My goal as the Minnesota Nerd is to make life with technology easier for you. There are a lot of services that I have come to rely on to make technology work for me. Here are some of my personal favorites and my technology recommendations. As always, if you need help figuring these or any other technology solution out contact me to help!
Money
Money and finances is a hot topic on everyone’s mind. Organizing finances, creating a budget, reconciling a checking account can become overwhelming. I started using You Need a Budget, also known as YNAB several years ago and it has made things SO much simpler. If you want to check it out you can get started with a free month by visiting https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=xFD2TZMESaecT8XX
Passwords
Passwords are one of the biggest pain points I see with clients. They often can’t remember their password or have to change their password. The worst part is, their password was junk to begin with! Passwords such as a pets name, kids name, or your phone number are easily guessed and can be cracked in seconds. If you use this same password everywhere it can make matters worse and your access to your Facebook, bank accounts, email, and more may become compromised. That is why I have been using 1Password since 2009 and recommend it to anyone. Sign up for the free trial at https://1password.com/sign-up/.
Internet
If you live in the Rochester, MN area, you know that Charter Spectrum has had a grip on the community for a long time. Fortunately, Metronet is now available as a good alternative. They use a fiber internet connection which offers better speeds and lower pricing than what Spectrum has to offer. If you’re looking to switch providers, or need internet at a new home for the first time, be sure to check them out https://signup.metronetinc.com/r/ODU1MDE0NTk2NTY5.
Free Technology Recommendations
Not all of my technology recommendations have to cost you money, there are a lot of great programs out there that don’t cost you anything. Here are some of my favorites:
Web Browser
Many years ago, it seems like almost everyone was using Firefox. But in recent years, many people have switched to Google Chrome. While Chrome is a good browser too, I’d prefer to keep as much of my personal life away from Google as possible. If you haven’t used it for a while, or have never used it, give Firefox a try. One of my favorite features is called Facebook Container, which prevents Facebook from following you around all over the internet.
Searching
Speaking of Google, there are alternatives even for searching the web. Google collects SO much information about us that it is creepy, that’s why I use DuckDuckGo as much as possible. It works just like Google, but with much less creepy data gathering.
Debt Management
If you already have a good budgeting solution that works for you, or don’t want to use YNAB as mentioned above, undebt.it might be great for you. Undebt.it helps you keep track of all of the debts you’re trying to pay off, calculates your interest, and helps you visualize how to pay it off. You can use it for free, or buy an annual premium subscription for added features.