Does internet/your smartphone help or hurt your frugality?
If you've been at this frugal living thing for a while, you already know that you have to adjust with the times.
What works in one era is not always practical in another era. For instance, couponing used to be a much more viable strategy than it is now!
This made me start thinking about the differences between pre-Internet frugality and frugality now.
And then I started thinking about the differences between pre-smartphone and now.
Ways the internet/my phone help me save
This will not be an exhaustive list, but here are a few that come to mind:
- Long-distance phone call charges are no more (imagine how much this has saved me, since Lisey is in Hawaii!)
- Online billpay means I use almost no stamps/envelopes
- I never miss a payment, thanks to online prescheduling. No late fees for me.
- Comparison shopping is super easy, so I can quickly find the lowest price, even when it comes to gasoline
- It's so easy to buy used with eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, and more
- I've gotten tons of free stuff thru Freecycle and now Buy Nothing
- Online how-tos have helped me fix and repair many things
- Apps and online reward programs have rewarded me in countless ways, even though I never use them to spend more than I otherwise would
- Online access makes it way easier to book affordable travel on your own, with no agent needed
- Digital photos are way cheaper than film/ordering prints
- Online BSN classes mean I don't ever have to go to my current college
Ways the internet has helped me earn money
The most obvious: my blog!
Without the internet, this blog wouldn't exist. And without the income from this blog, navigating my divorce +nursing school would have been a million percent more challenging.
I've also sold things on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, although that has been a very teeny tiny side hustle.
Ways the internet/my phone cost me money
All of us have some bills that no one had 100 years ago.
There's:
- internet service
- a computer
- a smartphone
- cell phone service (although through Mint, it IS very affordable)
- phone case/screen protector/earbuds
What else? I know that the ease of online ordering has caused a lot of people to overbuy, but honestly, this has not been a huge issue for me. I'm frugal to the core, so even when the "order now" button is so simple to press, I still weigh each purchase pretty carefully.
(I don't deserve a lot of credit for this; it seems to be sort of baked into my genes. I'm just mentioning it because "online overspending" could seem like a startling omission from such a list.)
For me: the internet is a money win
My blog more than pays for my internet service and my devices; it pays my rent!
And then when you add in all the ways I use the internet to save money (as listed above), it is clear that I'm way better off financially because of the internet.
What about you? Is the internet/your phone helping or hurting your finances? And what would you add to my lists?
P.S. Obviously, we could have a whole 'nother discussion about what the internet/smartphones have done to our attention spans, our time use, our privacy, our view of ourselves, our perception of "normal", our relationships, and more. But for today, we're just thinking about the financial impact!
P.P.S. Breaking the rule in my own P.S.: without the internet, all of us would not know each other. So obviously it has been worth it. 😉
I would add access to discounted groceries through programs like Hungry Harvest and Flashfood. I used to drive 45 minutes to a store with inexpensive produce because it was worth it, but now I rarely need to make that drive because I get plenty of produce boxes (and other food) through Flashfood right in my own town.
Access to unlimited recipes helps use up food that we already have but need to find a way to use.
I watch You Tube videos on reducing waste, minimalism, frugality and how tos. I think that has helped me to keep a frugal mindset and save money.
I can also "save" items on a wish list, then look at them later to see if I still want or need them. Its a little annoying when my alexa (free from my son who has all the tech things and gave me his "extras") tells me something is on sale that I put on my wish list though.
I do feel a choice overload when shopping online. I miss the familiar stores with the familiar sales racks and the familiar brands.
@MommaJo, "Wish Lists" are a terrific antidote to impulse buying!
Without the internet, we wouldn't have opportunities for remote learning--when the pandemic hit, my DH had already begun making educational videos for his students, so he was primed and ready for that, and many of his students greatly appreciated that the quality of their education did not suffer! When DS#1 was in his last year of college, all of his classes switched to remote learning and he enjoyed it immensely. Now, both he and DS#1 are able to telework some days of the week, and that saves on gas money and wear and tear on their cars.
DS#2 and DS#3, and myself all have taken online courses for our degrees and it's been such a boon. The remote learning classes are sometimes a little cheaper, but they definitely save us gas money and time.
The internet has given us e-books, which are very handy for those who have difficulty getting to physical libraries to borrow books. (I use a Kindle for traveling, even though I prefer what my DH calls my stack of emotional support books. 😉 One of my best friends uses e-books because she can adjust the font size for her vision, which she can't do with a physical book, though she admits she prefers the aesthetics of physical books!
Online banks generally offer much higher interest rates, for savers, than brick and mortar banks. Investments can also be obtained at low/no cost.
On the flip side hacking and scams can be very costly. The amount of vigilance one must exercise these days can be exhausting. It is not necessarily a direct cost but time diverted to that could come at the expense of other things. The impact of AI frightens me.
For me, one big frugal advantage the internet has given me is finding a community of like-minded people like this one. Most of my friends see my frugal ways as just a little "quirk" of my personality. It's wonderful to know there are people who understand the thrill of a thrift store or curb-picked find.
@Darlene Too, hear, hear! As an older person who doesn't own a smartphone, I don't make use of many of the frugal hacks that Kristen and others describe. But I can honestly say that my frugal blog friends have become as important to me as most of my JASNA friends. Hands across the miles--and around the world!
@A. Marie, I own a smart phone which I basically use for texts, calls, pictures, and occasional internet lookup (was that Abby Dalton in an episode of The Rifleman?). Cold day in Hades I'll do transactions of any sort on my phone. Please fellow readers - avoid AI/ChatGPT - there is no deleting your info (unlike the EU but I suspect even they will struggle with enforcing their far better privacy laws than the US has).
And without the internet/phone, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy all the cute kitty pics!
@Addy,
Another good thing is when your dog gets out, you can post her photo online on such apps as Next Door and ask for help finding her. Don't have to make posters and go around and nail them to the telephone poles.
I would say that the computer has helped me more than anything else. Just the amount of paperwork alone - so much of it is done on line now. Its so much easier to manage my life when I have near instant access to my medical and banking records, not to mention entertainment, parking, book club, clothes and food shopping, and just all of the things I do daily to manage my time and life. Since my time = money, I would say the impact is more positive than negative. I can manage my impulses when it comes to purchases, pretty much same as before.
Thanks Kristen, I always wondered about the $ "people" generate from blogs and no one will ever say, nor give a ball park answer. I don't expect to know what that $ amount is, since it is none of my business, I'm just curious. So I appreciate your ball park answer;-)
My husband is--among many other things :-)--a lawyer and all of his legal work is done online. The Internet made it possible for him, and us as a family, to break away from traditional lawyer life and even move to New Mexico. That was a huge quality of life upgrade.
(And my own blog has been a 17-year-long hobby during a time of intense motherhood when I didn't maintain many other things just for me. It's not a source of profit for me, but it is important anyway.)
@kristin @ going country, Although I've lived in the city for many years I grew up in a rural area and I very much enjoy hearing about your life in New Mexico.
@kristin @ going country,
During the last presidential administration, they said they were going to make fast internet available to all parts of the country, esp. those way out in remote rural areas. I hope that hasn't been cut by DOGE. Because I think it would greatly benefit country towns not to have a mass exodus of residents who can't find work there and have to move to big cities. I'm sure the quality of life would be much better, and it would help solve the problem of urban over crowding. Plus, smaller schools could also use internet remote learning for specialized classes they couldn't otherwise teach.
@kristin @ going country, I am also a lawyer and work fully at home, using the internet. This allowed me to leave a high cost-of-living area (Vancouver, British Columbia) and live in a smaller, less expensive community on Vancouver Island. Our house cost less than our much smaller condominium in Vancouver. I also no longer pay to commute, and don't need suits. Plus, I love where I live. So the internet is definitely a plus for me!!!
I'm thrilled to know that your blog covers your rent!! That is wonderful.
The internet & my phone save me money for many of the reasons you mentioned. For me, online education programs, the ability to quickly compare prices across stores & gas stations, easy access to like-minded people as well as communities where people help each other navigate things less expensively. Price watching apps where I can track costs on things I buy regularly and on less frequent items that I need, but not right away. The ability for me (and my husband) to work from home. We have saved SO MUCH on gas and car maintenance and lunches since his office shut down during COVID.
And while the internet is often not great for my well-being, it other ways it is because of the things I mentioned above -- my husband REALLY hated his traffic-packed commute and is much happier working from home, so it's been a win not only for the money savings, but also time and frustration savings -- and the internet makes that possible. Much of my career has been work-from-home based which has allowed me the flexibility to tend to my daughters and their particular illnesses and lengthy/frequent doctors appointments.
Key for me is learning when to log off and rejoin the "real world" and when to park items on a wishlist rather than buying right away.
I love that the internet enables me to work from home and save money on commuting! But even if it didn't save on commuting, I love having that option!
I love that internet allows me to work remotely, so I could keep my job (in a niche industry) instead of starting over when my husband got a new job to make more money! I can work anywhere, and find a lower cost of living location as well.
Internet banks with High Yield Savings Accounts earn me money with interest.
I think the increase in influencer marketing could hurt my frugality, but I'm trying to hold out against these forces LOL.
Work provides my computer, I sold my college/personal computer last year when I realized I never used it. I do pay for internet and cell phone data, but the internet allowed me to buy my phone from eBay secondhand. I don't use a screen protector (just a case with silicone edges) and my husband gave me his old headphones from work. I actually just thought to myself my case was getting dingy, but I cleaned it up instead of buying a new one!
My son has learned to to his own car repairs thanks to YouTube. That has really gotten us through some hard times. I am homebound now and can order things I need without asking for help. I do hope you continue on with your blog. So many I have followed have gotten burned out and I miss them.
@Kathy, I’m with you on witnessing blogger-burnout. So disappointing to watch good writers just vaporize or get so formulaic and commercial that their personality disappears. Kristen has remained authentic in spite of monetizing her blog, and it is that authenticity along with consistency that keeps her blog at the top of my list.
If I haven’t gotten burned out after 17 years of blogging, I think we can safely assume I’m not prone to it. Hehe. I still have fun writing posts and chatting with you all!
@Kathy, YouTube is a double edge sword - it has put a lot of small businesses out of business. And for some that survived, they can justify charging more money after the DIY-er bit off more than s/he could chew.
I freakin' LOVE the internet. I earn money on here (via remote work at a large company), I went to accounting school online so I could get my CPA license, and there are loads of blogs (including this one, of course!) that help me be frugal and save money. The internet is definitely a win for me. 🙂
@Natalie K., have they changed the rules for getting your CPA or do you still need a four year accounting degree?
@Selena, You need a 4-year degree in general (doesn't have to be accounting). Though if it isn't in accounting, you'll probably have to end up doing a masters... ask me how I know, LOL. 🙂
I think your list is pretty complete. One thing I would add, as someone who has always been a fan of TV and movies, is that online streaming saves me a lot of money. I used to spend a good portion of my discretionary funds on blank cassette tapes and DVDs to record and save things. Now I don't have to worry about it - almost everything I could ever want to watch is online somewhere, often for free or low cost, and even live events are usually online for at least a couple of days after they air.
As far as making money, I would have a hard time doing that at all without the internet. Being disabled, the ability to work from home and do so many other things like banking, shopping, and paying bills online gives me much more freedom than I ever could have imagined.
I love being able to print digital pictures from my computer and pick them up at the store. No more trying to download from my phone at the photo counter - and no more rolls of film to mess with!
The downside for me is the expectation of always being in contact - it's hard to unplug. I have kids at schools, students with questions - it took me a while to figure out bounds. When Covid hit, there was too much information thrown out there - each teacher was trying to use multiple platforms , students were getting overwhelmed. I even expected too much at first. I had to tell my college students to make sure they set time away from the computer for fun things - it was so easy to feel like if you weren't studying something you'd get behind, and you couldn't enjoy your time away from the computer out of guilt. Being able to watch your lectures at 3am doesn't mean you should!
A significant percentage of my personal income comes from teaching private music lessons. When the pandemic shutdown started, I immediately pivoted to teaching online lessons through zoom. I taught exclusively online lessons for over a year before returning to in-person lessons. Without this capability, I would have lost tens of thousands of dollars of income.
@Meg in SoTx, I need to add that an ongoing benefit is that we all learned that online lessons could be productive. So when a student has a transportation issue, instead of canceling the lesson, we simply move online.
Everything in life is a mixed bag. Good: instant connections; Bad: expectations to always be available. Good: instant availability of whatever you might need or want; Bad: continual temptation. Good: no film or negatives or waiting for developing; Bad: 36,000 photos on my computer! Good: reaching people on the phone no matter where they are (except at my cabin or the cellular black hole where I live); Bad: accidentally interrupting people at the wrong time (TURN YOUR PHONE OFF, PEOPLE!).
I could fill an entire page with the good and the bad, and I haven’t even touched on the topic of frugality!
One more expense because of the digital era: identity theft protection.
You are wise to separate out internet/smartphone. A lot of things that you list in your blog do not need a smart phone, only a home computer with access.
Don't forget that if your main business is a blog you can write off a proportional amount of internet/cellphone/computer/home office space as a business expense which further makes it worth it in your case.
I personally have a smart phone but save on costs by having no data. I only use internet when I am at home our out somewhere that has free wifi access.
Overall, when thinking about the added costs you need to consider both monthly bills for phone/internet plus the 'infrastructure' costs of buying a new phone/computer every few years.
However, the reality is that it is getting increasingly difficult to live without internet as more and more business/home admin tasks go online, so it might not be feasible to eliminate these costs.
One other thing to factor in is the way in which moving so much paperwork etc online has downloaded responsibility and work onto the user. For example, when my husband recently enrolled in an online university program, he was responsible for navigating his enrollment, tuition payment, subscriptions to various campus services etc. Different from the first time he did university 20 years ago when you just showed up at the bank or bursar's office and they helped you through it all.
Another factor is the distraction/time wastage with constant internet use. We don't need to be productive all the time, but mindless scrolling has taken the place of a lot of the other hobbies/leisure activities that many of us used to partake in (including actually phoning our friends!).
In the past, when I have done some freelance writing, doing it via internet saves printer's ink, envelopes, paper and postage. Which pre-internet, were significant expenses.
I also enjoy the free long distance.
My bill paying is via telephone (landline), since I believe that to be safer than internet.
If entertainment isn't free, I don't pay for it. (Except on very, very rare occasions.) So getting to do Wordle and free crossword puzzles online is a major thing. Also, I occasionally work jigsaw puzzles online. I don't have to set up the card table and no little bitty teensy tiny puzzle piece gets lost if the puzzle is on the computer.
I need to utilize internet for more things, such as TV. Need to learn how to get Ken Burns and other programs for free. My city is just about the only city of its size not to have a PBS station. Baylor Univ. took over the local PBS TV channel and then shut it down years later. Shame on them! (They're about to do the same for the NPR radio station they have. Hey, Baylor, if it has your letters on it, it's yours, not ours. So pay for it already! And quit begging for money over the air.) We haven't had PBS for many years (unless you pay for cable, etc.) Anyway, I can get PBS News Hour via internet and I also listen to the NPR station in Dallas via computer. (They don't beg.)
I also watch Scripps News this way. They shut down their over-the-air channel after the election. Phooey hooey.
As I said, I do not pay for entertainment -- it's a want, not a need. I have saved a fortune NOT paying for cable, satellite, streaming, etc. Using an antenna (for over-the-air broadcasts) is free!
I feel like I'm part of a community when I participate in this blog and NCA blog (and formerly Donna Freedman's blog, which has mostly shut down. She posts only on rare occasions these days.) That's also entertainment and helps my loneliness and frugal education. (And Jane Austen education when A. Marie posts!)
Since getting a cell phone I've engaged in some bed rotting (learned the term from you, Kristen!). My favorite is listening to the Beatles -- lots of posts feature their music and videos of them in the early days. There are also some other 60's groups online such as the Beach Boys and the Monkees. Last night I even saw a couple of songs from the Dave Clark 5.
During the pandemic quarantine, I'd watch church services online. (Still do when it's raining hard. Or if the roads are icy, which rarely happens here.)
Today, we look up all kinds of information online for free instead of buying encyclopedias or reference books. When I was a kid, getting a set of encyclopedias was a major expense for families, although some bought them a volume at a time through grocery store promotions. (Buy X number of groceries and get another volume for a dollar or something. You'd buy one volume per week. ) As your homework often required writing a report, so they were a major need if you didn't have a chance to go to the school library, lived too far from the public library or if it shut down before your folks got home from work. (You couldn't check out reference books or encyclopedias.) Now, we can get access to encyclopedias and all sorts of information online.
Ditto, some magazines, recipes and gardening know-how.
I think the internet generally makes it easier to be whatever you were already, be it spendy or frugal.
This is a very fair point!
This was a hard one for me to figure. Living in a rural area, the ability to locate items online at best prices is a real boon, but on the other hand, some of those items I wished for and found on the internet, I would have never spent the money on pre-internet, because I would have had no place to buy them or even know where to start to look.
I have to pay for identity theft protection, because doing all the paperwork necessary for DH meant I had to throw all kinds of identifiable information and accounts on both of us out there on EMAIL, which was the only way they would accept them then. I still get notices that DH's information was compromised here and there. I was able to fill out a lot of paperwork on line; on the other hand, I had to fill out a lot of paperwork online. There was no one handy to answer my questions, and phone calls had waits of up to an hour and then I might get "I don't know" for an answer.
But I can compare prices; pay my bills through my bank without checks, stamps or driving; find hard-to-find items without physically shopping around; and reach people much more easily using my phone/internet. I found my three-legged dog online. That wasn't frugal, granted, but I'm glad I did.
Overall, I'm going to say it might even out for me. I don't think it is actually more frugal for me, considering the cost of phone/computer/internet/identity theft protection and the ability to spend more money on things I might not have spent upon in the past, but I think I save in some cases, too, so I'm calling it even.
@JD, there are ways to send secure email. I got mega pissed at Optum, who just wanted my kiddo to photo copy her license/SS card and snail mail to them. Wasn't her fault HR dropped the ball. I did have access to secure email via my employer and sent them the info - along with a piece of my mind. My employer switched to Optum to handle HSA - I continue to deposit at my local bank (HSA account). My company sends it contribution to Optum, I promptly withdraw it. Optum is in the business of loaning money.
People have mentioned many of the things that come to my mind, and remote work has been absolutely critical for me.
The arc is interesting (although perhaps only to me 😉 ). Until 13 years ago, I worked for a major regional newspaper and commuted to the office, a 72-mile round trip to work plus another 22 miles a different direction to retrieve children from day care (and my husband took the kids to day care, adding another 22 miles). Then the day care closed, and then the second day care closed, but by then I had enough editing experience that I was able to go freelance and make it work. Broadband was just barely in our neighborhood by then, which is a little weird to think of, considering how heavily we rely on it now.
Now that the kids are older, this situation is utterly invaluable. We had two more babies, but no more day care, and no more 120 miles a day. More time in my pocket means more ability to handle whatever my family needs, plus I can continue to work and pay the mortgage and whatever else.
Completely by coincidence, the situation in newsrooms today is horrifying. I never once anticipated feeling fortunate not to be connected to news in that way for this reason. And although the internet killed the newsrooms (in my opinion), it also made my current life possible. So strange, the sides of the coin.
The internet has really helped me. I found out about Mr. Money Mustache via an email from a newspaper financial advisor. I clicked on the link 12 years ago and vastly improved my financial situation. Then via MMM, I found Kristen's blog which is another great place to hang out on the Internet! So internet has been a huge plus for me. I am not much of an on-line shopper so that negative side of the ease of the internet doesn't affect me.
In addition to everything else that's been mentioned here, I'll add the cost effectiveness of online medical appointments. I don't do them often, but the are cheaper overall and no driving to the office especially if you're not feeling well.
@Bobi, To this I'll add: when having to get bloodwork done, I can book my appointment on-line, and when I arrive I get taken in at my booked time, as opposed to the people who did not (know how to) book on-line and have long waits. Also to add: this also applies to renewal of vehicle licenses and our health card. If a photo is not required, I can do the renewals on-line. If a photo is required (every 5 years), I can book an appointment at the Government location, and get taken in at my booked time, as opposed to (see above).
@Linda in Canada, Yes! Appointments at the DMV started during the pandemic and it makes a huge difference when you need to renew your license and we can order tag renewals online too! Sadly no health cards down here. Boo! 😉
This is one of my most favorite things to come out of the pandemic. Going to the DMV is no longer a whole day experience!!!
I read a LOT of books--several books each week most weeks. Bookbub.com tells me when ones I would probably like can be downloaded for free. I no longer have to drive to the library to get books to read for free. Or to return books I have finished reading.
I work about 60 hours a week, and my one day off is not a day I want to spend shopping (husband is retired and does the grocery shopping). If I need something, I love being able to order it online and have it show up a few days later. In reality, this not only saves me time and gasoline/wear and tear on my car, but I buy the one thing I need, instead of browsing around and buying more stuff that maybe I don't really need.
For example, I have silicone handle covers for my lodge pans, but with our new stove configuration, they were getting damaged by the flames on our gas stove. One was nearly cracked through and it was going to cause someone to get burned. I bought them originally at Cost Plus World Market (one place I do enjoy browsing on occasion) but didn't see them last time I was there. They probably have them other places, but the time it would take to find them is more than I wanted to spend when I could easily order them online.
I cannot shop in clothing stores anymore. I'm sensitive to fragrances with severe asthma, and once someone with a strong perfume or deodorant has tried on a garment, it reeks of fragrance, and sometimes doesn't even wash out. So my clothes come new from online stores now (and I can't use companies that sell used items for the same reason). When my daughter needed a prom dress, I had to stay in my car--she went in and tried on dresses and took photos. I put on a mask to go inside to pay for the dress she chose.
I used to try to buy from local stores when local stores had what I wanted to buy, as a matter of principle, even when it cost a bit more. But that has become nearly impossible now. So many stores sell candles, room "fresheners" (really indoor pollution), and personal fragrances.
So, IMHO, thank goodness for the internet. It saves me money, time and lungs!
I think the internet has actually made entertainment more expensive. TV series and films are all split onto different streaming platforms and if you want to watch something in future, you essentially have to rent it as so few things are released on DVD - I think even digital downloads that you buy can sometimes be deleted.
Though I have a smartphone and I certainly use it, I really dislike my feeling like I “need it” at times. It’s a safety device when travelling, in addition to convenience (closest gas station, directions). I don’t use Facebook socially, but I have used it to sell/ give away items. I can easily look up who sells my coffee brand at the cheapest price, etc, I can easily check my bank balances and transfer money between accounts, so I agree with the statement it has really helped me manage/ save money
IMO, The internet and smart phones make marketing more pervasive. The whole point of influencers is to market in a very pervasive way. I feel like it makes frugality more difficult for me because it’s harder to avoid the marketing (that is very effective.) also, without having to travel to shop, a huge barrier of the past is removed.
One savings for me is cable. I do pay for internet, but I have a nice cheap plan, and I no longer pay for cable, which was much more. On the other hand, I do have some subscriptions that I pay for that didn't used to exist, such as a couple of streaming channels and a couple of podcast patreons. I'd have to take a bit of time to figure out the numbers to see if I come out ahead or not, but one thing is for sure, the list of what I pay to watch is far more tailored to my interests than general cable ever was. Not to mention the convenience of watching whenever I want, not being stuck with the old TV schedule makes for an improved experience.