The Internet is not only a source of information"it's a mother lode of freebies. There are so many things you can find and download at absolutely no cost (and considering how easy it is to click and search, at absolutely no effort as well).Free sites are some of the most popular on the web today. Here are just a few things available:

* Free fonts. Why spend hundreds of dollars on font software, when you can get them for free? Some sites carry over a thousand fonts, all of them available at no cost. Other sites require payment for fonts, but offer free fonts which are rotated regularly so you always have something new to download at every visit.

* Free software. Called freeware, these programs can be downloaded and used requiring nothing more than a little patience and free space on your drive. These include applications you can use for work (or when you're pretending to work), or recreational software like games.

* Free recipes. You'll never buy a cookbook again when you find the recipes on the Internet: hundreds of thousands, to suit every taste, mood, budget, or dietary requirement. Many of these sites have sign-up programs so you can get recipes delivered to your inbox; others let you print the recipes in various formats, for easy pasting on to your index cards.

* Free music. No, you don't have to break any copyright laws. Many websites offer free music, which are uploaded by new artists who want to market their music, Other classics have simply entered public domain. Looking for a little Bach to start your day, or a swinging rendition of Jingle Bell Rock? Find it all on the Web.

* Free graphics. Need something to jazz up your website, a poster, a school project? Find it all on the web. Aside from the nifty fact that it's free, you can easily access what you need by typing in the key words or clicking on to the categories.

* Free cards. Forgot your mother's birthday? Log on to an online card site and download a free card (you can also find a "sorry" card in case you remembered it two weeks later!). Many are customizable, letting you choose the font, the background color, and the kind of music you want it to play when it's clicked on.

* Free e-books. The Internet's got plenty of reading material"the web pages alone would take a lifetime to read. But you can also download e-books that you can read on your computer screen or on your Palm Pilot.

* Free ringtones. Personalize your phone with your favorite music, downloaded from the numerous sites that offer ringtones. Some of them even have entire packages that include screen savers and background.

* Free coupons. Print them out and bring them to the grocery! Some of those coupons can be exchanged for free product samples, or at the very least, discounts or bonuses (such as 25% off on the next purchase).

* Free classes. Sign up for a writing course, a photography class, or Photoshop seminar"all for free. Best of all you can actually take those skills and use it to earn money or improve your own career.