free indie bundles you can download straight to your computer. Check them out, and if you like 'em, support the hardworking developers who made them!

3. Magazine subscriptions.

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Remember going door to door trying to sell magazines for the school fundraiser? Now you can pick up a one-year subscription for free! And these aren't no-name rags either. But check often, as the featured promotions rotate frequently.

4. Six months of two-day shipping.

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OK, OK, so this one comes with some qualifications. For one thing, it's a six-month trial — and two — it requires an .edu email address. But if FREE two-day shipping won't inspire you to earn a second degree, what will? The pursuit of knowledge?

5. Online courses from top universities.

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Oh, all right. If it's an education you're after, the internet boasts a wealth of resources for the curious mind — and many come from premier universities. From art history to science and technology, there's virtually no limit to what you can learn.

6. Energy-efficient light bulbs.

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Sure, nobody likes paying for utilities, but did you know your electric company would probably love to give you free stuff? From light bulbs to shower heads, the freebies you can collect will all save you money! Check out incentives by state here.

7. Audiobooks and eBooks.

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If monthly magazines aren't ~literary~ enough for you, there's a beautiful thing called public domain — and tens of thousands of pre-1923 novels have been digitized and tirelessly narrated (by volunteers!) at Project Gutenberg and LibriVox, respectively.

8. Shipping boxes.

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It's better to give than receive. Except at the post office. Then it's downright awful. Fortunately — if you do need to ship something — the postal service will send you as many flat rate boxes as you need, free of charge. Good old American ingenuity.

9. A couch to crash on.

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Stop inconveniencing your friends. There are strangers out there who would be happy to open their homes to you — and for the same price too — all over the world! Because really, isn't that what the ~sharing economy~ is all about?

10. Sheet music

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Also public domain: classical music. Like, pretty much all of it — which is good news if you're a practicing musician. Now in its ninth year, the International Music Score Library Project holds more than 330,000 scores across 13,000 composers.

Know what's also FREE? Upgrading to Windows 10! 💻