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Following Up on Fallacies about Getting Free Stuff “Free stuff” – the mere whisper of the words is often enough to make many people throw common sense out the window and head for the free goods like a missile to a target. And then there are those people whose eyes glaze over when they hear those words, because they can’t believe anything worth having can actually be free. The truth about free stuff is really somewhere in the middle. Yes, you can really and truly cash in on many freebie deals for things that you want to have, but a healthy sense of cynicism about free gear is also useful. Here are some of the important things to keep in mind about free stuff. The first myth you should throw out the window is that nothing good comes for free. The fact of the matter is that the price tag on a good doesn’t always match up to the quality, and there are many great free things out there. Case in point: music. Sure, everyone has heard the scare stories about file sharing online, and maybe some big record labels will come after you if you focus on their artists. Dig a little below the surface, however, and you can find a whole new world of really great bands that are more than happy for you to listen to their music over and over again. The same goes for free software. People on the cutting edge of technology who have a passion for creating new and efficient applications often develop open source code software. They’re doing it for the love of it, and they often have more talent than any ten suit-and-tie tech guys trying to hock their latest product for a mega profit margin. Here is where the reality part comes in, however. Yes, you can find wonderful things that are completely free – but yes, you can also find a lot of free things that aren’t worth your time at all and in some cases can cause you a lot of trouble. The net is a great place to fall victim to a “free stuff” scam, but you can also sometimes come across these scams in the mail as well. If something is free, but requires you to give your credit card number or bank details, run the other way. Another myth people have about free stuff, especially free stuff on the internet, is that when you try to cash in, the only free stuff you will be getting is an inbox full of more spam than you can handle. The truth about this is, well, that is can certainly be true. Many companies give away free things in exchange for your email address, so they can try to hit you up to purchase things in the future. What makes this a myth, however, is that it can be avoided. If you don’t want to choke on an inbox of spam, and who could blame you, set up a special (free) email account that you will use exclusively for freebie hunting. You’ll have the best of both worlds. The last myth about free stuff involves the “catch” people are always looking for. Often, for free stuff, the catch is a bit of junk mail or email or the fact that you have to submit to a time consuming survey. Sometimes, the catch is that if you get free stuff through a trial offer, if you don’t cancel it, it keeps coming, and this time you have to pay. The truth about these catches is, however, that the catch is in the eye of the beholder. These things don’t make products any less free; so don’t write off every free offer offhand. You might just find a catch you can live with to get a great free product you really want.

Proctor and Gamble Great at the Freebie Thing Do you have a favorite manufacturer that you like to tap into for free product samples and coupons? For those in the know, the Proctor and Gamble Corporation is one of the best companies for getting your share of freebies. This popular manufacturer is well known as the creator of many fine household products. For freebie hunters, the Proctor and Gamble Corporation are known as one of the most reliable sources for awesome freebie deals and promotions. Here are some hints and tips at become at an ace at getting freebies from your favorite manufacturer. Get to Know the Proctor and Gamble Corporation for the Best Shot at Great Freebies If you want the best shot at getting the best freebies from Proctor and Gamble, you will find that they are very generous with their free samples and coupon freebies. But you will have to take the time to know the company. Peruse their website and get to know their promotion schedule. The Proctor and Gamble Corporation is a favorite with many freebie hunters because it provides consumers with a wide range of products and they even maintain a special webpage dedicated exclusively to their current promotions and offers. Once you have located this page on their official website, go ahead and bookmark it for future reference. Check with the site periodically to see what offers and promotions are currently on the table. Enable Flash to Get the Most Out of the Proctor and Gamble Page Recently, the Proctor and Gamble Corporation, along with many other streamlined websites, has added a Flash based scrolling design to display their current offers and promotions. In order to view these promotions, you will have to make sure that you have Flash enabled on your web browser. These scrolling offers are shown at the bottom of the page. Check these often and carefully as new offers are added periodically. Read the scrolling items carefully. Some of them will link you to official sweepstakes offers, while others will lead you straight to freebie offers and coupons. Selecting the Proctor and Gamble Offers that Most Interest You In order to get the best deals, visit the promotions page on the official Proctor and Gamble website. From there, you can select all the free offers that most interest you. The Proctor and Gamble webpage usually comes loaded with a healthy selection of free samples, sweepstakes and coupon offers. Another thing you can do to make sure that you always have access to great Proctor and Gamble promotions is to get on their mailing list. Make sure you select the products you are most interested in so that you will get pertinent mailers and coupons. Read the Fine Print on Proctor and Gamble Offers and Promotions When it comes to manufacturer promotions, time is of the essence. Most great deals and offers will not last forever. Make a note of the expiration date of the deals you are interested in. Read the fine print on the promotions. Most will only be available to United States residents. However, international customers do not have to despair. Simply look for the global link on the main page. This will connect you to other pages that offer you pertinent promotions for your country of residence. For the most part, Proctor and Gamble has established itself as a worthy generator of freebies, coupons and sweepstakes offers. Chances are that you will find your freebies in the mail within a few short weeks of making your initial request. Are There Any Risks Associated with Getting Proctor and Gamble Promotions? Some people are wary about handing over their personal contact information to a company. If this is a concern with you, make sure that you read the company's own privacy policy. As a general rule, you should avoid making requests and giving personal information to companies that do not offer you easy access to their privacy policy.

Four Ways to Create a Better Work Environment and Increase Job Productivity What kind of environment do you think creates the most potential for job productivity – one in which everything is very regimented and the workers perform their work because they are afraid of “getting in trouble,” or one in which the workers are relaxed and allowed a great deal of freedom and flexibility? It is the great working conundrum – to get workers to do more, you have to let them work less. Further, you have to create a work environment in which work is not stressful. In fact, creating an environment in which work is even enjoyable and a pleasure gets the best results of all! If you want to get your employees to improve their job productivity and job performance, forget about cracking the whip. Instead, think about how you can make coming to work appealing for them, so they actually want to get things done for you! The first way to create a better work environment and increase job productivity comes down very much to your attitude and the way you treat your employees. Make sure you create an environment in which your workers can come to you and discuss work related problems they are having with you. The feedback you get from them will enable to make sure the office is working as efficiently as possible. Additionally, it will allow you to stay on top of everything that is happening in the office much easier – instead of employees trying to hide mistakes and problems from you, they will bring them to your attention and work on finding a solution. Above all else, creating a good relationship with your employees will keep the mood in the office positive – no one likes working for someone who doesn’t appreciate them or casts a black cloud over the office. You’ll get more out of your employees if they are happy when they are at work. The next thing you can do is consider “fun” options, like a dress down day once a week or a weekly office lunch get together. These kinds of shared activities increase the team building and the morale among the workers in your office. When everyone feels like he or she is a member of a team, they will be more likely to feel responsible to each other and perform better at their daily tasks. The third idea for creating a better office environment is related to the second, but has more to do with the actual office itself. Open plan offices are believed by experts to increase feelings of belonging and team membership among employees. Try to encourage shared workspaces and a healthy exchange of ideas between your employees at all times. Again, when employees feel like they are part of a team working together for a common goal, they will be more likely to make sure they are holding up their end of the bargain. Last but not least, make sure your employees are well rested and as stress free as possible. Allowing flex time hours in your office is a great way to give employees more control over their time; it gives them time to get rest when they need it or take a day off when they need to recharge. Encourage your employees to disconnect from the office when they are not at work instead of being constantly available, even after hours or when they are on vacation. An employee who actually gets some time off will be more productive when they return to the office. Likewise, make sure that the office has a break room that offers a real respite for employees during the day, and encourage employees to make use of it. Allowing your employees to get they breaks they will increase their ability to deliver for you when they return.