Small-biz smarts: When you have contracts with different companies and vendors, you’ll never remember those dates. Create a shared work calendar that gives everyone who needs it notice when a contract is renewing. Pro tip: Build in time in case you have a 30- or 90-day out.
Why you can’t access some sites while you’re on a VPN and what to do
Let’s say you’re browsing the web with a VPN. You’re protecting privacy, so you’re confident hackers and advertisers can’t track you. Then you try to go to a site, and it just won’t load.
This can throw a wrench into productivity when working. Or it can ruin your mood when trying to have fun online.
If you want to bypass those infuriating errors that say, “The page you are looking for can’t be found,” we can help. Here’s what to do when a VPN stops site access.
Why you can’t access certain content with a VPN
You can’t access certain apps or websites when your VPN is on for a few reasons. First, you may be dealing with connectivity issues. Perhaps the VPN you’re using is having server issues.
Some sites go out of their way to block connections from VPN servers. The site owners aren’t trying to make your life harder. They block VPNs to cover their backsides. (Legally, not literally.)
Many websites block VPNs because they don’t want to break their contracts. Simply put, many VPN users want to bypass geo-blocking features.
Say you want to watch content that isn’t available in the U.S. If your favorite show is available in the U.K., you can connect to a server there so your internet can access that show. Tap or click here to unlock international Netflix to access more movies and shows.
Streaming sites don’t like this. It lands them in hot water with the production companies they team up with. Here’s why:
- Streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu have long and complicated contracts with production companies.
- Those contracts may involve location limits as part of licensing contracts. Production companies often have stipulations like, “You can stream this show, but only in Canada since we don’t want it in the U.S.”
- Certain websites/services, like PayPal, Venmo and CashApp, identify users for legal purposes through their IP addresses. This is used to resolve problems such as fraud.
Streaming sites don’t want to violate the clauses in their contracts. They want to cover themselves and avoid legal trouble. Thus, they block VPNs.
A safe way to sign PDFs and convert them to different formats
PDFs are useful for sharing documents in their original format and layout. They can be used for manuals, forms, resumes, contracts, scanned material, pages from a book, eBooks and more. A PDF will be correctly displayed on any device you send it to and look the same for everyone.
What the big print giveth, the small print taketh away: Big companies like Walmart are using bots to handle contract negotiations with suppliers. These bots analyze a contract’s terms based on company data and market trends, then they submit their findings to a human or reply with a counteroffer.
80 times the going rate
What the Air Force paid for soap dispensers on its C-17 aircraft — almost $150,000. They also overpaid by nearly $1 million for a dozen different spare parts. Why? Contracting officials failed to review invoices. If you’re reading this with any government pull, I can provide a daily newsletter 80 times the going rate. Oh … that’d still be free.
When it might be time to switch back to cable
Cable or streaming? Both offer a variety of movies and TV shows, but you’ll always find pros and cons for each type of service. Regardless of how you watch TV, you don’t want to pay for something you’re not using.
As summer approaches and your travel plans take shape, you may want to consider pausing your service while you’re away. Why not just cancel and reactivate when you return? Well, that’s more inconvenient and could end up costing you more. Tap or click here for our report.
When to hire an employee vs. a contractor
So you need new talent to lighten the workload, but you aren’t sure about how much you should commit. If you’re wondering if you should hire an employee or an independent contractor, you’ve come to the right place. First, you need to break down exactly what you need and what you can afford.
After my Volvo broke, I was Saab-ing: Cybercriminals leaked 240GB of Toyota customer info on a hacking forum. The stolen data includes emails, passwords, contracts and financial details. Toyota says they’ve reached out to those impacted. No word on how many folks that is.
DocuSign is using customer data — you know, confidential contracts — to train AI bots. They say the data is anonymized, and there’s no way to opt out. Not cool. DocuSign has always been a top pick (I use it and have recommended it to you in the past), but this stinks.
Want faster satellite internet? The price of Starlink's new tier is out of this world
If you live in a busy city, you can be excused for taking fast, reliable internet service for granted. Internet service providers prefer densely populated areas for the more extensive potential customer base, which means more subscribers.
3 simple things that will save your business money to start the fiscal year
Many people think that owning your own business means you have hundred-dollar bills hanging out of your wallet. Small business owners know differently.
Business owners face a myriad of financial hurdles, more so since the pandemic. So when it comes to budgeting, finding ways to cut costs is a priority for every business owner.
Buying a car? Don't get fooled into paying $2K more
Buying a new car can be a stressful event. You could spend a lot of money, and if something goes wrong, you could be stuck with a bad deal. You also shouldn’t be paying more for unnecessary features or fees you don’t know about.
Cord cutters: One tool to make sure you’re not wasting money on streaming services
Streaming services have changed the way we watch TV forever. The days of having to wait an entire week to find out what happens on the next episode of your favorite show are over.
Now, full seasons are released on services like Netflix and Hulu on the same day, so people can binge-watch them over a single weekend. Tap or click here to find out which streaming service is best.
3 critical features that make a home security system great
Protect your home from intruders and other elemental hazards with help from our sponsor, SimpliSafe’s, complete home security system.
It’s easy to install, with no drilling involved — you can do it yourself in less than 15 minutes! Their service does not require contracts, and it offers 24/7 professional alarm monitoring for less than 50 cents a day.