Free is Better

Everything free seems to be better. See an offer for free samples and people will stand on long lines to get them. Most of the time they do not use the free samples but as long as it is free-they want them.

My skin doctor has a plate of free samples on top of the waiting room table. Most are hand creams, lotions and liquid face wash. I grab a handful each time I visit the doctor-half the time I give them to my daughter - I do not use them.

Many spend hours cutting out free coupons. They do not care what the coupons will buy them. The word "Free' is enough for them to see. It seems that anything free seems to be better.

I used to get free passes for a movie theater. My husband was a manager for the movie chain. I got two tickets free each month and usually went by myself. Generally, I offered a free ticket to someone standing in line behind me. Most were grateful and thanked. Some offered to buy me popcorn. I refused and told them, I gave it to you for free because the tickets are expensive and I had an extra. Your thank you is enough payment for me.

Another time, I did the same thing to a woman standing in line behind me. I asked if she wanted a free ticket? She looked at me with scorn in her eyes, and shouted at me, "I am not one of 'you', I can afford to pay". I was astounded and so was the ticket taker. He had known me for years and always said that giving away a free ticket was such a nice thing to do. He shrugged and sold her the ticket. I wonder to this day who she thought I was when said said, in anger, 'I am not one of you".

Today another thing happened today, something a little different. I went to get my blood taken. My doctor wanted to check my health under my skin. I always go to the same lab so I know the blood takers. I like to tease them and call them vampires. We talked before the test, and she said she hates computers.

Wow! that's all I need to get started. To me, the house feels empty when my computer is on the blink. It is part of my life and now part of my finances. With the economy as it is every penny counts.

She said she does not know how to use a computer. I offered to teach he.I said she could buy my old computer so she could practice. She was happy and thanked me. I was not going to charge her much. I just wanted to sell it to someone who could use it. It is a PC and I have switched to a Mac.

She was so happy to take lessons. She asked, " will teach me for free? Evidently she did not hear, or did not want to admit she heard, but she said to me, my son said he would get me a computer if I learned.

The free lessons sounded great. She could not wait to start. However once I mentioned that she buy my computer, suddenly she mentioned,out of the clear, that her son was going to buy her one. She never said she would ask 'him' to buy mine! No! that never entered into the conversation.

I wonder if she would work for free? I did not even have to ask her, I know she would not. She was anxious to learn for free, and as I left, she reminded me to let her know when I would teach her. I never answered, I did not want to start an argument, but I wanted to ask if she would work for free!