Crafting digital footprint reduction plans to save money
What's the story
In the modern digital era, our online lives, from impulsive purchases to forgotten subscriptions, can add up quickly, creating a significant impact on our monthly budgets.
Shrinking your digital footprint doesn't just boost your privacy - it can also help you save some serious cash.
This article provides actionable tips on how to cut down on unnecessary digital expenses without sacrificing the quality of your digital life.
Tip 1
Unsubscribe and save
Go through your monthly subscriptions like streaming services, online magazines, and app-based memberships.
Many people subscribe to free trials and forget to cancel them before the trial period ends, resulting in unnecessary costs.
By critically assessing which services you truly use and enjoy, you can easily save between ₹500 and ₹1,000 per month.
Tip 2
Go incognito for better deals
If you are booking flights or hotels online, make sure to do it in incognito or private browsing mode.
Websites track your visits and raise prices based on your search history.
By searching in incognito mode, you can prevent price increases linked to your browsing activity.
This small adjustment can save you as much as 10% on bookings.
Tip 3
Embrace open source software
Choosing open-source software instead of paying hefty license fees can save a ton of money, whether it's for personal use or a small business.
LibreOffice is a free and powerful replacement for the Microsoft Office Suite.
And, GIMP offers a complete set of image editing tools like Photoshop, but for free.
By switching to open-source software, an individual can save thousands of rupees over time.
Tip 4
Optimize data usage
Data plans make up a big chunk of our monthly digital bills. To cut costs without losing connection:
- Always use Wi-Fi when it's available.
- Restrict background data usage by changing your app settings.
- Pick data plans that align with your usage instead of going for unlimited plans which might be overpriced.
By managing data usage wisely, you can easily save anywhere between ₹200 and ₹500 a month.
Tip 5
Leverage cashback and reward apps
Many apps give you cashback or rewards for buying stuff through them or using their links when you shop online.
Just don't buy stuff you don't need just to get rewards! But if you're smart about using these apps for stuff you were going to buy anyway, you can save a lot of money over time—often 2% to 5% back on what you spend.