The smartphone is ubiquitous in the world of 2021. More than 85 percent of adults in the western world own one – that’s a higher percentage than those who own a wristwatch or a computer. It’s easy to see the mobile as just another expense that we have got ourselves hooked on, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Use your smartphone smartly, and it could actually save you money on some of your other guilty pleasures and routine expenses.
Chat to your heart’s content
We all like to catch up with loved ones from time to time, but the cost of calls can mount up, especially if they are overseas. You might think a mobile phone will make the whole situation worse, but it could reduce your call charges to practically nothing.
As long as you have a good data connection, use an app like Skype, Viber or WhatsApp and the call will cost you nothing, even if you chat for hours with someone on the other side of the world. Better still, these apps also allow video calls and the sending of images, videos, weblinks and even documents.
Some people even choose to take things a step further and they do away with the landline altogether. It saves online rental as well as call charges, so the only real reason to keep a traditional phone is either if it comes as part of your home internet package or you live in an area with a bad mobile signal. After all, there are times that you’ll still need to make a call, so be sure you have a backup in place before following this tip!
Place your bets
A night at the casino definitely falls into the “guilty pleasures” category, and it can also prove expensive. Aside from the money you spend gaming, there’s also the cost of getting there and of buying food and a couple of rounds of drinks. Over recent years, and especially in light of recent global events, online alternatives have been getting more and more popular. All the best ones are optimized for your mobile phone.
Shop till you drop
It’s not just casinos that operate in a competitive environment. Whether you’re out shopping for a new car, a pair of shoes or a loaf of bread, there are always bargains to be had. This doesn’t just apply to shopping online. If you’re out in the mall, always keep your phone to hand.
There are numerous comparison sites out there for different kinds of products, so before you take out your credit card, check you can’t make that purchase for a cheaper price elsewhere. Some apps even let you scan the bar code, so it really couldn’t be easier.
Install apps to earn money
Saving and making money online doesn’t need to be difficult. You can boost your savings by downloading money-making apps that will grant you passive earnings and won’t require a lot of effort. Now you only need to download an app, install it and you can start earning money online. There is a wide variety of such apps available for Android and iOS users.
These apps may differ in the way that some of them require quite a lot of effort in order to start earning money, while others don’t require you to do anything apart from the initial download, install and sign-up process.
Enjoy the game
Gaming is a pastime for people of all ages these days, and it’s not just those casino apps that appeal to adults! If you’re a sucker for the latest and greatest games, whether it is FIFA or Grand Theft Auto, you’ll know that they can prove incredibly expensive on PC or console.
Here’s a secret for you. Mobile gaming is now a bigger market than all other forms put together. The days of a mobile version of a game being a poor relation to the one you’d play on your Xbox or PlayStation are long gone. Even eSport is starting to transition across to mobile platforms. So save yourself some money and join the pros, making the mobile your gaming platform of choice.
Ditch the gadgets
You might have noticed a theme emerging. The most incredible thing about your smartphone is that it can fulfil the duties of a dozen other gadgets. We’ve already mentioned the landline, and there are those in the gaming community who believe consoles will soon be consigned to history.
But even these are only the beginning. There are professional business people who operate entirely from their mobile handsets and no longer use a PC or laptop at all. The cameras on today’s phones are every bit as good as a mid-price digital camera, and often better, so why buy one?
GPS systems used to be the must-have gadget for a car journey, but a smartphone can fulfil that duty too. They’ve not yet figured out a way to teach a smartphone to make a good cup of coffee, but it’s probably only a matter of time!
