Plus, an interview with a a guy who lost big money to fake investments — and he’s smart, folks! It could happen to anyone.
5 ways you’re ruining your expensive phone, laptop, tablet and TV
Our devices are significant investments. You need to treat your tech well to get your money’s worth. Regular maintenance is one way to stay ahead of the game. Tap or click for six checkups to avoid a hefty repair bill.
Based on calls to my show, emails and questions posted on my website’s tech support forum, here are five common mistakes that could cost you.
1. You’re charging too much
Do you keep your phone plugged in all the time? Apple says that when your iPhone “remain(s) at full charge for prolonged periods of time, battery health can be affected.”
Android phone manufacturers, including Samsung, say the same. “Do not leave your phone connected to the charger for long periods of time or overnight.” Huawei says, “Keeping your battery level as close to the middle (30% to 70%) as possible can effectively prolong the battery life.”
The official word is to keep your phone charged — but not fully charged. Get in the habit of unplugging your tech after it is fully charged.
More tech smarts: Tap or click for tricks to keep your phone battery in tip-top shape.
2. You wait too long to charge your laptop
Laptop batteries have a finite number of charge-discharge cycles. If you frequently let your battery entirely run out of juice, it affects the charge-discharge cycle and diminishes its intended lifespan.
Your laptop battery can also lose efficiency in another way. Let’s say you regularly charge your laptop from 30% to 50%, or about 20% each time. Well, do that five times and you’ll have completed one battery cycle because you’ve charged your laptop 100% in total.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your battery charged to at least 40% most of the time. Tap or click here to check your laptop’s battery health.
3. You go with the cheapest option
Study: AI beats people at picking stocks - But there’s a catch
Have you ever heard about Burton Malkiel, author of “A Random Walk Down Wall Street?” He proclaimed that a blindfolded monkey tossing darts at the financial section of a newspaper could select a portfolio that would do just as well as one chosen by experts.
Meta killed over 2 million accounts this year: Scammers were using them for pig-butchering schemes. The fake profiles lured victims into bogus investment traps. These scams mostly come from Asia, where 300,000 people have been forced to work for criminals. But why did Meta let 2 million scammers make accounts in the first place? Because they can’t “afford” to hire people since they only made $40.59 billion in the last quarter. Silly me.
What’s the most expensive phone number ever sold? Is it … A.) 222-2222, B.) 555-5555, C.) 666-6666 or D.) 8888-8888?
How to upgrade to a video doorbell without wiring it
Video doorbells are one of the best investments you can make for home security. It’s been shown they can deter up to 43% of criminals from actually causing problems. Tap or click for seven clever new uses for your smart doorbell camera.
3 apps that help you manage your money in new ways
If you can’t afford an accountant, try an app on your smartphone. Many budgeting apps can help you track spending, monitor expenses and see how your investments are doing. Here are the best budget apps we recommend for 2022.
Deepfake scams: Billionaire Warren Buffett wants everyone to know he’s not endorsing any investment products or political candidates. Remember, whenever a celebrity or high-profile figure promotes something, always check their official social media accounts to confirm it’s legit.
Just like us … sort of: Believe it or not, billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg still take out mortgage loans. Why? It provides liquidity. By not tying up their wealth in homes, they can use that cash for bigger investments. Example: Pay 5% interest on a $2 million mortgage and invest the $2 million in something earning 10%. This isn’t financial advice, but it makes sense to me.
🐷 He got butchered: A 75-year-old Midwestern man is broke after giving $715,000 to a sly romance scammer. It started with a LinkedIn message but quickly turned into a classic “pig-butchering” scheme. The crook promised huge returns on investments. Hit this link to read the texts between the man and his fraudster. So very sad and so very avoidable.
Scammers can use YOUR videos for deepfakes
Plus, an interview with a guy who lost big money to fake investments — and he’s smart, folks. It can happen to anyone!
5 best surge protectors to buy to protect your tech
It’s safe to assume most everyone has some high-priced tech around the house. From your smartphones and tablets to your big-screen TVs and surround sound systems, it can all cost a small fortune.
But, what steps are you taking to protect your investments? Some people don’t even consider the possibility of an electrical surge before it’s too late and their equipment gets zapped and no longer works.
5 best apps to track credit card rewards
Travelers and shopaholics love their credit cards because of the many perks they come with. You can buy everyday items like groceries or gas and earn miles, cash back and even points for streaming or delivery services.
What makes a smart thermostat smart?
Smart homes are becoming one of the fastest rising areas of tech happening right now. With smart plugs and virtual assistants, it seems like the possibilities are endless. This smart technology can do more than make your life more convenient. Smart thermostats can use data and artificial intelligence to save you more money than you think, and you won’t believe what’s possible.