If you are generally wary of free stuff, I'm right there with you. Most of the time, I've found that free stuff is like bait. It's a tasty morsel, a big tease with the clear intent of getting us to part with money we had no intention of parting with.

But now and then, a free thing is truly free with no strings attached. And when it's something I'll find useful in my life, well, that's a happy find.

Today I have three truly free things for you to consider. There's a good chance you'll find them downright awesome!

KITESTRING

If you, your kids or parents are on a solo trip or even just out for a walk alone at night, it's a good idea to let a loved one know where you are and whether you're safe (or not). Kitestring (https://www.kitestring.io/) is a simple web app and SMS service that checks up on you and sends a text message to your emergency contacts if you don't respond by a designated time.

It is an SMS-based service. If you can send text messages, you can use Kitestring. That spares you the trouble of downloading another app. You don't even need a smartphone to use it.

If necessary, you can always extend your check-in time or check in early. If you don't respond to Kitestring's text message, your emergency contact(s) will get your customized message alerting them that you have not arrived at your destination or may not be well.

Kitestring is a free source that offers peace of mind, especially those adventurous types and their families and friends. Instead of having to make a call just to say, "I made it safe," Kitestring does the checking in for you.

To learn more, take a look at the Kitestring FAQs.

MY JOB CHART

My Job Chart (www.myjobchart.com/) is an ingenious website that digitizes a way to teach kids the value of money, using a virtual job board and incorporating the concepts of sharing and saving.

Simply go to the site, open a free account, then add your kids to it. Next, choose from a list of chores to assign them along with a deadline. For each chore or job, you also need to set the number of points your child will earn upon completion.

The points become a pretend currency system that My Job Chart intends to teach children more about money. Children are free to save, spend or share the points they earn. And spending is linked to rewards like a bedtime story or anything they want from Amazon, which you get to add. There are also My Job Chart mobile apps.

IKEA HACKERS

Oh, this one is fun! IkeaHackers (www.ikeahackers.net/) is a website devoted to amazing ideas and hows-to's for modifying and repurposing IKEA products. Think of IkeaHackers as a place where IKEA hackers from all over the globe gather to share their geniousness. They submit their creations with the hope of providing alternative ideas.

A "hack," as shown on this site, may be as simple as adding an embellishment, while other hacks may require power tools and lots of ingenuity. Just think: You can turn a simple IKEA framed mirror into a jewelry storage vault by simply adding a couple of hinges. Or you can make a laundry organizer out of IKEA kitchen cabinets.

Curious, aren't you? Well, head on over to IkeaHackers to find out what that's all about.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.