FREEBIES

FREE PROGRAMS, FREE NEWSLETTERS, & GOOD ADVICE Compliments of Roland Rhoades and the

FULLER BRUSH

DOWNEAST WINNING TEAM®

Contents:
Inexpensive Website Hosting that I use - not free but close, with a free website design program.

Host your website for $5.95/month at 

Click above for hosting info and Please mention my domain name or "fullergold" and I get $10 (you can too!)

Free Credit Reports & ID-Theft tips
Free Anti-virus program
Free Firewall
Free Spyware Killer
Free Computer & Software Cleaner
Free Internet & Computer training
Free Word Processor & Office software
Free Fuller Brush Distributor Kit
Free Billions of $$ to make America strong again
Free Group Mailing program
Free website design tools
Free 800#
Free Fax #
Free $$ from your credit card
Free $$ and supplies from Staples
Free aol?
Free Computer Advice Newsletters
Free Genealogy program for family tree research
Free Business Newsletters
How to combat phony email scares
How to avoid scams
Convert your documents to PDF for Free
Free tax preparation software
... and much more

Thank you for being a part of our team, or if you aren't, please DO let this advance appreciation gift of freebies influence your decision to join us, or to place an order for our good quality environmental products with us. If you are a part of our team, then you should have our private training website address with many more goodies.

Page Created 9/4/2002   Last Updated 04/05/2010

See the Best Jokes page also, and jokes on the Kitties page.

FREE CREDIT REPORTS.  Don't pay to join something that offers "free" credit reports like freecreditreport.com. Get it free for real. See the FTC website page here. Check out all the scams too.

Identity Theft is a real concern, although it only happens to a small fraction of people. Minimize your risk by simple updates of your data. Mother's maiden name is an obsolete form of security and I'm surprised banks and credit cards still use it, but it is probably the most simple security question for them to use. Mother's maiden name is very easy to find via obituaries, wedding announcements, and genealogy (family tree) printouts and books, and especially with the internet. Use an alternative security question like your first or favorite pet, teacher, or school, etc, something nobody could guess or find in print.

Let's start off with the most important thing in the world if you have your own computer:

How do you recognize a virus? These days, if you don't have a virus program, you can't. They can come disguised as return mail from the mailer-daemon, as a safe sounding attachment, as "here's a funny website", as "dangerous virus removal tools", or even without any attachment. And if your computer has a virus, it can spread itself to everyone you know, and you'll be left without any friends.  Really, if you don't have an up-to-date virus program, you should NOT be emailing anybody.

If you are like most people, you purchased a computer with a trial version of a good, trusted anti-virus program. But, when the trial is over, you have to pay for new virus definition files. And if you are like most people, you never subscribed to the paid service. Which leaves you protected ONLY against OLD viruses. When a new virus comes along, you are vulnerable.

Let's also get clear on how to operate a virus program. Installing it and never running it does virtually nothing. You should be downloading the free updates daily or as available, and run the entire program every week (or daily if you're on-line much) [Bootup virus scan does not check everything, so set a time when your computer is on for the program to deep-scan everything automatically, or manually start the scan.] 

There IS a FREE reliable anti-virus program, which offers full time virus protection, as well as FREE updates of NEW virus definitions. I have used this program for a couple years and am very happy with it.

AVG Anti Virus is the name of the program, produced by a company called Grisoft. And it is 100% free. The program stops viruses in their tracks, runs in the background full-time, and can be set to automatically update itself at intervals you choose, or can be updated manually anytime you like. New virus definition files are ALWAYS free. [They also have paid versions which I don't think you need since it doesn't give you any extra protection, just technical support and advanced interactivity, which I've never needed.]

12/09 update: I have learned that they hide the link to give this program away. You can get one month, but then you need to pay. But, I still recommend it. If you use the link below, I believe you can still get the free version.

Do yourself a huge favor. Check out the AVG Anti Virus web site, and download the program. Note: In order to activate the program properly, you must register before you download, and give your correct email address. The company will NOT send you spam. They will ONLY contact you for two reasons:

1 - To give you a "serial number" so you can finish installation of the program, and
2 - To alert you when new virus definition files are released.

Go now to http://free.avg.com

FREE, Full Time Virus Protection AND Firewall

A first line of defense is a firewall, especially if you have an always-on cable or dsl connection. There are free ones, and it took me time to find one that works, with instructions as to how to use it. I've tried and rejected "tinypersonalfirewall" and "kerio personal firewall".  I just got windows popping up asking me to accept or reject ICMP packets and all kinds of things that I don't know about.
I was having troubles with my Outlook Express again in January 2004. I called Gateway and they had me temporarily uninstall my virus program.  My ISP, Roadrunner, had also just a week earlier offered a FREE year of a combination antivirus program and firewall from Computer Associates. I LOVE IT. You really only think about YOU connecting to outside websites; you assume that outside websites aren't contacting your personal computer. WRONG!  In just the first day, the firewall caught "217 attempted intrusions, 18 high-rated". As I write this, 2 days later, it is 475 and 29.   See update in next paragraphs.

12/09 update: A computer technician told me that my computer bootup problems were CAUSED BY the Computer Associates program that Roadrunner provides. Stick with AVG.

November 2007 Update.  If you use Windows XP, download the free SP3 Update!  It is the best update I've ever seen from Microsoft. It makes the Windows XP Firewall usable and effective. It blocks popups unless you click to allow, blocks web-link pictures in your emails until you click that you want to see them, and blocks websites from seeing that you've opened their email. And more. You don't need any other firewall.

STOP SPYWARE

Do you get more than your share of ad windows popping up on your computer screen?  Chances are that it's not by chance.  Websites that you visit can install spyware on your computer without your knowledge. They then sell your websurfing habits to advertisers who will send you popup ads similar to places you've visited, even if you haven't opened your browser. It was messing up my computer and even my ability to send email. I also kept getting a program called Weathercast downloading to my computer without my knowledge or consent. Sounds like it might be a decent program, but I won't even look at any program that hijacks my computer. I also refuse to look at popup windows, no matter how interesting it might sound.

Calling the Roadrunner Help Desk April 12 when my email wouldn't work stumped the help technician. He had me turn my firewall off so he could ping to my computer and it still wasn't working right. So he said to try browsing the internet. With my firewall off, instead of my Roadrunner Homepage, I now had a Xupiter.com homepage. He knew immediately what was going on. I uninstalled my firewall (for now at least). Then he told me to go to www.lavasoft.de to download their FREE Ad-ware Standard program that finds all those trojans, cookies and worse that lurk throughout your computer.  It identifies the bad ones and roots them out. It even found more Xupiter files, IPInsight files, Gator, and over 50 others. Spyware can even stop your access to your favorites and search engines! If your computer is acting erratic, it's probably time for you to download this terrific program. It fixed my problem. I didn't need a firewall to block intruders; the intruders were already in my computer! My computer is now running smoothly again.

For a PC Magazine article about spyware, go to: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,978170,00.asp 

7/7/05 Update:
I was reading my Anchordesk e-news which referred me to a PC Magazine article on anti-spyware programs. I uninstalled my Lavasoft program and installed their recommended Microsoft Antispyware program, which is FREE to everyone until Dec 31, 2005. 5/08: I'm still getting it free, so check it out. It found stuff that Lavasoft did not. Get it here. Now called Windows Defender.

10/08: See my recommendation 3 topics down.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD CORRECTLY

Before we go any further, let me tell you how to download. I remember when I got started, I was very confused by the boxes popping up asking ME questions, wondering how the heck should I know what I want my computer to do?  
When you download something, a box will pop up asking whether you want to run it from it's current location, or save it to disk [meaning your hard drive disk]. If you are on a dialup, click on save to disk; otherwise you're not really downloading it. Broadband can usually do everything in one step, so run will work, unless it is something you want to make sure has a backup copy on your computer. Sometimes you can just click "Open" and it downloads and installs automatically. Usually, everything else prompts you to just click OK, but sometimes Windows will show you saving a new program in your "My Music" file or something off the wall like that. Typically, you want the new program to install under C:\ Programs or Program Files.
If you are opening a file in an email, you can usually just run it from the current location when you open it instead of saving it to a new file on your computer.

FIND OUT WHAT'S REALLY ON YOUR COMPUTER

The Belarc Advisor builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, including Microsoft Hotfixes, and displays the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any web server.

FIND OUT WHAT'S REALLY ON YOUR COMPUTER Part 2

My new computer was slowing down, so I fell for a commercial on TV for FinallyFast.com software from Ascentive. It certainly did find lots of stuff, but it also seemed to be a problem in itself with popups, besides wanting $49 to fix what it found. And I just took a computer class 9/08 telling me just that. That instructor said to never download anything without first checking out independent geek reviews on www.cnet.com to see if it really works. No reviews are as bad as bad reviews. Ascentive adds its own malware to create problems which it can then "find" for you.

He and cnet recommend a totally FREE program called Software CCleaner (not a typo) and you can download it at http://www.ccleaner.com . This is a multitasker program that will clean out old files.  Have you ever installed or removed programs? Who hasn't?  Guess what? Those removed programs are still there in the background slowing your computer down. This program will easily find and remove them with its registry cleaner.

Also get Spybot Search & Destroy for spyware or malware. Check it out at http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html

FREE INTERNET & COMPUTER TRAINING

The next best thing you can do is to learn all about your computer. If you can read, then READ. I never found that structured classes really helped me do what I wanted to do. Learning on your own works best, if you have some guidance. Search the internet for limitless computer advice websites and blogs, borrow Smart Computing and other magazines from the Library, and go to www.smartcomputing.com .

I recommend Kim Komando who has her own weekly talk radio show, and you can subscribe to her newsletter, a free service of The Kim Komando Computer Show, one of the Top 10 Most Listened to Programs in the United States! Sign up at: http://www.komando.com/

The next most important place to go is http://www.zdnet.com and peruse their website and sign up for their Anchordesk Newsletter. I call this place the consumer reports of the internet. Advice and News of what is going on in the Computer World.  They also have great free downloads of programs. And of course, www.cnet.com .

*** VIRUS WARNING ***
Is your email inbox so loaded with virus warnings that you don't take any of them seriously? A real virus warning will come directly from your virus software company. In fact some fake virus warnings will have real viruses attached. And stories about religious programs being taken off the air with a petition of hundreds of names (and hundreds of email addresses including yours publicized right there for the spammers to take advantage of). Stories about dying or missing children? "WTC Survivor" virus. Lies about the ACLU or Jane Fonda. Email taxes from the Post Office. etc. etc. Some virus hoaxes even get you to delete REAL Windows programs out of your computer (like the teddy bear icon)! How do you know what's real and what's a hoax?  

Before you clutter up the internet channels any more than they already are, please read this message debunking these hoaxes, and "reply all" to the email by copying and pasting this letter to them. Message here in a new window.

REAL WARNING:
Be aware that any email received looking like an official email from Microsoft that includes an attachment of a security update, is REALLY a worm virus. The only updates you should download from Microsoft are directly from from their REAL website. Microsoft NEVER emails you with attachments.

HOW DO VIRUSES WORK?
Some worms open as soon as you open the email with a box prompting you to save the attachment. If this happens, it is a VIRUS. Click CANCEL instead of save and delete the email, and you should be safe.
Are your friends sending you viruses? Maybe, maybe not. A virus will search for email addresses on the infected computer and send them out with that name as the Sender!  So if you get an email from a friend (or even from yourself) with a virus, it is probably not even from them; it's from someone who has that person in their address book.  That's why you should encourage EVERYONE who uses email to USE A REGULARLY UPDATED VIRUS PROGRAM or get the heck off the internet. No money is no excuse; use the free one mentioned above.
2007 viruses seem to be focusing on once-safe attachments like .pdf and even photos of ads.  If you don't know the sender, ignore and delete the email without clicking on anything.

GET THE WORD PROGRAM FREE ?!

One of the most widely used programs in computerland is Microsoft Word (94% market share; Wordperfect is 1%) . But, it is certainly not cheap.  How would you like the same thing for FREE?  Linux has replicated nearly everything that the entire Microsoft Office set of programs can do and is offering it for FREE. It is called Open Office and even big companies like Verizon are making the switch.  Our Fuller Brush training documents are all in MS Word, but with this program, anyone can read and edit them on their computer.  If you have a cable or DSL connection, Open Office should download fairly quickly. If you have a dialup, it may take hours, so you may want to wait until late-night to do it. Print out their download instructions, it can get complicated sometimes.
Note: It's not perfect. I recently did a trial of switching documents back and forth. Both OpenOffice Word and Microsoft Word change the formatting of the other; you'll have to do some re-editing. It's very usable though if you don't plan on extensive switching. This also includes Excel and the other main MS programs.

If you don't have MS Word, you can use Open Office, which is a free, fully compatible MS Office Suite. You can download Open Office here. 

MAKE PDF Adobe Acrobat files for free. Yes, you can convert your Word documents, efaxes, scanned documents, and more into easily readable PDF documents for free with a FREE program called Fineprint. Download Fineprint PDF Factory at www.fineprint.com

If your printer won't already print 2 or 4 pages per page when you want to reduce your paper use, download the regular fineprint program too.

NEW - EVEN BETTER: PDF Factory adds an advertising line to your documents. One of our dealers told me about www.cutepdf.com with a free program that does the same without the advertising line. I have changed over and I like it; documents are even clearer too.

Office 2007 also now has a FREE add-on to immediately convert an Office document to pdf, better than the above two items.

FREE FULLER BRUSH DISTRIBUTORSHIP & WEBSITE
If you haven't become a Fuller Brush distributor yet, we also offer you a FREE one-year distributorship and kit, or kits with free products. You also receive a FREE website from Fuller Brush exactly like the one you see when you click on the Fuller Direct button below. Click on Business Opportunity for all the details or call me, Roland Rhoades, at 1-800-775-1113. 

Shop on my FullerDirect website, get discount prices on dozens of Fuller and Stanley products, and get a FREE Master Catalog and a gift with any order!

 
if this doesn't automatically log you in, use discount code 9200298

FREE "MOTIVATIONAL MOMENTS"
I have decided to save the BEST motivational and inspirational quotes and stories on a separate page on my website. Just click here: MOTIVATIONAL MOMENTS

Let's make America strong and secure again. The US has been spending more and earning less the past few years. We need a balanced federal budget again to create financial stability for our children's futures, proper educational support for our children, and we need to provide proper healthcare for our seniors, AND EVERY family for that matter. We are the richest country in the world. No one who knows what they are talking about can say that we don't have the money. It's just a matter of priorities. What are your priorities? The silent majority will get stepped on unless you make your educated opinions known.

I urge one and all to watch a free Fun video on America's skewed budget priorities, by Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream fame. It tells how to find the missing BILLIONS of $$ in the federal budget. And watch the video to balance the budget with nuclear weapons too.

FREE Group Mailing program. 

Mail to 100 people with one click, and personalize each one "Hi Roland Rhoades" too! (or even use other names). They are mailed individually, one by one, so you don't have any cc: or bcc: bulk mail issues. This is what I use to mail my Fuller Brush Newsletters to my distributors and customers. I also use it for group mailings to church members, my genealogy contacts, and just groups of friends and family. Since I use a different email for personal and business, this program will also accommodate that as well.  NO fees at all, though there is a paid version that you can upgrade to. Paid version is worth it if you typically mail to more than 100 at a time. Claim it as a business expense.

Go to http://www.infacta.com/gm.asp to read all about the program and download it. 

FREE 800 Number
I get many people asking me where to get a good inexpensive 800#. First let's discuss the need for an 800#. An 800# is simply a cheaper way for people to call you collect; it's not free to you. Toll free numbers now begin with the 800, 866, 877, and 888 prefixes. If you want a number for customers to call you, most of them will be able to call your local number anyway. Your mailorder customers can call Fuller Brush's 800#s with your ID# to order or ask product questions. If you want to advertise the business opportunity nationally like I do, then an 800# can very important. Many people though will not object to having to pay for their own phone call to you after they join. I make my 800# available to ALL prospects, customers, and distributors because I want NO EXCUSES of not being able to call their sponsor or upline for upline support. I have the 1-800-775-1113 number that I got in 1992. That and my local number ring into my same phone. If you want a separate voicemail service, that's a whole different story.

Phone rates are one of the items these days that keep going down in price, so don't sign any long term contracts with any company. Until I switched to internet $39/month unlimited service, I paid 4.5c/minute with Applewood Communications (formerly EZTel) for out-of-state long distance service - both my outgoing calls and my incoming 800 calls. They charge no setup fee, no monthly fees, no minimums, and charges per second, which means your phone bills will show 1c and 2c charges for short calls, and even some free ones if you hang up as soon as you get an answering machine. To get the free 800#, you need to change your regular out-of-state long distance service to them. Your 800# will also work in-state, but charges are set higher by your individual state. Most long distance companies will give you a free 800# these days, but the price varies widely, some charging over $20 per month whether you use it or not. Check your own company first and decide if you want to change.  I now only have the 800# with them, and have a $5 monthly fee.

You can reach Applewood at 1-434-376-8946. Mention that Roland Rhoades 800-775-1113 referred you, or acct # 003799-ME.  Refer others and get 5% of their phone bill credited on your phone bill. Ask for their best rates and mention my rates if they offer higher rates than these. They also have free billpayer service automatically charging your credit card or checking account, saving you a stamp to pay your bill. They email your itemized bill to you first so you know how much will be deducted. Paper billing is slightly higher.

FREE FAX Number
I had efax for a long time as a free fax # to sends faxes into my email inbox. Very handy. But then they started charging money. I switched to MaxEmail and their faxes come already converted to a pdf. I've been using it for free for over a year and I love the quality. I even fax stuff to myself to create a pdf. I wouldn't hesitate to pay for it if they sent me a bill. Go to MaxEmail. They did finally send me a bill, but it's very cheap and worth it.

FREE MONEY from your credit cards.

Are you tired of paying interest on your credit cards? In the first place, you should be earning more money before you spend it with your credit cards, if you can't pay it in full. Learn to live simply. See the business opportunity page of this website and the "Show Me the Money" page, if you need extra part-time or full-time cash and a home business of your own.
I get tons of credit card offers. If I didn't cancel them, I'd have a 6-digit credit card limit. And I DO cancel any card that doesn't pay me at least 1% CASH BACK from ALL my purchases. I just cut up my Discover Card which merely offered UP TO 2%, but started at 1/4%. My latest card pays me 1% on everything and 3% on regular business purchases, like office supplies and copying at Staples, gasoline for my car, restaurants, and construction supplies for my home and office remodeling (contact Chase; actually contact any credit card company and tell them you're shopping around for the best cash rewards program. Cash is generally better than frequent flyer points or gifts). Credit card companies don't tell everyone about these offers. ASK THEM if they have anything better than what you are using now. Threaten to take your business elsewhere.

FREE MONEY & Equipment from Staples Office Supply.

Are you a smart shopper?  Staples, and other places, often offer merchandise specials of FREE after rebate. I get them usually even if I don't need them. I just got a new telephone for free that I didn't need, so I donated it to my church who DID need a new one.

Staples also usually has the best price around on photocopying, even driving Officemax/Copymax out of business here. I print my regular stuff on my own personal digital laser printer/copier, but large items, like 4000 copies in my Newsletter, I print there to save the wear and tear on my own machine. If your copying expense is over $100 per quarter, you get 10% cash back as a credit. I just got a new leather office chair with 5 vibrating motors for $10 after using my credit! 5/05 Update: I just got a new free bookcase with my credit and had money left over.

2008: Staples has really raised their prices lately. Call everyplace in your yellow pages for the best copying prices.

FREE aol?

Are you paying $23+ per month for just plain dial-up aol?  WHY? Just how low will their counter-offers go if you tell them you're canceling?

I got a year of free aol when I got my new computer. I let Cyndy use it. After a year we started getting billed and started looking elsewhere. We switched to peoplepc for unlimited service for $9.95 per month. Cyndy says it's just as fast as aol and she likes plain old Internet Explorer better. Aol made some counteroffers first. She went a month paying per hour, but that was still expensive. After she cancelled and switched, aol matched the $9.95 per month rate for unlimited hours per month! Cyndy didn't want to change her email address again, so we declined their offer. Then they offered a free period of aol. Their $9.95 rate, however, only includes one email address and no parental controls. If that's fine with you, you might want to tell aol that you are canceling.

[We have since set up a wireless network so that her computer can connect to my cable connection at the other end of the house, with no wires. It loses some speed over that distance, but she says it's faster than peoplepc was, and doesn't tie up her phone. Now her service IS free.]

I use Roadrunner Cable service myself and charge it as a business expense. It costs $45 per month, but I find it well worth it to have my computer always connected without waiting for a dialup to check email or search the internet. Instead of a 56kbps modem with a connection speed of 28-50 kbps per second, I typically travel at 11000-20000 kbps download speed. Traveling to websites and having pictures load on my screen and downloading stuff from the internet is nearly instantaneous.

Check your actual connection speed.

FREE help designing your website. How to design your meta tags to get search engines to find you. And ALL the other stuff necessary to get found and listed.  I love this website, and am still learning stuff. You can bet I have it bookmarked in my favorites. Do your own search for other websites like this that may be helpful to you.  Check out www.searchenginewatch.com .

Here's my own tip. If you have a Fuller Brush website, and have links taking people to another website, even fullerdirect.com, format them to open a NEW window! Otherwise, your website is gone and lost from their screen, and you may have lost a customer.

Got your own website? Get it found with search engines. Paid listings obviously work the best, but start off with the free stuff. Get added to newsletters with lots of website tips, like how to use meta tags to get your site recognized by search engines.

I also recommend: to correctly build and submit your website.

Here are some of my favorite FREE website design links, even though I haven't had time to use all of them yet.

http://www.3dtextmaker.com/

http://freebuttons.tomaweb.com/ Free GIF button generator

http://www.smileycentral.com

http://freesitetemplates.com/

FREE 411 - INTERNET PHONE BOOK
http://www.anywho.com/ or http://www.whitepages.com will find you just about anyone, and their address, without the expensive fee charged by the phone companies.

An easier tip:  If you have a google toolbar, and know a phone number, type the phone number into the google search window, and you'll get info on who it belongs to. Great for identifying the numbers on your caller ID.

FREE MAPS
Find a map of anyplace and even driving directions with distance and time. http://www.mapsonus.com/ and also at www.mapquest.com Also now on google and bing.

$AVE $$ on your Income Taxes

As an Independent Distributor, you are responsible for keeping accurate income and expense records, and for reporting your income to the Federal Government. The IRS has a very helpful site, offering free downloads of tax forms, publications, and instructions. Visit the IRS web site for help in preparing your income tax return as an Independent Distributor. A Schedule C will show you the main expenses that you should keep track of as legal deductions. Keep track of long distance phone charges, internet charges, postage, mileage, advertising, Fuller business supplies, and many more things that you can legally subtract directly from your income. You'll also want to download the following publications:

• Publication 17  - Your Federal Income Tax
• Publication 911 - Direct Sellers
• Publication 535 - Business Expenses
• Publication 505 - Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax

Free Income Tax Software!

If you have a home or business, your tax situation can get complicated. Accountants are really expensive. You can save lots of money doing your taxes yourself, especially if you have tax preparation software, but that costs money too - until now.  You can use "TaxAct" for FREE.  Get a jump start on your own tax return, and exactly what you should keep track of to deduct as a Fuller Brush business owner. Download TaxAct today at www.taxact.com .

When considering ANY business opportunity, I also recommend the Worldwide Scam Network as a place to bookmark among your favorites at www.worldwidescam.com .  They have had some very interesting stories about some big MLM names like Skybiz, Global Prosperity, etc.   Don't fall for buying an expensive internet mall.

TRACE YOUR FAMILY TREE

This is a very popular hobby (my favorite). You'll find many helpful websites in any internet search. Or, just go to Cyndi's List to get a list of just about all of them.

But then, how do you organize all those generations of ancestors and cousins? You need a genealogy program. Family Tree Maker is one of the most popular, but it also has the most complaints about things it won't do, and they come out with a new upgrade to pay for every year. 

I attended a genealogy forum comparing many different programs. The conclusion was that two programs are exceptional, and one of them is absolutely FREE. For most people the FREE version of Legacy will do everything that you want. They also have a paid fancy version. Download it FREE here.

Also available is another free program - PAF for Windows (Personal Ancestry File).

See my Maine Families website at www.RolandRhoades.com

INVITATION for FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS to DYNAMIC E-NEWSLETTERS on PERSUASIVENESS and NETWORK MARKETING to help your Productivity.
Here are some FREE email newsletters that are worth getting and reading.  "What's not to like? It's Free!"  If you want to be a success in life, get rid of your "stinking thinking" by filling your head with positive motivational thoughts and nitty gritty how-to advice.
Subscribe to them all and pick out which ones you like the best.

SCAMS:

I make this material available because we are all inundated with get rich quick schemes in our junk mail and magazines every day. In case you are tempted by one of these schemes, maybe I can save you some time and money investigating and trying these, so that you can concentrate on a real business that works: Your Fuller Brush Business! Work with a business offering something that you can be proud of, not a business you are embarrassed by. I quite regularly sign up new Fuller Brush dealers who remark that they've tried everything else; now they want a real company. That also includes former Fuller dealers who wish they had stuck with Fuller in the first place. If there was a way to make real money doing nothing, or not contacting anybody, everybody would be doing it instead of going to work. But, let me know if you've discovered any exceptions. 

See also The Federal Trade Commission reports: click on "For Consumers".

THE "ENVELOPE STUFFING"/ HOMEWORKERS MYTH

At one time in history, companies did need homeworkers to stuff envelopes and make mailings for them. Then in the late 1970's, electric sorting and folding machines were invented and lettershops started a booming business. They could fold and stuff thousands of pieces of literature into envelopes in just minutes. The printing machines could also address the envelopes or put on mailing labels. Then personal computers did away with home typists, and they could even personalize letters and envelopes. That really ended the era of homeworkers stuffing envelopes.

So, why would a legitimate company advertise to send their literature nationwide to people willing to stuff their envelopes, and even offer $200 - $1000 for stuffing 1000 envelopes, or even more? Obviously, no legitimate company would. What are they offering? Well, they charge you a fee to get started. That's where they make a lot of Their money. They are probably offering you commission circulars; you'd get a commission IF someone bought what the circulars are selling. If they worked, everyone would quit their jobs and just do that. Use your common sense as to whether the offer sounds legitimate.

$10 PER NAME GUARANTEED!
Some ads offer to pay you 50¢, $1, $5, or even $10 per name you send in. Some companies actually will buy envelopes from you for 10¢ to 50¢ each. However, they have to be envelopes from people inquiring about your products or purchasing your products. So, you'd have to have a mail-order business to start with. Other programs tell you to place ads for their product or opportunity and ask for $1 for details. You keep the money and forward the names of the people who wanted information. They get free leads, and you make a few bucks, maybe, after paying for the ads. Other programs tell you to sell a product or service. Every "name" that responds to your ad is a customer, so technically, you make $10, or whatever amount, per name.

GET PAID $2 FOR EVERY ENVELOPE YOU STUFF. Stuff 500 envelopes and make $1000 cash! AND, Get FREE postage, free mailing supplies, and free names!
Again, you need to place ads offering a moneymaking booklet or something like one of the "legitimate scams" below. Offer details for $2 and a SASE. You keep the money and stuff the SASE with a circular selling the book. Not many people are going to send you money and a SASE for more junk mail.

CHAIN LETTERS. I've never heard of anyone really making money with these, except the claims of the authors of these things. There are many different varieties. At one time I tried one, replacing all the names with names of my own choosing using various addresses I had access to. I still didn't make enough money to pay expenses. (the people I mailed to probably did the same thing!)

HOME ASSEMBLY. It usually takes many more hours than they say to create a product they are willing to buy back from you; and they can, and usually do, say that the quality is not up to their standards and refuse to pay you.

BECOME A GOVERNMENT TRACER.  You will receive info about it, but no way is the government going to pay all, or even any, of the people who buy this program, to process government claims.

"LEGITIMATE" SCAMS

YES, there are legitimate scams, sort of. They are ads with very appealing offers for $1 to $10, and they DO deliver the service claimed, but you are still left with nothing that you didn't already know, or that you could easily get for free. For example:

ESTABLISH AAA CREDIT IN 30 DAYS.
All you do is take $500, deposit it in a bank and then ask the bank for a $500 loan, holding your original $500 as collateral. Then take that $500 to another bank and do the same thing. Within 30 days, you actually can be approved for 4 different bank loans, and when you repay them, you have AAA credit.

WIPE OUT DEBTS WITHOUT FILING BANKRUPTCY.
If you owe 20 different creditors, it is common knowledge that only 1 or 2 will show up for your Creditors Hearing (less if you owe less than $5000 per creditor). You won't have to file a bankruptcy on the other 18 or so that don't show up personally, thereby wiping out your debt with those creditors.

HOW TO STOP CREDIT COLLECTORS DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS.
Just demand that all further correspondence about your debt be mailed to your home. By law, the credit collection agency cannot call you at home or work again. Send your request in writing by certified mail to stop them immediately.

HIGH PAYING FEDERAL JOBS.
This information can easily be found in almost any public library. There is no reason to pay for it.

DRUG SEIZED CARS & HOMES CHEAP. SEND $39.95.
Again, this information can easily be found free of charge in almost any public library.

HOW TO LIVE ABROAD FOR FREE.
Universities and businesses in foreign countries pay handsome salaries to English teachers. So, if you are an English teacher, AND speak their language, you're all set.

EARN MONEY READING NEWSPAPERS.
This involves you being in the middle of a real estate deal. You locate property for sale by owner and hook them up with buyers, and charge for your services.

COLLEGE DEGREES BY MAIL.
These are imitation degrees you can buy for $50 or $100 for novelty purposes. Many companies sell them through the backs of many national magazines.

GET A VISA OR MASTERCARD FREE.
Simply apply for a check/debit card at your bank. They will issue you a card that looks like a Visa or Mastercard and deduct the amount you charge from your checking account. Anyone can qualify regardless of credit history. All you need is a checking account.

BORROW MONEY INTEREST FREE.
If you have good credit, you can apply for Over-Draft Protection at your bank. By setting up two or more checking accounts with overdraft protection, you can write checks on money you don't have. Before the check clears the bank, you simply write another check (from one of your other accounts) to cover it. Keep doing this back and forth between your two or more accounts (also known as "check kiting") and you can have extra cash interest free. However, checks are clearing faster and faster these days, and banks are also wise to this, and many DO charge hefty fees. Figure your time involved, and this one is totally worthless. Credit cards DO give you money interest free, though, IF you pay your bill in full every month.

LIVE IN A $200,000 HOME FREE.
Become a house sitter while the owners are away on vacation or other business related trips. Of course, you must have references.

GET A FREE MERCEDES OR OTHER LUXURY CAR EVERY YEAR.
Form a non-profit institution and have this institution furnish you with the vehicle of your choice. Another way is to become a car salesman and qualify for a new car by selling the most cars for the dealership. Another way is to become a (very successful) Mary Kay Cosmetics dealer.

50% OFF HOTELS.
Just tell the desk clerk when you check in that you are a government employee and qualify for the lowest rate. Most do not ask for identification, but if they do, tell them you left it in the car and try another hotel.

HOW TO EAT AT FINE RESTAURANTS FREE.
Order your food, eat portions of each entrée, then complain about the service or anything else, demanding a full refund of your money.

Remember friends - No one gives you something for nothing!

Feel free to print this out for later reference.

Click here if you'd like to read about a legitimate business opportunity, going back to our Home page.

The Fuller Brush Gold Program presented by the DownEast Winning Team.

If you are looking at a business opportunity other than the Fuller Brush Company, email me regarding what you are looking for in a business, and I'll give you my honest opinion and advice. Some people who like overpriced nutrition products do great in those type of companies (Fuller does have some economical nutritional products in their Stanley line). Someone makes money in almost any program; I like Fuller Brush because nearly ANYBODY can make money with it, and we have substance to our program that keeps us a legal, above reproach business opportunity.

Email:  FBDWT@maine.rr.com