Welcome to the first part of this two part article explaining how you can get free ringtones for your cell phone. It is possible, but it requires keeping your eyes open and being a little cautious.

If you are like the average person living in America you have probably bought a new cell phone sometime in the last 18 months. Every year cell phone manufacturers seem to be adding more and more complex features to their phone such as cameras, mp3 players, video players and so much more. However, one of the most popular recent features has actually been the relatively simple ability to customize your ringtone. Everybody wants to be different so what better way to show it than your ringtone.

There is just one major problem ringtones are expensive especially if you like to change it frequently. Depending on your carrier and the ringtone itself, it can cost anywhere from $1 to $3.50 per download. You can do the math as to how much it would cost you per year if you downloaded just one ring tone per week. Let's just say it isn't cheap. The good news though is that there are ways to get free or at least cheaper ringtones, but you have to very careful.

The easiest way to get free ringtones is from your cell phone company when you sign-up. Since the cell phone markets in the United States and around the world are so competitive many operators now include a certain number of free ringtone downloads to convince you to switch or sign-up with them rather than a competing company. Be sure to ask though how many ringtones you get and within what time period they must be used, before you sign-up. You don't want any nasty surprises later on.

Now you may be thinking that's great if I don't have a cell phone, or if I want to switch companies, but what if I am happy with my company, can I still get a free ringtone? The answer is yes you can although it is a little less straightforward.

The most common way to get a free ringtone, if you already have a cell phone, is to look for companies that are offering free ringtones to try their products or services. This can include fast food restaurants, drink companies, retail stores, or any other type of business that may feel it would be to their benefit to give away ringtones to increase their business. Again this only makes sense if you want to try the product or service offered. Again be sure to ask what you are getting into before paying any money.

So far we have seen two easy, if not always available, ways to get free ringtones. In the second part of the article I will explain how to use the internet to find free ringtone offers at any time and most importantly the two things to look out for to avoid being ripped off. See you next time.

Ian Wright is a recent university graduate who knows the value of getting things for free. He currently runs a New Free Samples Blog and a Free Samples Newsletter.