Free Trials, Helpful Hint.

fewgroats

I did see a helpful hint that you can sign up to free trials using a Visa gift card. I suppose the other way is to cancel them as soon as they lose "value" for you or just don't sign up for these things at all.

Bushman123

Top tip for free trials that require credit / debit card details.

1. Register for free trial using a credit / debit card

2. Immediately after registering go to the cancellation page and cancel your subscription; it is often easier to do a Google search which normally gives a direct link.

3. Your card details will then normally be removed and your account is still active until the trial period ends.

The above methods saves you having to remember to cancel prior to the free trail ending. If you have a pre paid credit card it is even better to use that and just ensure there is a small amount it on when you register then empty the card so there will then be no risk if getting charged. 

born_again

Any FREE TRIAL that requires your card details (often P&P) is not FREE...

If it was so good, they would not want your card details

fenwick458

born_again said:

Any FREE TRIAL that requires your card details (often P&P) is not FREE...

If it was so good, they would not want your card details

yeah but they aren't going to give you something for nothing. the free trial is a reward for signing up. if it were as simple as just "here, have this free stuff" then it would get abused.
not saying it doesn't get abused now (by me for one), but less so than if you didn't have to at least enter you card details

colsten

fewgroats said:

I did see a helpful hint that you can sign up to free trials using a Visa gift card.

Can you elaborate how you envisage this to work, please.

The VISA gift card is a "non-reloadable prepaid" card, AFAIK. So how much would you load onto the card when you buy it, and what are you going to do with the money on the card, and when? Does the Freebie provider put a hold on any of your money on the card?

Chino

fewgroats said:

I suppose the other way is to cancel them as soon as they lose "value" for you or just don't sign up for these things at all.

Or place a reminder in your diary/calendar to cancel the subscription once the free trial period ends.

fenwick458

colsten said:

fewgroats said:

I did see a helpful hint that you can sign up to free trials using a Visa gift card.

Can you elaborate how you envisage this to work, please.

The VISA gift card is a "non-reloadable prepaid" card, AFAIK. So how much would you load onto the card when you buy it, and what are you going to do with the money on the card, and when? Does the Freebie provider put a hold on any of your money on the card?

I think they are saying you could use a "used" card that has no money on it anymore to sign up to a free trial. 

colsten

fenwick458 said:

I think they are saying you could use a "used" card that has no money on it anymore to sign up to a free trial. 

You reckon? I would have expected that card is dead once you used all the money on it. The Freebie retailer will no doubt check that you give them a valid card number, and VISA would tell them that the card is invalid.

But let's see what @fewgroats says.

fenwick458

just a guess. they could just stay active with zero balance until the expiry date on the card?

born_again

fenwick458 said:

just a guess. they could just stay active with zero balance until the expiry date on the card?

They could but these "Free Trial" companies always put a authorisation amount through. So clearly it will be declined.

As I explain to customers, many of these "Free Trials" to people, is. Its a trial "PERIOD" not you are free to trial the product.