A few minutes at a computer every day can save you money on meals, airfare, movie tickets and more.
[Related content: savings, save money, free, frugal, Donna Freedman]
By Donna Freedman
MSN Money

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU JUST WON A $100 GIFT CARD!

That's what those e-mails and pop-up ads keep telling me, anyway.

Of course, I'd have to buy something (maybe several somethings) and jump through hoops (maybe several hoops) to get this "prize." And if I did that, then I'd get slammed by spam and/or telemarketing calls.

Few things in life are truly free. But in fact, it is possible to get gift cards for free -- sort of. You'll have to click on e-mails, transfer a prescription, use a specific search engine, maybe buy a few things you were going to buy anyway.
The cost of gift cards
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For the most part, though, you can do it without spending a nickel. All it will cost you is time -- maybe a few minutes a day, maybe a little more.

Seriously: Would you really miss five minutes a day? Some people spend that much time staring into the closet and wondering what to wear. But if you're unemployed, on a tight budget or in debt, those few minutes could mean the chance to give your mom a birthday present -- or to buy yourself some groceries.

Even people whose books are balanced are aware that life can change without warning. That's why we're frugal. That's why we like free gift cards.
No spending required
The granddaddy of the rewards sites, MyPoints, has been around for 10 years and has 8 million registered accounts. MyPoints sends you e-mail ads for businesses and services, things such as office supply stores, insurance companies, food products (e.g., Boca Java, Omaha Steaks), business cards and Internet sites.

When you click on "Get Points" or "Shop Now," a second window opens to display the Web page for that business or service. Usually that's all you have to do; at times the ad is a survey, but you might get a few points even if you don't fill these out. Users earn points for reading e-mails (generally five points each) or buying things from the site; points can be redeemed for cards from more than 75 companies.

Gasoline gift cards were hugely popular in the summer of 2008, when fuel prices spiked, says MyPoints' president, Matt Wisk. More recently, restaurant cards -- Applebee's, Panera Bread, Outback Steakhouse -- have become big draws.

"It's an indicator of the economy at large," Wisk says. He thinks a restaurant gift card is a way "to splurge without guilt."

Assuming an average of three e-mails a day, you could earn more than 5,000 points in a year. That will more than buy a $25 card and is almost enough for a $50 gift card. That sounds slow, but frugality is often like that: Small steps leading to (eventual) big rewards. For example, my daughter, her fiancé and I saved points for about 18 months, and the cards we redeemed paid for most of the food at their wedding reception.

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