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Get a huge Windows software bundle for free

From the Cheapskate: Some worthwhile utilities, here, including a one-year Sticky Password Premium license! Plus: a couple super-hot bonus deals.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
3 min read

CNET's Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. And find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.


Put your wallets away, cheeps -- today's main deal won't cost you a dime.

It's the Wonderfox Summer 2016 "Give-A-Way," a collection of eight Windows utilities with a combined valued of -- well, let's just say it's a bit less than Wonderfox claims, but still well worth a look.

wonderfox-summer-2016-giveaway.jpg

The combined value here isn't quite $860, but you can still score a lot of valuable freebies.

Wonderfox

Right from the jump, this is an awesome bundle because it's not a bundle at all. Rather, it's a collection of freebies, and you can pick and choose the ones you want. You don't have to jump through a bunch of hoops. You don't have to "like" anything on Facebook (though you can do some social-media sharing as part of a contest entry for even more software) or watch a video or sign up for three newsletters.

You do, of course, have to register the products you want, usually in the form of supplying an e-mail address. That's how you'll get the license code(s) you'll need to convert trial versions to full versions.

For example, let's say you decide to grab Sticky Password Premium -- a top-rated password manager that would normally run you $29.99 for a one-year license. (The giveaway page says $149.99, but that's for a lifetime license -- not what you're getting here. Whoops!)

You'll click the download icon, which will produce a zipped Word document with instructions. Those instructions include links for downloading the program and then registering with Sticky Password in order to receive your license code.

When you grab Soda PDF (which does not appear to be the Pro version, and therefore has a value of $59, not $99 -- whoops again), the accompanying Word document includes a link to download the installer -- and that installer will include your license key.

Easy Audio Mixer 2, a potentially useful tool for podcast producers, comes with the license key right in the Word file.

In other words, different products have different redemption methods, but as you can see, they're all pretty innocuous.

Interestingly, all this amounts to just half of Wonderfox's summer giveaway; the other half kicks of July 25. I'll be sure to give you a heads-up when that happens. In the meantime, enjoy DVD Ripper Pro, Aomei Partition Assistant Pro and the other goodies here -- because you can't beat the price.

ricoh-sp213-snw.jpg

This monochrome multifunction for $60 out the door?! Yes, please.

Ricoh

Bonus deal: A good multifunction printer is essential for any home office (or, I would argue, any home) -- especially when it's priced like this. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Adorama has the Ricoh SP213 SNw 3-in-1 monochrome wireless laser printer for $59.99 shipped. That's less than you'd pay for some non-multifunction lasers.

Noteworthy features include a 35-page auto document feeder and replacement toner cartridges that sell in the $25-30 range. Do check the user reviews on Amazon, though, because some folks had difficulty with setup.

Bonus deal No. 2: Hi, I'm Rick, and I'm a Bluetooth-headphone addict. ("Hi, Rick!") Are you in the same boat? Then check out the 2nd-gen Mpow Cheetah Bluetooth sport headphones for $18.99 when you apply coupon code NRPCSQCF at checkout. Good for eight hours of play time on a charge, the sweatproof Cheetahs employ an over-the-ear design -- great if your current 'buds are always falling out of your head-holes. Shipping is free for Prime subscribers.