Mobile Wireless
For the U.S., Mint Mobile is our choice. You can get a plan for $15/month for a 5GB plan (that’s usually plenty for us). It uses the T-Mobile network, so coverage is usually not a problem. If you want to be on the Verizon network, then Visible has an unlimited plan for $30/month.
For outside the U.S., we use a combination of the fllowing:
- Data: We’ve had great success with Airalo (Use code MICHAE4369).
- Voice/Text: We use Mint’s international wallet.
If you didn’t want to use the combination above, another option for data and text/voice outside the U.S. is Orange.
Digital Life
Here are some things we do to optimize our life using technology.
- Use the 3-2-1 rule to backup your data. This includes documents (ex: taxes), photos, important emails, etc. Here’s a nice article which explains it in more detail.
- Have 3 copies of your data.
- Have 2 of those copies onsite (different media). Ex: on your computer and on an external hard drive.
- Have 1 copy offsite. Use a service like iCloud or Backblaze.
Security
- Security related settings in red below. Privacy settings are in purple.
Online Cleanses
Every now and then, perform an online cleanse. We do it every month-ish.
- Ensure you’re using a VPN. We use ProtonVPN (free) and NordVPN (paid). We switch between the two because sometimes certain web sites don’t work through a VPN.
- Use anything other than Google for your web searching. Use something that doesn’t track your searches and doesn’t display ads. ex: DuckDuckGo
- Avoid using mobile apps that show ads.
- Use the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Cover Your Tracks.
- Reset your banks’s trusted devices. i.e. places you’re logged into. This is our list.
- Schwab
- Chase -> Security & Privacy (on top menu)
- Citi -> Profile -> More Settings -> Apps with Account Access & Manage Desktop Apps & Trusted identity
- Amex
- Plaid - disconnect and delete any accounts you’re no longer using.
- Remove all cookies and website data on all devices
- iPhone/iPad Safari: Settings -> Safari -> Advanced -> Wesite Data
- Mac Brave: Preferences -> Privacy and security -> clear browsing data, cookies & other
- Mac Safari: Preferences -> Privacy -> Manage Website Data -> Remove All