411 is one of those necessary evils for many people when they need a phone number and the internet or a phone book isn't in sight. But there are some ways to access 411 without paying a dime for it.

Every time you dial 411, it costs a $1.25 or maybe more. But there are some easy ways to get around those charges and still get the phone numbers you need.

The first one is 1-800-GOOG-411. You can use that to get a phone number as well as an address. It, of course, is sponsored by Google.

The next one is offered by Microsoft and it's called Live Search. Just dial 1-800-CALL-411.

The last one is 1-800-FREE-411. If you choose this one, you'll have to listen to an advertisement or two.

It may slow you down a bit, but you'll still get the number you need. And all 3 services will send your the info you want via text message.