Why you don't have to pay the BBC licence fee

I'm not jumping on the bandwagon or anything - it's just that the iPlayer's catch up service has created a scenario in which viewers who don't channel hop or have never particularly cared about watching TV as it is broadcast can exploit this loophole. Instead, you could hook up your PC to your TV (the newer ones accommodate PC monitor cables) and watch BBC programming at your own leisure, and not their schedule.

Save cash: don't pay the BBC licence fee

Sim only mobile phone contracts - the best deal?

I saw someone on TV last night talking about these new "SIM only" contracts, which could well prove to give the customer the best of owning a pay as you go handset and the benefit of so many calls or texts per month.

One of the reasons I've always opted for sticking with a modest top up service is not only because I use a very cheap, effective method for sending texts, but I am not all that interested in the latest most expensive phones in case I get mugged.

However, with these SIM-only contracts, you get exactly just that - a SIM tailored to meet your tariff needs minus the pricey lump of clever plastic everyone likes to be seen with. For £10 - £20 per month you can use your own phone (which you might need to unlock first) which actually might not be that much more than you are already spending with your top-up tariff.

Sim only contracts

Buy domains

http://www.georgewbushlibrary.com In 2005, someone bought the above domain for $5. Two years later, he sold it for $35,000. Read about it here This goes to show the importance placed on an internet domain name. If this particular example had been one or two words longer, it may not have been deemed so vital in the PR efforts of the Bush administration. So, what can you buy up that has expired. Or, what can you preempt as being popular in 2009? Is there a book, band or TV show in the early stages and which could go global? It's like a mini investement, and by purchasing a short, snappy and appropriate domain, you'll legally hold part of the marketing efforts of the entity concerned. For a fee, they can have it!

Free phone sims with preloaded credit

Today, somebody mentioned unlocking their mobile phone so they can insert and use other network’s sim cards. It reminded me that a few months ago I went on an online freebie hunt for networks offering free sim cards and received quite a few in the post. Obviously, sim cards cost pence to make and are used in the mail shot advertising to try and lure people in – junk mail you might say – but the mail I received actually had something of value inside.. I have a couple of Virgin promo packs with an introduction to their network and tariffs, and as a teaser they included in each pack 4 sim cards each preloaded with £5 of calls or texts. It’s to encourage you to buy a Virgin P-A-Y-G phone, but since you can unlock your existing handset, you can insert any network’s card and use it as you would normally. Obviously the receiver of your call or text would see an unknown number rather then your name on their caller ID, but you can just tell them its you once you reach them. No problem. Then put your original sim back in to receive replies to your normal number, or, unlock a cheap second hand phone and rotate your preloaded sims in that. As each amount of credit runs out, just discard the sim and put in a fresh one. With enough of these free sims, you could save quite a lot from your bill.

Freebies

Here are some sites where you can register for free stuff. You could even sign up more than once for each product if you use a second name and address..

http://www.freestuff.co.uk

http://realfreesamples.co.uk

http://www.freesamplesuk.org

http://www.freeinuk.co.uk

http://www.freebielist.com

http://www.all4freeuk.co.uk