Top 10 Ways to Save Money on Technology
Posted by: Mike in Gadgets/Hardware, Online/Social Media, Software, TipsComputer users read the TOP 10 LIST to learn how to save money by reducing technology expenses or managing finances online.
Barter, Bargain or Bundle
10. Are you paying for technical support?
Why not barter for the support services of a tech savvy friend, colleague or family member?
You can barter a home cooked meal, baseball tickets, a ride to the airport or yard work and save money. Many times, a savvy computer user can resolve minor issues by remotely logging into your computer. A number of free online services exist to facilitate remote computer access, including:
Read a MyTechTalk post about LogMeIn.
9. Look for Bargains online.
Price comparison web sites can help you find the best deal. There are web sites out to help spot a bargain. Also, don’t overlook used equipment. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Join the Yahoo Group called Free Cycle to see what people in your community are offering up for free (and it isn’t just tech stuff).
- Price Comparison: MySimon.com, Shopping.com, PriceGrabber.com
- Bargains: Ben’s Bargains, Dealio.com
- Free: Information on Free Cycle
8. Bundle Up. Take advantage of bundled services from Telecom or Cable companies in your area.
For example, AT&T and Comcast offer customers a lower price to bundle TV, Internet and Phone Services for a lower price.
Don’t Pay for Software or Hardware
7. If you need to renew your subscription for McAfee or Norton anti-virus products, consider switching to a reliable alternative: AVG Anti-Virus.
It doesn’t include a firewall, but most Windows computers with XP or Vista have a built in firewall that is more than adequate. ZoneAlarm also offers a free firewall software.
6. Do you really need to buy that Microsoft Office 2007 software?
Sometimes, the answer is No. If you are a computer user who writes the occasional letter or creates a spreadsheet from time to time, take a serious look at downloading the free Open Office suite of software programs. It contains word processing and spreadsheet programs along with several others that rival Microsoft’s software package. Google Docs is another option.
Read a MyTechTalk post comparing MS Office and Open Office.
5. Store your data online for free or cheap.
Don’t buy an external hard drive for $100 or more unless you’ve got 100s of megabytes or gigabytes of data. If you need a lot of storage space, chances are the free offers out there won’t provide enough room for all of your data.
- Free options: Mozy.com (limit 2 GB), Yahoo Briefcase (limit 30 MB)
- Inexpensive: Mozy.com, Carbonite.com
- Cheap: JungleDisk.com (service utilizes Amazon.com’s reliable and secure data servers)
Read a MyTechTalk post on Mozy.
Upgrade or Downgrade or Replace
4. Upgrade computer memory or replace an older hard drive.
If your computer is 3 or 4 years old and slowing down, you may not need to replace it. Both are inexpensive options that will boost performance. You may also consider reformatting your current hard drive and re-installing Windows. If that sounds like a daunting task, then you’ll need to follow through up on #10 to get some tech-savvy help.
- Memory upgrade: Average cost $100
- Replace Hard Drive: Average cost $100-$150
3. Downgrade your Internet service.
Cable Internet is the fastest option for the home user, but it does cost the most too. Consider switching to slightly slower, but cheaper, DSL. If you already have DSL, you may inquire if there are different “tiers” of service and the prices of each one.
2. Replace your phone service with Skype and save money on local and long distance calling.
Skype is a service that allows you to make phone calls from your computer. If you call another Skype subscriber, the call is free! If you call a landline or mobile phone, there are fees charged. So, figure out which friend or family member you call the most and convince them to switch to Skype too.
Manage Your Money for Free
1. Mint.com offers a free service to track your income and expenses.
This web site offers a free service that rivals Quicken software.
You do need to be comfortable with online banking and finances to take advantage of their tools. Mint sends email reminders about upcoming bills and can be configured to alert you via email to transactions (like bank fees or deposits) or any unusual spending activity. Sometimes an email reminder can prevent a late fee and keep money in your pocket.
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Top notch advice, presented in a clear and concise manner.
Nice job!
great post. Now, if you could only find a way for me to get the new Mac Pro for less than two Gs!!!
That may be a tall order, my friend. Perhaps the magic of eBay can help you find one. If not, maybe a refurbished one could be an option.
I really like what you had to say here! It\’s about time! Would you mind if I placed a link back from my blog?
I take issue with some of what is written here, especially if you have a home business.
10) Bartering can be helpful but I find it’s not good for services unless you know and trust the person. The problem is when they screw up, it is hard to hold them accountable because it was essentially a favor. Those “savvy computer user[s]” know just enough to make them dangerous. Be careful who you ask to look at your computers.
7) Free anti-virus and anti-spyware and firewall is good. I love AVG and use it at home. However, if you are running a business, this is kind of like using a newspaper to shield you from the rain vs buying an umbrella. It’s free for a reason - because it only half works. Buy a full suite for your computers that access the internet. Remember, hacking YOU is a trillion dollar business. There are people all around the world trying to figure out how to infect your computer. It’s not a small thing anymore and it’s getting worse year by year. Fighting them takes money for research. Do you really think a company is going to pour millions in to that kind of research and give you the fruits of their labour for free? Is that how you run your business? Of course not. Buy a full suite and be protected the right way.
5) Online backup for free isn’t a good idea because it’s rarely an online BACKUP. What they are doing is SYNCHRONIZING your data on their server. That’s why it is free/cheap. It’s better than nothing I guess, but remember when you delete a file on your hard disk it will delete the file on their server. There is a period of time before that happens, maybe a few days or weeks. But my point is that it isn’t backed up permanently. If you find you need a certain file that you deleted accidentally 3 months ago - then you are out of luck because it won’t be on their server. Buy an external hard disk, there are bargains to be had for them.
4) Upgrading is a viable path to save money. But don’t count out buying a new computer. It’s amazing how affordable new systems with SIMILAR or slightly better specs as you old computer can be. Especially if a local store has old stock they want to get rid of. I’ve often paid the SAME amount for a new system as I would for simply buying new components and upgrading. It seems absurd but it isn’t when you consider how fast computers depreciate. Then you can donate your old computer, which does have a small tax benefit.