Remember When Things Were Simple?

Life doesn’t need to be so challenging

It wasn’t that long ago that you could change the oil in your own car; you could change the channel on TV without needing a doctorate to figure out how to use the remote! 

And what about your programmable thermostat, clocks, watches, much less the ubiquitous cell phone?

All of these tools are supposed to make life easier, and for many (most of the time) they do.  But, if you did not come of age in the land of technology, life has certainly become far more complicated than it used to be.  Add to that the fact that most help is online and even a phone number can be hard to find, followed by a complicated phone chain and ultimately a voice that you either can’t hear or can’t understand.

When I started a business to help people with their personal finances, I thought that using an electronic checkbook (Quicken) and maybe helping to set up some automated payments so bills would get paid  on time would be the main technology help that my clients would want.  I was so wrong!  The technological assistance we provide to clients goes far beyond that. 

I too, did not grow up in an age when every teen had a cell phone and even kindergartens had computers.  The internet was not a real ‘thing’ in my college years.  But there was a buzz about computer technology and that it would soon be changing the way we do everything.  It was enough to draw this math-minded girl to a degree in computer science.  I thank God for that choice quite often!  After spending 20 years in the computer industry, I have a knack for figuring out the quirks of modern technology that defy many of my peers.

Getting Help

There is a huge technological divide between those who embraced technology at an earlier age and those who never had the exposure to it, or fought it tooth and nail.  If you are over 50, unless your career or personal interests gave you a lot of exposure, you probably have at least some level of difficulty using modern technology.  You should not beat yourself up about it.  Just be careful where you go for help.

I had one client tell me “if only I had a grandchild, I could do this”!  Your children and grandchildren are often the first line of defense when it comes to working out kinks in your various devices.  But they are often far away or just too busy to be of much help.  I remember trying to help my father with Turbo Tax and printing problems from 100 miles away.  It ain’t easy! 

I’ve had other clients click on online ads and emails to get help, only to find they have signed up for a subscription service, or worse, have gotten scammed.  Several have given out bank account information, necessitating the change of payment information for many other accounts and autopayments.  It can be a nightmare.

If you are not a client, or if we cannot help you, please find and use a reliable local computer service.  Yes, it may cost you a bit, but in the long run you are not putting your whole financial life at risk.  Some services will make house calls if you are unable to lug your device to them.  Just finding the right service can be a challenge, and we can help with that as well.

It’s a bold new world and unfortunately many are struggling with the changes in technology in particular.  While this type of help is not our top priority in working with clients, we often find ourselves getting them over the bump-of-the-day!

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