Save money on your IT

We can’t quite believe it, but it’s already February. And although Christmas may seem like a distant festive memory, we know that many of you are probably still feeling the pinch! So we thought we would ease the sting with some great ways to save money using your PC, Laptop, or Apple Mac.

 

Save on software:

–          It is a well-known fact that, if you own a Windows computer or laptop, you will need to equip it with antivirus software from the word ‘go’. But is it necessary to spend £30+ on software you could get for free? For business users with extensive data and large networks, we would probably say ‘yes’. However, for home users, there is actually no definitive right or wrong answer to this question. Under analyses, the overall picture is as expected: free antivirus provides a basic level of protection, targeting the most common security risks to your machine. Though they lack features included in paid packages, tests showed that the comparable free features often matched up in performance. With such varied opinions on the subject, there’s a lot of digging to do to find the solution that’s right for you; there’s no point paying for extras you will never need but, if you’re less confident, a higher level of antivirus is a probably a good idea. Always do your research before making a decision.

Save on hardware:

–          Invest in a silicone keyboard protector: these inexpensive devices are designed to fit subtly over your laptop or Mac keypad reducing its contact with dirt, crumbs, sticky fingers, and even non-corrosive liquid spills, saving you a potential fortune should an accident occur. The only negative is a slight dampening of keystrokes, but it won’t take long to adjust should you find this difficult at first.

Save on surfing:

–          If you’re nearing the renewal of your broadband contract, now’s the time to shop around and compare prices. Broadband providers are constantly offering more services at lower costs, so there’s bound to be plenty of better deals than the one you signed up to. And, if you don’t want the hassle of switching over, speak to your current provider about the information you’ve gathered. Nine times out of ten they will do their best to keep you on board!

Save on entertainment:

–          Still spending fortunes buying music from legal download sites? Perhaps it’s time to embrace the world of streaming, just as we embraced iTunes as the CD alternative in the early 2000s. For a small fee every month you could have access to millions of songs and the ability to create playlists across three different devices; the same amount on iTunes would see only a handful of songs added to your library…we know what we’d rather do!

If you wish to know more about any of these suggestions or need help with a techy device, call us on 01753 884 700 (Gerrards Cross), or 01494 730 120 (Beaconsfield). We’re happy to help!