How Is Tech Making Us More Financially-Savvy And Safe?

Everywhere you look at the moment, tech is doing its part to enhance our lives and make things better for us - and sure, we might curse when our computer goes down, the Wi-Fi gives up the ghost, or the printer just won’t print, but that’s only because these things are so immensely useful that we can’t really function without them these days.

We need tech for most of our daily tasks, and even where it’s not essential, it’s more than just a nice-to-have. Tech is so crucial, that it’s pretty much impossible to imagine living without it. And does it help us? No question!

Finance is a huge area where tech is helpful, whether that’s because it gives us access to conveniences like online banking, or through the myriad of apps that make it easier to save money, understand money, and more. You’ve got blogs, you’ve got YouTube, you’ve got blockchain and crypto - and you’ve got all the security tools to protect your finances once the other resources help you get them in shape! Let’s explore.

Apps For Saving Money

There are absolutely tons of apps out there that help you when it comes to saving money - whether that’s literally managing your savings and giving you cashback on your spending, or putting money aside for you each month, sometimes known as “autosaving” apps. These will shave a bit off your income every month and automatically swap it into a savings account so your savings go up regularly.

These apps are an amazing example of how tech makes us more financially savvy even without much input from us! Once they’re installed and set up to meet your needs, they just tick away in the background, saving you cents for every dollar, and leaving you richer and with more savings to use in case of an emergency.

You’ve got apps for almost every kind of saving you could want to do, whether you just want to set money aside for hard times, or you’re looking to get a start on your kids’ college fund, save up for a new car, or even something wild and outlandish, like a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Long-term or short-term, there are stacks of options available and whatever you need, however you want it to function, there’s an app out there to take care of all your financial issues.

Blogs On Financing

That range of options is combined with many blog posts that help people understand money management, which has revolutionized financial planning for many individuals. There’s a positive goldmine of information waiting out there for people to tap into, so if you’re trying to become financially literate (and yes, for a lot of us, that’s an uphill battle, but it can be done!), you’ve got all the resources you could ever need.

Whether it’s YouTube channels breaking down how taxes work, forums with advice from knowledgeable laypeople, or blogs from reputable, large-scale companies that are putting out information for free… there’s a lot out there. You’ll find tips on how to do your taxes investment advice, blogs on how to curb habits like impulse buying, and a whole lot more - it’s all available, and it’s purely thanks to tech advancements that it even exists!

You do need to bring a critical eye to this sort of thing, especially if you’re planning on using the advice for investments or other potentially risky things, but it’s amazing just how much really good information is out there - you’ve just got to look.

Cryptocurrency

It might not sound like the most obvious one, but the world of cryptocurrency has massively bumped up financial awareness and understanding for tons of people. Where before, you might have had a pretty fuzzy grasp of money as a concept and not really understood how it works and why (it is complicated, we’re not going to lie), crypto has offered a whole new take on what money is, what it does, and how it functions.

Sure, crypto’s seen as a rather volatile and daunting area by a lot of people, but if you’re interested and you take a sensible approach, you can learn so much about how money functions, and get a better understanding of its role in society - as well as what happens if you decentralize it!

It’s not just individuals who benefit from this sort of thing either: we’re seeing some major technology driven changes in business too, with the introduction of blockchain and cryptocurrencies helping many businesses to improve their approach to finances, making supply chains more secure, cutting back on fraud, and offering customers more options than ever before when it comes to paying for projects. Nebulous and confusing? Yes, for some, but for those who have the acumen and patience to figure this out, there’s a whole new level of money just waiting to be discovered - and we’re right there with our binoculars and explorers’ hats!

Cybersecurity

Most of us are really hyper-aware that right now, there are tons of ways to lose your (figurative) shirt online, and yet we’re buying more and more online, and most of us end up entering sensitive details into sites that… yeah, we’re not super sure if we trust. It’s not ideal, but when they’re the only ones stocking the item you need, what are your options?

Platforms like PayPal are high on the list, as well as digital wallets and using cryptocurrency (see above!). And we’ve already talked about how blogs can help you out, including tips on how to safeguard your money so that you don’t have to worry about hackers and fraudsters getting hold of your digital cash. Cybersecurity is at the top of the agenda for a lot of people right now, and while tech certainly can be dangerous, it’s doing a huge amount to keep people safe too. You’ve only got to think about how watertight online banking is - and don’t even get us started on the un-hackability of many cryptocurrencies: they’re about as safe as it comes.