People are much like computers in a sense: when they crash, they crash hard, but that doesn’t mean you go buy a new body part, it means you put yourself on sleep mode, reboot, and fix the problem. When your computer crashes, don’t go buy a new one. There are plenty of affordable ways to save your money when it comes to being computer tech savvy. Some of these tips may entail reaching out for advice from the experts, others force you to stand on your own two feet, educate yourself, and take hold of the situation. Though, whatever tip helps you the most, you are sure to find an easily accessible, low cost solution to your tech problem. Here are five computer-savvy tips to save a crashed system :
1. Jolt Your Battery.
Sometimes, a new battery is all it takes to get your computer working again. Very few aspects in life are meant to last forever, and there are even fewer technologies meant to do so. To make sure you don’t accrue a cost like paying for extra tech support or repair work, consider replacing the battery. It’s like any battery—a remote, portable game system, even a car. It runs out, dies, and is not meant to stay in grade A condition year after year. Eventually, your laptop is going to function a bit slower, and that is an indication of needing a little re-boost, not remodeling.
2. Reenergize Your System and Wallet.
This one’s for the suits and ties and creative entrepreneurs. When you’re heavy in business or trying to develop your artistic stability, you want technology that is as flexible as your mind and convenient to your busy schedule. You may think you need all new technology to stay “in the know”, but what you need to know is that most of the technology you do have is plenty sufficient. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. There are two types of merchants you’re going to want to look out for if this is your big debate on buying a new computer system you do not need: Animoto, which allows you to share your artwork, music, and video footage more efficiently, and Intercall, which helps businesses and clients connect. Each type of program is catered specifically to a certain market—whether it is business or artistic, but both are professionally functioning, and are sure to cost less than a whole new computer.
3. Geeks Get the Girls.
In a perfect world, geeks would rule, right? When your computer starts to malfunction, you better believe they do. Geek Squad from Best Buy is an excellent team to save you money, time, and hassle at trying to replace all your original stored work on one hard drive to a new one. When you shop at Best Buy, you can purchase Geek Squad protection, which ensures that your Windows 10, computer tune-ups, troubleshooting, and software protection services are all cared for by an educated tech team. Their services also applied to problems with your phone, too, so you can connect more efficiently without worrying about replacing your already fully-functioning gadgets.
4. No Flu Season, No Virus.
Your computer has no need for colds, so there is no reason it should get a virus. One of the best ways to save you money on tech purchases is by taking care of the product. Laptops and desktops are incredibly prone to certain email viruses, spam messages, and Internet hackers. McAfee is one merchant that consistently works to protect you from all of those computer-prone malfunctions and be less expensive than having to purchase a whole new operating system. Be smart and protect what you have in advance.
5. A Fresh Start.
You don’t really need thousands of pictures, video footage, music downloads and recordings, and gaming systems taking up your gigabytes. Learn when it is time to wipe the slate clean and utilize your technology better. Social networks are a great place to create photo albums that you could always physically download later, and iTunes holds all your music so that playlist doesn’t backup your files. Even if you did want to hang onto every piece of work, that’s what flash drives and CDs are for—use them! There is a reason that these types of technology are still being sold on the market, and that is because they work to store all your most valuable information and work in a safe place while freeing up your hard drive so it runs more smoothly.
With these five tips, there is no reason to barrel into your wallet before analyzing what tech problem you really are having. A little patience, and education, can go a long way in making you a smart shopper, and it is a skill you will definitely want when it comes to technology. New devices and software come out faster than it seems we can pay it off, so it shouldn’t be hard to realize a trend when you see one, and start a new one that saves you money. Build on this skill set, and appreciate the technology you do have.