Why is It trying to charge me to download free apps

Its not trying to charge you. Its telling you need to verify your payment method. There is no charge there. Just verification requirement.

You need a verified payment method to access the itunes and app store services. Including the download of free apps.

If for some reason it cannot be verified, it will not let you use the stores until you can get it verified.

The verification process will place an authorization hold on your payment method to verify it can be charged. This will be released after a few days.

About payment card authorization holds in the iTunes Store - Apple Support

Once correctly verified it can be removed by setting it to None, and it will never ask for it again.

There appears to be a problem with the payment information you have entered and that is stopping it from going any farther before it realizes you don't really need payment information for what you want to do. Either correct the problem or remove payment information entirely and set it to none for the time being:

Removing a credit card from an account - Change or remove your Apple ID payment information - https://support.apple.com/HT201266 - More information at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3251676?answerId=15891166022#15891166022

If you can‘t choose None when you edit your Apple ID payment information - https://support.apple.com/HT203905 - also make sure you don't have any active subscriptions, are set as the Family Organizer for a Family Sharing plan, or owe any money for past purchases.

You can only choose None when you set your payment method up from the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, or Mac App Store. None is not an option when you use the Apple ID account page to set your payment method.

If you still have problems:

Tunes [Store] Support - Use this form for assistance with account and billing, code redemption, or purchase questions - https://ssl.apple.com/emea/support/itunes/contact.html

Phil0124 wrote:

You need a verified payment method to access the itunes and app store services. Including the download of free apps.

I beg to differ. I have a dozen apps, all free. I have never ever had to enter any kind of payment form. Not even when I first signed onto the store. Nor have I had to enter a payment option when updating apps.

You don't need to have a payment method, but if you have one set, it needs to be verified and verifiable. My Apple ID has no payment method either and I can use the store fine.

But if you have a payment method and it cannot be verified for any reason it will request it be verified again before you can make use of the stores. So you need the payment method to be verified if there is one set for the Apple ID.

While it is verified, it can be removed by setting it to none, and it will never ask for it again. And the store can be accessed without one just fine.