99 Great Ways To Save From AARP: Personal Technology
BOSTON (CBS) - Today we'll cover the technology section of the list.
Never buy a thumb drive again. Dropbox is a free service that gives you online storage to share files and sync your files online. I like Dropbox and it is easy to use. When we travel we set up a drop account for all on the trip so we can share our photos.
Get free reads. Thousands of e-books can be downloaded for free to your Kindle, iPad, smartphone or other device through Project Gutenberg or if you have a library card, via OverDrive which is very convenient.
So if you are stuck in the airport you can download something to read for free. But when I do my bedtime reading I use the old fashion book edition. Better for my eyes and getting to sleep.
Extend the life of your smartphone or tablet battery. Protect your device from temperatures above 95 degrees which can damage battery capacity. Shut down location-tracking apps when not using them and turn off the function that refreshes apps in the background.
I did not know that high temps affected batteries. I frequently leave my phone in the car and in the summer the temperature can reach 120 degrees or higher if parked in the sun.
Manage your cellphone bill. Review it to make sure you are not paying for data or services that you don't need. If you don't send many texts, you don't need unlimited texting. Or you might be able to get by with 2GB of data per month, instead of 5GB. MyRatePlan.com can help you compare plans.
Also consider a family plan. And try as we did; no texting. If you have something important to tell me, call!
Avoid using your phone to play games or stream music and movies. If you're on a limited data plan these activities are data hogs that can quickly trigger charges. My Data Manager, a free app, can identify which of your actions eat up the most data and alert you when you're near the limit.
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You can hear Dee Lee's expert financial advice on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 each weekday at 1:55 p.m., 3:55 p.m., and 7:55 p.m.
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