How can I find old classmates and relatives online without paying for every search?

Start with what you already know: full names, maiden names, old addresses, schools, and approximate birth years. Search local newspaper archives, Facebook groups for your hometown, and cemetery records. Old classmates often appear in reunion pages, so posting a photo with a question can bring surprisingly quick replies.

I began researching my family after finding a box of letters in my late aunt’s attic, including postcards from relatives I’d never heard of. I cross-checked names through public records, church registries, and immigration documents, then used MyHeritage to organize matches and compare family trees.