Wallet Pop put together a list of the best money saving innovations from the last decade. I love how technology is driving us toward thriftier living. Hulu, Skype and Smart phones are incredible ways I’m economizing my life. Which ones are you using?
1. Skype
Telephone companies used to love long-distance relationships. Lovers separated by vast distances made them rich, after all. To access the industry's dedicated system of telephone lines and switchboards, one had to pay those dreaded long-distance fees; that is, until Skype (and its peers) arrived on the scene.
Skype replaced telephone lines with Internet connections. By routing calls over the Web, the cost was cut down to nothing, or close to it. Suddenly, Ben in Boston could talk to his heart's content with Brandi in Budapest.
Skype also drove down the prices that cell phone companies charged for long distance calls, and it also introduced many Americans to video conferencing. Now those lovers can gaze into one another's eyes, no matter how far apart.
2. Groupon
The power of group purchasing and the Internet gave birth to one of the hottest new money-saving strategies of the late 2000's: Groupon. The site solicits special deals from local companies in dozens of locations, offering products and services at a fraction of the price -- as long as people are willing to pay upfront and as long as a certain number of customers are willing to sign up.