During the month of December, people are in the full swing of holiday shopping caught up in the spirit of the season and not thinking much about January. But once the tree is put away and the decorations come down, they typically get hit with the bills that come in the aftermath of Christmas.
One way you can reduce your budget burden in the new year while still enjoying all the technology and gadgets that are on just about everyone’s wish lists is to take steps now to save money on tech and IT related expenses to lower costs in 2020.
Both home and business expenses are increasingly spent on technology. From devices to managed IT services to app and entertainment subscriptions, IT has become a larger slice of the budget pie, which is why looking for cost savings there makes sense for both consumers and small businesses alike.
88% of businesses expect IT budgets to grow or stay the same over the next year.
You don’t have to give up the tech you rely on each day or lose a competitive advantage by reducing your technology costs if you know the right places to look to find savings.
Things You Can Do to Lower Your Technology Costs in 2020
The end of the year is the perfect time to do a technology review and look for ways to both use your tech more effectively and areas where you can reduce costs.
Here are several ways you can save on your tech in 2020.
Review & Eliminate Inefficient App Subscriptions
You thought that meditation app for your team would improve stress levels, but it turns out that no one is actually using it because there’s a free version they found that’s better.
Whether you have several music & entertainment service subscriptions on your phone or are juggling work applications to help improve productivity, it’s a good idea to review your app subscriptions at the end of the year to see if there are any that just aren’t serving you well or are going unused. When you add up the monthly costs, you can save quite a bit by eliminating these.
Call Your Internet Service Provider
Internet and cable bills can often creep up over the months until you’re paying much more than you anticipated. But did you know that by asking your ISP how you can reduce costs, you’ll often find they’d rather help you save money on their services than lose you as a customer.
We heard of one Spectrum customer that called their ISP after a $10 increase in their internet and TV bill, bringing it over $170 a month. When they asked about ways to save on their bill, they were told that they had an older modem with a plan that cost more. By exchanging the modem for a free upgrade to a new model they not only reduced their monthly costs by about $40, they were also able to enjoy faster internet speeds.
Sometimes all it takes is asking.
Use Managed IT Services to Reduce Downtime
Small businesses and remote workers/freelancers that work from home often don’t account for the cost of downtime when looking at overall technology costs. But these can be significant.
Downtime can cost small businesses as much as $10,000 per hour or more. And anyone that’s done freelance work knows that each minute counts. If it takes you three times as long to complete an assignment due to computer problems, that can be a big hit to your income.
Managed IT services are proven to reduce costs in a number of ways, including:
- Reduce downtime
- Keep technology maintained, improving usable life
- Provide proactive monitoring of security threats with mitigation
- Offer fast tech support by phone, remote login, or in person
- Reduce tech breakdowns and emergency IT costs
- Allow you to focus on your business
Look for Savings on Your Mobile Devices
These days one family can have multiple smart phones and internet connected tablets on their mobile plans. Here are a few ways you can reduce your cell phone bill next year.
- Shop cell plans: Shopping around for mobile plans or asking your own provider how you can save can often shave money off your bill each month.
- Keep your phone longer: Do you really need to upgrade every time a new iPhone or Android comes out? Sticking with your current model instead of continually making payments on a new one can lower your costs. You can save as much as $100 per phone just by keeping it a year past its pay-off date.
- Review data usage: Do you really need data on your tablet, or can you use your phone as a hotspot when you’re not near Wi-Fi? Review your data usage to see if you can switch to a lower priced plan or drop unnecessary data plans for tablets.
Look for Refurbished Computers/Smart Gadgets
If you’re looking to upgrade some devices at your business this year but are on a tight budget, a great way to save money is by purchasing a refurbished computer or other piece of technology hardware.
Make sure you’re buying from a reputable company with good reviews. Often you can get a much more powerful computer than you thought you’d be able to afford at a very reasonable price.
Reduce Technology Stress & Costs with an MSP Plan
Cris’s Tech Repair offers affordable residential and small business Managed Service Provider (MSP) plans that can reduce downtime, lower technology costs, and make your tech stress-free.
Contact us today to find the perfect plan for your needs. Call 561-985-4961 or reach out online.