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Apple Pay Will Make You Pay

By Frugaling 8 Comments

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iPhone and Macbook for Apple Pay
Photo: William Iven/Unsplash

Apple’s agenda should scare you

Last week, Apple held their 2016 Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). Like always, it was a smorgasbord of updates to operating systems and apps, developer fandom, and hooplah over Siri’s special powers (now she’ll work across devices!).

Cue the applause.

However, I had this weird problem when I went to stream the keynote. You see, Google Chrome was blocked from being able to watch the event. The website told me I needed to be in the Safari browser on a Mac or iOS device (i.e., iPhone or iPad).

I thought nothing of it at the time; except, “Well, this is inconvenient.” But really, why should I care? I simply switched to Safari and then streamed every remaining second of it. My mind spit out whatever I was doing beforehand in favor of all things Apple. I was jacked in.

But in that moment — that blip of inconvenience due to Apple’s desire to withhold information from any Android or PC user, something distasteful festered. My head kept picking at it like a stubborn cuticle. It felt uncomfortable to be forced to switch. Why should I need to? There’s something arrogant about it. Apple was a pioneer in technology; surely, they knew how to present the keynote address across multiple browsers, right? The intentionality felt hostile — a confrontation to openness in the Internet Age.

The cost of being a user

Many people have talked about Apple as a “walled garden.” What they’re implying is that the company is protective of their devices, operating system functions, and who can play in the iOS world. For developers and consumers, the effects have pros and cons. Apple’s devices are more secure, but they’re also more expensive.

You’ve got to pay up to belong, but membership has its… privileges. The devices are beautiful and the operating system is solid. But paying up – in more ways than one — is quickly becoming Apple’s specialty. For starters, their devices have some of the largest margins in the industry. As most of the hardware industry has dwindled, Apple’s pushed on to become one of the largest companies in the world.

Now, their financial acumen goes beyond the machines they manufacture. About two years ago, the company made moves into the financial industry with Apple Pay. It used to be limited to restaurants, groceries, gas stations, and other retailers that accept plastic credit cards. Those retailers employed Near-Field Communication (NFC) devices that could then accept iPhones and Watches via Apple Pay. Users could rid their wallet of the extra plastic in the process. How easy!

You’ll pay for updates to Apple Pay

This year’s WWDC contained a little nod to Apple Pay in the form of a button that could be placed on websites that accept credit transactions. They dubbed it, “Apple Pay on the Web.” This new button would take the place of filling out forms and spending countless hours of your life punching in 16-digit numbers, expiration dates, CVV codes, full names, addresses, phone numbers, your blood type, your cousin’s maiden name, and your favorite fruit.

Apple’s making a value proposition. Essentially, they’re saying, “We know you value your time. That’s why we’ve created an ingenious solution that’ll solve the hassle and time it takes to shop online.”

Behind this “solution” is a masterclass in consumption. First, Apple Pay will only work with Macs; at least, to start. You’ll need a Mac running Safari. As always, Apple’s computers have a large profit margin built in. That means you’re paying a hefty amount over comparable systems just to pay for things online (are we noticing a consumption loop here?).

Second, Apple is pairing Apple Pay on the Web with iPhones. That phone is going to cost you, as well. Heck, a new iPhone costs about $700 off contract. The phone will be used to “confirm” transactions — press your thumb (or any other digit of your choosing) to your TouchID sensor. Et voila! You’ve purchased… something.

Third, all this “innovation” is to help you consume, to pay more, to think less, to spend more time mashing your thumb against a sensor. It’s made for businesses more than consumers. And while it’s awesome to have autofill forms, instant transactions, and secure payments, shouldn’t we weigh the potential costs of this so-called progress?

Reduced friction = increased spend

The convenience of online retailers contains a risk for some spenders: reduced friction. Friction occurs when you rub your hands together — feel that heat? Friction is the reason I’m burning so much gas in my car, too. Just read the company’s description about Apple Pay:

Customers love the simplicity of Apple Pay, and you’ll love the increased conversion rates and new user adoption that come with it.

Apple Pay for the Web will reduce time spent critically making important decisions that directly affect your wallet. Will you spend or save today? Even more, the method continues to encourage the Apple-everything mindset in the face of lofty price points. They’ve created a system to reduce friction for a small subset of the population — those that can pay up to have at least two Apple-branded products at all times.

Today, I see a modality that shouldn’t be encouraged. For Apple, by Apple. They’re creating a world where nobody else can play; unless, you’re an Apple owner, then you’ll pay.

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: Apple, apple pay, internet, iPhone, Macbook, NFC, Online, reduced friction, Shopping, TouchID, Walled Garden, web

Will Ad Blockers Kill The Internet?

By Frugaling 14 Comments

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Technology iPad and iPhone

It’s been nearly a month since I deleted all the ads from my site. Instead of pasting targeted distractions to my readers, I opted for simplicity. If readers wanted to support me, they could buy my book, donate, or share my work. Since then, an explosive dialogue surrounding the ethics and use of ad blockers has ensued. I decided to share my two cents on advertisers, marketing, and the “death of the web.”

Advertisers want us to believe that their commercials and banner ads inform us. They need us to consider their arguments, and think we’re making rational decisions in response. And they implant a picture of perfection – of what life could look like – with their products.

We’re supposed accept this bombardment of stimuli as the cost of accessing and reading websites. Go to The New York Times, and a slurry of ads feast over your metadata to predict what you might purchase next and serve up a healthy dose of consumerism. Behind the scenes, trackers surreptitiously soak up your browsing history, location, and personal data.

This is the cost of being a content consumer in the 21st century, and for years, we’ve accepted it. Until recently, when the entire Internet exploded in euphoria and vitriol over Apple’s new mobile operating system (iOS). It’s most recent update empowered users to install “content blockers,” which would effectively eliminate advertisements in the mobile browser.

These ad blockers allow users to surf the web cleanly. The busy and distracting pages disappear – suddenly the content comes into focus. Trackers suffer and people’s profiles can’t be built as easily. Now, companies struggle to personalize ads via privacy infractions.

As the browsing experience improves, profit revenue decreases. It’s a perfect inverse correlation. The web feels calmer without ads. I don’t have to be defensive and avert my eyes.

Over the last few weeks, publishers worldwide have clambered to their keyboards, predicting apocalypses. The Verge conducted a poll of its users, which found that 78% said “Yes” they will use an ad blocker. Without ad revenue, how will they survive?! If everyone turns off the ads, how will companies make money?

Publishers are already predicting that companies will cease to exist. One quote from PC Mag highlights the hyperbolic language: “With this move, users will eventually wonder why their favorite website died before finding another set of content to plunder.” Supposedly, a content pirate will kill sites left and right because of their ad blocker use.

Wired highlighted the plight of Google’s profits in an almost sympathetic tone: “Google depends almost entirely on ads for revenue. By one estimate, the giant may be losing billions of dollars from these kind of browser blocking extensions.” What will the massive, multinational corporation do without its record-breaking ad revenue?

Adding to the publisher outcries is The Verge’s Nilay Patel, who said ad blockers could mean the “Death of the web.” Then he added that “taking money and attention away from the web means that web innovation will slow to a crawl.” Wow! Death, as in ceasing to exist. That’s pretty extreme, right? Without ads, your computer literally would cease to surf – browsers would be pointless.

The problem with all this fear mongering is that it’s flawed. The web was not invented by corporate interests; rather, it was a governmental invention that became a public good. Advertising wasn’t part of the equation. Profit wasn’t the sole motivator to those who innovated in the early days of the Internet.

Even today, much of the web exists because of volunteers, governments, and public grants. Open source projects like Wikipedia, Ubuntu, and Firefox are perfect examples of how third-party ads needn’t be the sole source of innovation or income.

Interestingly, in this ad-infested web, major publishers have grown to bloated proportions. Many recycle other news outlets’ content and repackage it as their own. Companies like The Verge, Wired, and PC Mag occasionally publish top-notch journalistic pieces, but they’re most often caught up in quasi-advertisement “product reviews” and republishing. It’s lazy work to draw eyeballs, not critical thinking. To lose these companies would be awful, as I must admit I enjoy them, but we’d move on.

We’ve come to a crossroads as publishers and consumers. Should we put up with ads or use ad blockers? Should we accept distraction or simplicity? Should we keep the status quo or demand an alternative?

Some suggest paywalls, which force readers to subscribe for content. I can guarantee that circulation will drop immensely and many won’t pay (here’s looking at one of them). If it’s news, it’ll be printed somewhere else in a non-subscription form. And if it’s not reprinted, then it can’t be that important, can it? So, that idea’s gone.

Others promote the concept of paid articles. Many publishers have already experimented with advertiser-paid articles such as The New York Times and The Verge. Instead of reading a non-biased, semi-objective piece of journalism, readers have the distinct privilege of reading a lengthy advertisement. Again, everyone loses if the web destroys objectivity in journalism.

We live at a time of immense progress; ironically, technology is contending with these advances. Ad blockers censor and clean the web of the dirty bits. You no longer need to continually feel compelled to buy, buy, buy. Nor do pages deliver 20, 30, or 40+ trackers to your computer.

The rationale is clear: the web is better when it’s simpler. But questions remain about the sustainability of any company once their ad revenue dries up.

Here’s where I must be slightly callous. Frankly, capitalism is said to be flexible and adaptive. The invisible hand is supposed to morph and move with demand. There are companies constantly winning and losing in this roulette wheel of life – not everyone wins all the time. The companies that can successfully adapt to changing market forces… They’re the winners in this game.

Either way, the web is here to stay.

Filed Under: Minimalism, Social Justice Tagged With: ads, advertisements, advertising, Apple, internet, Marketing, News, Technology, web

I Am Stefanie OConnell, Founder Of The Broke And Beautiful Life, And This Is How I Work

By Frugaling 15 Comments

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h5My grandparents were storytellers. I could sit down with any of them and become engrossed in their words. I loved their insight, experience, and thoughtfulness. That love of learning about others continues, and now I’ve been spending some time interviewing the best of the personal finance community (like the founders of Budgets Are Sexy and Modest Money).

Surprisingly, it’s a tight-knit group of writers and financial experts. Some are certified financial planners, while others (like me) are experts in another field. The latter feel like the Supermen of the personal finance world: regular employees by day, financial bloggers by night.

Today, I have the privilege of interviewing one of the top financial bloggers, Stefanie O’Connell from The Broke and Beautiful Life. Her work has been featured around the top personal finance sites, and even on Frugaling. Here’s my interview with her:

What inspired you to begin TheBrokeAndBeautifulLife.com?

Oh, lots of things:

  1. I spent the first several years of my acting career on tour where we would get a per diem for housing, food, and other day-to-day expenses. My goal was not only to live entirely off that modest allowance (rather than dipping into my salary), but also, to save as much of the per diem as possible. Unemployment is an inevitable reality in the acting world. Every job ends, I knew that going in, so I prepared accordingly. By implementing this strategy, I learned lots of ways to scrimp and save that I felt I should share.
  2. Some actors are terrible with their money. I knew it would make for an uncomfortable working environment if I walked up to them and told them they were being stupid with their spending, so I decided to write about it instead.
  3. I heard so many stories about actors in Broadway shows who were left with zero savings when the show closed because they had inflated their lifestyle so much during that time. (The minimum salary for an actor in a Broadway show is $1,807/week; yep, that’s some serious spending).

All in all, I just wanted to spread financial literacy in the acting community. If anyone needs to know how to budget well and make money last, it’s actors.

How did people (friends, family, etc.) react when you first started?

I’m not really sure. I think people may have been skeptical because they knew I was a “theatre person.” I don’t think anyone ever expected me to make a career writing about money.

What was your experience with design, code, web work prior to starting your site?

The Broke And Beautiful Life Screenshot Website
Screenshot of TheBrokeAndBeautifulLife.com

Zero! I started out on a free blogger template. After toying around with that for a year I decided to get a logo, hire a designer for the site, and setup self-hosting. As soon as I made that financial commitment to the blog, I suddenly felt committed to myself as a business owner–I needed to make the investment worthwhile.

What advice would you give to those thinking about starting their own site?

Two things:

  1. Define what you want from creating your own website. Are you looking to start a business? Are you looking to have a hobby? Do you want to use it as a portal to market yourself or your service? Are you looking to make a lot of money? Clarifying your goal for the site will help guide a lot of your initial decision making.
  2. Embrace your YOU. When I decided to transition to a self-hosted site, I hired a blog coach to help me figure out where I wanted to go with it. After talking to her for five minutes she said, “I’ve read through your entire site and I didn’t know until just now that you were an actor.” I had been afraid to pigeonhole myself and make myself irrelevant to non-artists, but the truth is, it’s my perspective and experience as an actor that sets me apart from all the other finance sites out there. Heck, that’s why I started writing in the first place!

How do you make money from your site?

While I make a fair amount of money blogging, it’s mostly from freelance writing (hire Stefanie!). My blog has served as a kind of active, online portfolio/resume to get me jobs writing for other websites.

Going forward, I’d like to generate more from the site itself through affiliate income and direct advertising. I’ve got a little bit of that going on now, but maximizing that earning potential is definitely my next big goal.

What do you think you’ve learned from your readers and fans?

I am a huge fan of alternative perspectives. Reading through the comments on each of my posts is always exciting and enlightening. I truly value the different opinions I come across, even when I don’t agree.

How can somebody in lower incomes best overcome financial hurdles and prosper?

Everybody has challenges, some of us more so than others, but the steps for overcoming them are universal: S.M.A.R.T. goals coupled with defined action steps. Chances are, you already know what you need to do, as Nike says, “just do it.”

Brooklyn-Bridge_Park-1

Who are your financial role models?

Honestly, it was Suze Orman who really got me interested in my finances. I read her book, The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke, and I was hooked; not necessarily because she had some life changing techniques or advice, but because I found her engaging and interesting. That’s what I hope to do with my blog, engage people enough that they want to take control and learn more.

What personal finance sites do you read?

I once tried making a list of all the blogs I read on a regular basis and it just got to be too long. Somewhere between 50-100 (maybe more), and they’re all fantastic in their own way.

What else would you care to share with the readers of Frugaling?

One of the big messages on my site, and one that you’ve undoubtedly heard before, is balance. I’m all about pursuing dreams, while earning income, saving for the future, and living in the present. You can have it all if you’re willing to prioritize. I don’t do the daily latte, but I’m going to Europe next month. It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice when you’re thinking about the big goals.

Want to read more interviews like this one? Read the entire interview series here!

Filed Under: Interviews Tagged With: Acting, blogger, broke and beautiful life, freelance, Marketing, money, New York City, NYC, Personal Finance, readers, site, Suze Orman, web, wordpress, writer

5 Steps To Remove Ads And Stop Feeling Like A Flawed Consumer

By Frugaling 4 Comments

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Gigantic Louis Vuitton Suitcase Occupies Russia's Red Square Photo
Gigantic Louis Vuitton Suitcase Occupies Russia’s Red Square. Photo: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg

An Advertisement-Based Society

We’re living in an increasingly advertisement-fed society. Research suggests that billions of dollars are spent on advertising in the United States alone. Unfortunately, more specific numbers are hard to come by in the this largely incalculable industry.

What we can posit is that advertising works. Companies utilize time-tested and psychologically-approved marketing tactics to induce a biological need for the product – that intense craving. Nothing expresses this societal shift more than the novel and film, Fight Club:

You have a class of young strong men and women, and the want to give their lives to something. Advertising has the people chasing cars and clothes they don’t need. Generations have been working in jobs they hate, just so they can buy what they don’t really need. We don’t have a great war in our generation, or a great depression, but we do, we have a great war of spirit. We have a great revolution against the culture. The great depression is our lives.

The Flawed Consumer

Usually, advertisements point out the benefit of one product over another. But the most nefarious ads exclaim how flawed the consumer is to induce spending (often with beauty-related products). In fact, these ads can lead to greater materialism, fragmentation, body image concerns, and drinking behaviors (just to name a few). Successful advertising means a subsequent purchase occurs, and it’s a harsh reality for those affected.

Stopping the deluge of advertisements to your eyes may be impossible in the developed world, but it doesn’t mean you can’t fight back. Over the last year, I’ve been heavily researching consumerism, materialism, and spending behaviors as they relate to psychological decline. Even though we’re constantly advertised to (even on this site, sorry), reducing accessibility may see your bank account swell and your psychological health return.

Remove Ads And Follow These 5 Steps

The key is not anti-consumption (I’m not sure that’s possible); rather, critical consumption. For me, the best way to protect my budget has been the removal of as many ads as possible. The following are a few ideas to start you on a path of critical consumption, advertisement reduction, and wallet protection.

Step 1: Inoculation Training

To reduce the effects of advertising, it takes a defensiveness. Advertisements should be an affront to your senses. You will be advertised to, no matter what efforts you take (unless you live on an island without Internet nor access to the world around you). Becoming primed and defiant to ads is a key to frugality. Whether it be for moral or identity-based reasons, find a reason/way to dislike the advertisement in front of you. The further distance you find between it and you will directly influence the spending behaviors to come.

Step 2: Install Ad Blocking Programs

AdBlock is the king. This program works cross platform and browser to block ads before they even show up. Not only will it remove all the ads from sites like the NYTimes, but occasionally it blocks online video sites, as well. Installation is easy and within seconds, your online exposure plummets.

Step 3: Install Cookie Blocking Programs

Cookies are the stalker of the world wide web. These follow you without permission and are ultimately used to sell you relevant products. The easiest way is to block them entirely for implanting themselves. A program like Ghostery, which also works with Chrome and Firefox, will prevent the tracking for you.

Step 4: Unsubscribe and Filter Corporate Emails and Junk Mail

When a spam or junk email reaches your inbox, don’t just delete it. Spend the time to “unsubscribe,” mark it as spam, and/or create a filter to feed these messages straight to your trash can. Gmail offers a wealth of features to prevent further harassment – take advantage of it. As for unwanted mailers and credit offers, the most fun way to rid these is by installing a program called PaperKarma. The app works on both Android and iOS. Open the app, take a snapshot of the unwanted mail, and they’ll do all the work to unsubscribe you. Also, those regular emails you receive from Groupon, Amazon, LivingSocial, etc. are just ads. The best deal is not buying anything.

Step 5: Don’t Bring Ads Inside

Much like Step 1, this is a philosophical decision and action-based prevention strategy. Make a rule for yourself not bring ads into your home or workplace. If you do subscribe to magazines, newspapers, or other mailers that have ads, try to tear out the important parts and recycle the rest. There is a satisfaction from taking back control of what you read and see. Proactive prevention of advertising is key.

Note: Not all advertisements are inherently bad. Those present here help to support the costs associated with this website. Likewise, charities frequently advertise to encourage donations and support.

Filed Under: Save Money Tagged With: ads, advertisements, advertising, browser, Consumer, cookies, fight club, ghostery, paperkarma, web

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