Computer Smarts, Money Smarts

I’m not tech-savvy.  Comparatively of course: my parents and some of my more aged brethren think I’m Kevin Flynn in Tron because I can use Ticketmaster to purchase Pacers/Bulls preseason tickets online. I enjoy the praise because deep down I know that, when compared to my own generation, I’m pretty gosh darn average about technology.  

Often below average.  I can’t use PhotoShop; I don’t have a smartphone; and when my iPod Nano stopped working a few years ago, instead of trying to fix it / update my iTunes / buy a new one, I resigned myself to listening to 12 outdated Rascal Flatts songs in the order my iPod dictated.  (In my own defense: a. I didn’t want to spend lots of money on something I thought might break easily again, and b. I love me some Rascal Flatts.)

But I refuse to become technologically crippled like my mother, who has never once attempted to compose a simple text message to me.  I’d rather end up like my husband’s grandma, who, after Thanksgiving dinner, gave me detailed instructions on how to sell something on eBay.  

So I persevere in the face of my technological left-handedness, compensating for my ignorance with hard work and good ole’ fashion learnin’.  Thanks to some research on the Google Machine, I've been making some big technological strides lately. Here's a brief list of some of my e-commplishments in the past month:

• I fixed my iPod and transferred iTunes from my old computer to a newer one,
• I started using Google Reader to organize my favorite blogs,
• I downloaded my first podcast: NPR’s Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me,
• and I backed up this here blog by exporting the contents and saving the xml file to DropBox.

(Pats self on back.)

But the biggest technological step-in-the-right direction came from Facebook earlier this week when I saw this stray status update:  “Mint.com spoiled my Christmas present!”

Intrigued / hungry, I typed the web address into my browser expecting to see a collection of state quarters or a lovely box of the oh-so-delicious Andes mints.  It’s hard to beat those festive brown and green rectangles of tastiness, but what I found was better.

And here I thought I was cool using a Google Docs spreadsheet to organize our spending.  Pssshtt.  Mint.com makes spreadsheets look like Gordon Gecko’s brick-sized mobile phone.

I realize that my just-learned-how-to-take-a-screenshot self may be the last one to arrive to this party as well, and that maybe everyone’s already using this personal finance tool.  Nevertheless, I feel overwhelmed at this website’s coolness / helpfulness / ease of use, and I want to spread the word in case it’s new to you, too.  

Because what’s even more important than computer smarts?  Money smarts.  Tracking your spending might ruin Christmas presents, but it helps you save for them, too.  And momma wants a smartphone.