Free for a Fee

          St. Bob just got invited to join AARP.  Here’s the notice he received:

          Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking, “Wait a sec’. Is it free or not?” And you know it’s not.  This “free” bag costs around sixteen dollars.  And we get offers like this all the time.  Free cosmetics.  Free financial advice.  Free gadgets. Free trips, even. 

          But to get them, you shell out money for a sign-up fee of some kind.  Plus your email address.  Plus your phone number.  From here you will get more offers from companies who are buying your contact information. You’ve just won a free trip to Vegas! And, if the sender is shady enough, they want your bank account number and Social Security info.

          Then there are offers for free stuff on an ongoing basis, which you can “quit at any time,” right?  Except quitting is the most difficult thing you will ever attempt, next to climbing Mt. Everest.  To end a “free subscription” you need to be an I.T. expert (even better, a hacker) to get off their list.  And if you can’t do it in time, the bills begin to arrive.

          So, to make Bob feel better, I offered to take him out for a free lunch.  He jumped at the chance.  I wonder if he knew I’d be using his credit card.

Here’s something that really is free, and doesn’t ask for your personal info or money: Check out my YouTube Mom videos here.