For years, Google has stood firm: No one listens to your private conversations. Of course, no one ever believed Google because – for lack of a better word – it was a preposterous lie.
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Tech smarts: 5 silly ways you’re flushing money down the toilet
For a columnist and national radio show host focused on technology, you might be surprised how often I’m asked about money.
It makes sense. We spend a ton of money on gadgets, and there’s always something new and shiny. Before you spring for a new phone, give yours this deep clean. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes.
When you do upgrade, don’t let your old tech sit around. Sell it and make some cash. Tap or click for sites better than Craigslist for offloading computers, phones, wearables and more.
Let’s keep the savings train running. Here are five mistakes you might be making that will cost you.
1. You forget to cancel before the free trial ends
Free trials are great to binge a season of a show or catch a movie — but only if you remember to cancel before you’re charged. It’s easy to tell yourself you’ll remember, but most of us don’t.
Here are a few rules to remember:
- If you don’t use the service much during the trial period or feel the price is not worth the service, cancel immediately. In most cases, you will have access for the remainder of the trial period.
- When you sign up, put a reminder in your phone or calendar app a week or so before the trial expires. Schedule a backup reminder, too, the day before the trial ends.
Tap or click here for the easy way to set a reminder on your Android, iPhone or Google Calendar.
2. You pay for a bunch of apps
Speaking of recurring subscriptions, maybe you signed up for an app that only charges a few bucks a month. “Sure,” you thought. “I’ll meditate every day, so this is totally worth $2.99 a month!”
Over time, those monthly fees add up. You should regularly check to see what you’re paying for and make sure you still need it.
All the ways you can get Microsoft Office for free
Microsoft Office Suite — Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access and Publisher — is the standard when it comes to digital office software. It set the precedent of what organization and presentation software should be and continues to be the software set you need most for basic computer and work tasks.
Microsoft's easy-to-use new app combines Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Microsoft recently launched the Microsoft Office app for Android, which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint. It’s free to use and download, but the premium features will cost you. If you’re on a strict budget, tap or click here to learn more about how you can get Microsoft Office for free.
Over 100 free resume templates for Microsoft Word
When you’re applying for jobs, have to create a killer resume to make a good first impression. It can be hard to make a resume that’s organized and appealing. Luckily, these 100 free resume templates can make it easy.
iPhones can easily be turned into a bodycam to record police
By now you have probably had enough time to get the hang of iOS 12. You have played around with some of its new features, enjoyed its faster speeds and, despite its flaws, probably think it’s a pretty good update.
But even if you have checked out the new features you could not afford to miss or have gotten the hang of some of the things you could never do prior to iOS 12, odds are good you haven’t seen all of what the new operating system allows.