Forget rubbish freebies that you’d never dream of paying for – it’s time to grab something of value for nothing. Robert Irvine reveals how to get the best no-catch deals
Install paid-for Android apps for free
Lots of so-called free apps have hidden costs, such as features that you have to pay to unlock and intrusive adverts that gobble up your data allowance and battery power, which is why we thoroughly approve of the ‘actually free’ apps and games offered by Amazon Underground (www.amazon.co.uk/underground). These are paid-for apps that the online giant is giving away for free, with no catches; by which we mean no time limits, no in-app purchases and no ads. They aren’t obscure or rubbish apps, either. At the time of writing, the ‘actually free’ selection includes the brilliant Goat Simulator (which costs £3.29 on Google Play), the full version of 3D body-exploring app Visual Anatomy (usual price £1.58) and the award-winning fitness app Easy Weight Loss (formerly £4.99). Underground appears to have replaced Amazon’s previous ‘App of the Day’ giveaway, with the bonus that hundreds of free apps are now available indefinitely.
Amazon can offer these paid-for apps for free because it now pays developers for how much their apps are used rather than passing costs on to customers. The only catch is that the Underground update to Amazon’s shopping app isn’t available through the Google Play store, but directly from Amazon’s Underground page. We featured a Mini Workshop explaining how to use Underground in our last issue, and any apps you download will run on your Android device in the usual manner.
Get free tickets to rugby matches
If you enjoy watching rugby on telly, but you’ve never attended a match, you can currently apply for free tickets from the Aviva Premiership Rugby First Timers campaign (bit.ly/rugby380) and save yourself at least a tenner. Simply visit the link above, select a fixture from the drop-down menu (all matches will be played at the home-club stadium except where indicated) and enter your details, including which team you support. Tickets are available for all 12 clubs in the Aviva Premiership during the first seven rounds of games, which run from 16 October to 27 December. You’ll be notified one week before the match if your application has been successful, with more than 2,000 free tickets available for each game.
Although the Aviva First Timers scheme is obviously aimed at new supporters, and the company passes your information to your local club, it seems that the aim of the scheme is to replenish empty stands, so we’re sure there’ll be no major objection if you’re not a genuine rugby virgin!
Watch the latest films for free
We’ve recommended ShowFilmFirst (www.showfilmfirst.com) before, but recently the service that gives you free cinema tickets for preview screenings has become even better. Previously, the movies on offer tended to be rather obscure but, in the last few months, the site has let users watch films including A Walk in the Woods, based on the best-selling Bill Bryson book and starring Robert Redford as the author, and Ridley Scott’s The Martian, weeks ahead of their official releases and for nothing except the price of snacks. To enjoy a free night at the flicks, just register your details and wait for ShowFilmFirst to send you codes for new films. Enter a code on the website to see if free tickets are still available – they’re offered on a first come, first serve basis, so get in quick – and print them out. ShowFilmFirst also now offers discounts on theatre tickets at showfilmfirst.entstix.com.
Download free comics for your tablet
Comic fans who want something new to read, but are short of a few bob, are currently spoilt for choice when it comes to high-quality online freebies. Notably, to celebrate breaking the 50,000 ‘likes’ threshold on Facebook, 2000 AD has released a free 128-page PDF comic (bit.ly/2000ad380) to thank fans for their “zarjaz [excellent] support”. This rounds up classic Judge Dredd stories from the past 38 years of “the greatest comic in the galaxy”, which each have a number-themed title. You can either read the 2000 AD comic in your browser, print it out or download the whole thing to read offline on your PC, tablet or e-reader.
Meanwhile, Doctor Who fans (or Whovians, if you must) can download a free Kindle ebook from bit.ly/doctor380. Issued for Free Comic Book Day 2015, and currently selling for as much as £13 in hard copy on eBay, it features “three stunning, all-new short stories” starring the last three Doctors (separately, for now). You don’t need a Kindle e-reader to be able to enjoy the comic because the free Kindle app is available for all Desktop and mobile platforms. Search Amazon for FCBD to discover lots more free Kindle comics, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers and Transformers titles.
Don’t pay for mobile internet access
We’ve been stung by ‘free internet’ offers before, for example from Ovivo and Samba, which both gave you free mobile data in return for watching adverts but were suddenly closed down in March and April 2014, respectively. However, we have higher hopes for FreedomPop (www.freedompop.com), which has been popular in the US for the last four years and promises that “Free is really Free, no gimmicks or games”.
FreedomPop works by offering basic talk, text and data free of charge, but letting you pay if you decide you need more. Reports suggest the free deal will comprise 200 minutes of calls, 200 texts and 200MB of data each month via the FreedomPop app and SIM card, which doesn’t sound like much, but should suffice for ‘light’ users.
FreedomPop has teamed up with Three and another, as yet unnamed, company in the UK and was supposed to launch this summer, but had yet to arrive at the time of going to press. Enter your postcode and email address on the website to check if FreedomPop will be available in your area and to sign up for a beta invite.