How to save Data while on low budget Internet Plan

Keeping in touch with our friends and knowing what is going on in the world around us via social media is a vital part of our existence now in the 21^st century. We cannot overemphasize the importance of being connected to the Internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Connecting and staying in touch with the world around us comes at a price and the big telecommunications companies here in Nigeria are always having a field day raking in the cheddar from this intrinsic human need. It is no longer news that data plans in Nigeria do not last as much as we would love them to and MTN, GLO and Etisalat do not look like they are going to have mercy on us and make it actually cheap, easily accessible and affordable.

So how do we save our data and get the most value out of the service we are paying for? Here are a few tips that will help in saving data and getting the most value for the service that is being rendered:

• Know the amount of data you currently use – Knowing the amount of data you currently use can go a long way in actually helping you save data. Every app on your mobile phone consumes data, but the data consumption varies from app to app. Applications like emails and WhatsApp do not consume as much data, provided that you are only sending data packets without the options of voice and video.
• Restrict background data updates – Some applications on your mobile phone especially games love to be constantly updated in the background, while you are surfing the Internet and just browsing regularly. You can save data while browsing by restricting the number of apps on your mobile phone that are updated in the background.
• Compress your data – Another way to save your data is to compress the data you receive from videos, photos and text. One way of doing this is to make use of browsers that actually help to compress the data. Browsers like Opera Mini and Google Chrome can help with the data compression.
• Set your limit –  Setting a limit on the amount of data you currently use will go a long way in helping you save data. Once your data limit is reached, your phone automatically turns off your mobile data access, which helps you in saving data.
• Instagram and YouTube are not your friends – If you are thinking of enjoying Instagram and YouTube while on a mobile data plan, I urge you to think again. Instagram and YouTube are not your friends when it comes to trying to save data on your mobile phone. Leave all the Instagram and YouTube entertainment for a Wi-Fi connection.
• Wi-Fi! Wi-Fi!! Wi-Fi!!! – This is the Jesus Christ officially come down in the flesh Savior of all Internet connections. With Wi-Fi comes options and with options come possibilities. Having access to Wi-Fi saves you all the hassles and headaches that come with constantly monitoring your data or having your data exhausted when you are doing or enjoying something on the Internet. With Wi-Fi access, you can stream content on YouTube, watch your favorite celebrities get crazy in their InstaStories, follow the latest fashion and gossip on Instagram and keep in touch with events happening all around the world.

Saving data in this technological ecosystem is one thing, being able to enjoy all the benefits this technology provides with unlimited access is another thing.