5 smart digital life hacks you won’t find on TikTok

Not long before my mother passed away, she needed medical tests in another state. She asked me to carry her COVID-19 vaccination card and said, “Be sure to put the card in a safe place where we can find it quickly.” There’s a much better way to have proof of that fragile card.

I showed Mom first how to save her vaccination card on her phone. Then, I showed her how she could access that card in seconds. Tap or click here for the steps to store and access your vaccination card on your iPhone or Android.

I love figuring out digital life hacks. They make life easier, save you money or teach you a new party trick to amaze your friends. Speaking of saving money, tap or click here for 8 proven ways to save on your streaming, cable and internet bills.

1. Find something you want to watch

Netflix has more than 15,000 titles, but now and then, you might find yourself saying, “There’s nothing on.” Netflix does an admirable job recommending what you might want to watch next based on your viewing habits. If you think it’s not working for you, or maybe the recommendations are based on your ex’s love of thrillers, do this:

  • Go to the Viewing Activity tab in your account settings.
  • Delete individual films and shows you’re not into.
  • You can also select Hide All to do a complete reset.

If you’re still endlessly scrolling, go straight to the Celebrate the Oscars section. It’s only the award winners, broken down by genre and popularity. You’re bound to get into more than a few movies or shows here. You can find a list of 2021 Emmy-nominated shows and specials, too.

2. Change your font and use less ink

Here’s something I bet you never thought about: The font that you pick for your documents determines how much ink or toner is consumed when printing.

Let’s start with the worst font: Arial. It gobbles up over 20% more of your ink than other fonts. Unfortunately, it’s probably the most common font used on web pages.

Now, the best font to use when printing is Times New Roman. You’ll get almost 30% more pages printed using Times New Roman over Arial. Coming in a close second is Calibri. The problem with this font is that it doesn’t come across as professional. Instead, you can use Century Gothic as an ink-saving font.

Bonus tip: It’s a fact of life. Websites have tons of ads. That can get annoying when you want to print something to save for later. Tap or click here for the trick to print a webpage without any ads or other junk.

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5 common VPN issues and how to fix them

VPNs, or virtual private networks, are typically set and forget services that don’t require a lot of troubleshooting. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean there aren’t problems with VPNs you might have to address from time to time.

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Digital Life Hack: Insider secret to finding something to watch on Netflix

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Can’t find anything good to watch? Listen now for a streaming secret that can save you all that useless scrolling.

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Don't fall for these emails about a new season of 'Squid Game'

Streaming is big as it’s ever been as more people are cutting the cord in favor of instant access to their favorite television shows and movies. You have plenty of options when it comes to streaming services, with the heavy hitters vying for your business with more content than ever.

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Security tip: How to set up a VPN on all your devices

If you’re security and privacy-conscious, you need to take all the steps you can to keep yourself safe online. That starts with the right VPN.

Not using a VPN is like leaving your front door unlocked every time you go out. Sure, nothing might happen for years, but when something does happen, it’s devastating.

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8 proven ways cheap people lower their monthly internet, cable and streaming bills

The average American will pay $32,400 for internet access throughout a lifetime. This number, calculated by researchers at Reviews.org, doesn’t even include today’s big dogs. I’m talking about your cable, streaming, cellphone and other subscriptions.

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Say goodbye to AT&T TV - Here's what's replacing it

Between the internet, cable, network television, satellite and streaming services, there is no shortage of ways to watch movies, television shows, special events and live content. Additionally, the pandemic has resulted in more at-home content than ever before.

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10 common Netflix errors and how to fix them

You’ve most likely joined the millions of others and gotten a Netflix account. Unfortunately, when we stream television, surf the web and run applications, problems can occur. Tap or click for the best gadgets to stream your favorite shows.

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Review: SideTrak Solo portable monitor

I remember long ago when having a single computer monitor for work was common. Thinking back, I’m not sure how I was ever productive in those days.

Having at least two monitors has become commonplace at the office. I actually prefer having at least three.

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Don't believe the news that Netflix is tanking

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Streaming services are having the same problem that plagued cable. Customers are asking, “Do we really need all of these services?” Here’s the full story.

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Soundmojis: How to add a drumroll, clapping, crickets or evil cackle to your messages

There are a lot of ways that people can communicate with each other. Depending on your age or where you live, there might be a favored platform over others.

Different platforms are not only fighting for your attention and usage, but they are also competing against each other. The more users they can attract, the better it is for their targeted advertising, leading to more revenue.

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Try this handy calculator that shows how much internet you really need

The pandemic has shown us how reliant we could become on the internet. People have been working and educating themselves remotely. Online retailers saw an increase in sales as essential and non-essential items were in high demand.

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How to calibrate your PC monitor to get the best picture possible

Home computers have come a long way since the early days. Processors are much faster and storage size is incredibly large in comparison.

They have also come way down in price. You can now pick up a powerful desktop or laptop computer for a fraction of the cost that you would have paid for a lesser machine in the mid-1990s.

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Summer essentials: 9 home gadgets under $25 on Amazon

This summer is the perfect time to invest in home gadgets. Get some smart tech, upgrade your office setup, improve your TV viewing experience and get the most from your essential oils.

Worried about the cost? Don’t be. You can get all the cool gadgets you need to improve your office, kitchen, living room, bathroom and even your garden, all for less than $25.

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The trick to stream movies not available in the U.S.

You’ve scoured your DVDs, plowed through your “must-watch list” and now what? You can unlock thousands of new movies and TV shows, just with the click of a button. All you need is a VPN and a Netflix account.

Netflix just raised its prices again, and this is one way to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

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What's the difference between an indoor and outdoor antenna?

As more people turn to streaming for television, antennas find their way back into and on top of homes. After all, while cutting the cord is not a bad idea as cable prices continue to rise, the main knock on many streaming services is they don’t supply local broadcast channels.

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5 of the hottest movies and shows to stream right now

It seems like every week, we hear about an awesome new show to watch. But when you’re swept away by a tsunami of eye-catching titles, it’s easy to fall behind the crowd. Tap or click here for an easy way to find great streaming content.

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Don't pay for these services — get them free

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A dollar sign doesn’t ensure a good product. In fact, a ton of great tools are free, like video editing software or even streaming platforms. Here are a few great services you can get without cracking open your wallet.

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Half of Americans don't know their internet data caps - How to check yours

We’re a year into the pandemic and one thing we learned is how important internet service can be for our livelihoods. We’re used to working from home and attending school remotely. We get our essentials online.

For some people, having consistent broadband internet is beyond their means. A new federal initiative seeks to remedy this problem for those who qualify. Tap or click here to see if you qualify for a discount on your monthly internet bill.

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Know this: Laptop screens are changing like never before for good

The new year just kicked off, but it’s already been an eventful few weeks for 2021. Thanks to all of the current events dominating the news cycle, CES 2021 was kind of an afterthought this year. The fact that this huge consumer electronics show was virtual didn’t help.

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