Happy New Year free coffee Jan. 4 at McDonald's.

Western Washington, McDonald's is looking out for you and don't you ever say different: get a free 12-oz cup of coffee at any of their 190 western WA locations all day today, January 4. No purchase necessary, although presumably they'd like you to buy something while you're there.

This is good news for all the hobos, since it's pretty cold and rainy this morning and I'm sure McDonald's is nice and cozy and dry, in addition to being a free coffee ATM all day.

Info: McDonald's to offer free wi-fi, starting Jan. 2010.

First Borders, then Barnes & Noble, and now McDonald's becomes the latest giant retailer this year to announce free wi-fi at all its locations. Well, to be precise, McDonald's free wi-fi starts in January 2010, replacing the $3-for-2-hours charge that they had had in place.

Evidently McDonald's sees itself as not merely a fast-food chain, but a "destination" where aspiring young authors will come and write their fictionalized memoirs on their netbooks, or something. Judging by the downtown Seattle McD's, they've already got the market cornered on people loitering for hours, but I guess the idea is to get people with fixed addresses in the door.

Seattle: Free McDonald's mocha and caramel frappes.

So apparently the Mcdonald'ses of Western Washington have banded together to form a fellowship of the fats, and they even have their own website and secret handshake and NO BURGER KINGS ALLOWED BECAUSE THEY HAVE COOTIES. Currently, they have a freebie offer on their website: a printable coupon, good through Dec. 8, for a free small mocha or caramel frappe.

Wisely, they've decided to hedge their bets with some fine print about how it's up to each location whether they participate, require a purchase, etc., so as always, it's wise to call before you go and verify that your desired location will indeed give you a free sugary coffee treat.

This tip is from the Seattle Times Freeloader, a new column listing freebies in Seattle. But I think we all know the HTN is O.G. since '09.

Freebrew - Frebrurar - FREE COFFEE AT MCDONALD'S

Nothing works up your appetite for a free thing like having to WORK a little for it! So if you want your free McDonald's coffee between 5:00-9:00 am during the month of "Freebruary" (sigh), be sure to call first and make sure your desired location is participating.

Scoff if you will, but blind taste-testing showed that people generally rated McDonald's coffee higher than Starbucks, so at a cost of $0.00, it's worth a try...