Personal Freedome From Identity Thieves

You may feel pretty secure in your anonymity on the internet when you're in the safety of your own home, but what about on your phone, tablet or when you travel or go to the coffee shop and use the open Wi-Fi network? There are hackers everywhere that want to steal your personal information, no matter where you go or who you are. Having a VPN on your side can be the difference between safely using the internet wherever you are or having to spend your free time calling all your credit card companies and banks to straighten out problems that have arisen from identity thieves stealing your personal information.

As a frequent traveler and a brand ambassador for F-Secure Freedome, I feel compelled to let you know how important and convenient it is to sign up with a VPN. So, what exactly is a VPN? It stands for Virtual Personal Network, which gives you privacy on top of any security measures you have on your digital devices. It cloaks your location and everything you're doing from others on the internet. When you log onto the internet, your device is given an IP address that can be tracked. With a VPN, this is IP address is not shown, so you can surf anywhere you are on whatever device you've installed Freedome totally securely and anonymously.

Ever wonder why you can't access certain websites when you travel out of the country? I hate it when I want to watch something on my DVR or Netflix, but I can't because I'm not in the U.S. at the time. With a VPN, I can set my location to U.S. and resume using services I pay for.

Almost everyone owns a smartphone now and use it for everything from finding directions and phone numbers to checking email. Phones are hackable, especially as you're out and about using un-secure networks to check your bank accounts  or even just sending texts to family and friends. Keep everything in your phone and what you do online even on your phone away from prying eyes with Freedome. With a VPN, your personal info will never be leaked again, no matter how much you use your phone while you're on the go.

Do you ever read the terms and conditions when you sign on to a public network? Most of us don't. Did you know that a lot of these have terms that you probably wouldn't agree to if you did read them?  The video above shows what happens when a free Wi-Fi hotspot was set up in London and people blindly sign on in order to get online.

Know what else is creepy? Those sidebar and banner ads that seem to follow you while you surf, trying to sell you items and services you searched for recently? Buy that top. Buy that top. BUY THAT TOP! Block the advertisers with Freedome. As it blocks your data and surfing, it doesn't enable search engines to sell your info to those site that bombard you with ads for those things you may or may not have wanted in the first place. Freedome encrypts your data and masks your connection, making your virtually invisible online.

Anti-virus software is not 100% secure, so even if you have it installed on your laptop, it doesn't mean that you are protected. Freedome from F-Secure gives you an extra level of security by blocking viruses, malware and other bad things that can result from surfing the web. Can you imagine how inconvenient it would be for your computer to go down when you're hundreds or thousands of miles from home? Couple that with someone stealing all your personal info and emptying out your bank accounts and your vacation has now turned into a nightmare. Why wouldn't you protect yourself the best you can? 

Not sure if Freedome is right for you? Why not try it for free? 

Use Freedome for 90 days by using code qsf257.

When I travel, I'm always relying on Wi-Fi from hotels, timeshares, Starbucks and other networks to get online and do work, check email and look up directions to places I want to go. Aside from keeping all my passwords changing and hard to guess, it never occurred to me that I might still be at risk from identity thieves. With Freedome, I know I can feel safe and still have access to all my accounts and services. You know what's also cool? If I find sites that I love in other countries that are location-dependent (like streaming shows on BBC websites), I can use those when I'm back home just by using my VPN. 

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Have you ever had a computer or phone hacked, either at home or while traveling?

Disclosure: As a brand ambassador, I am receiving compensation from F-Secure, but all opinions are 100% my own and I never recommend products/services I wouldn't use myself.

Budget Spring Break Ideas

Spring Break is almost here and that means you have a whole week to think of how to entertain your children (if you have them) or worry about your college student (if you have one) or figure out how to fit your travel plans into your budget (if you have one). Spring is a great time to travel; however, it can get a bit dicey during the month of March, because Spring Break varies across the country, making it impossible to know when you will have to share your space with a bajillion hard-partying college kids – and sometimes those well out of their college days – or have to pay twice as much for hotels and airfare. Luckily, with the economy still kinda sucky, deals are easier than ever to find. You just have to pick one, pay for it and go. But where?

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Don't you wish, as an adult, that you din't have to pay holiday rates just because you wanted to travel during Spring Break? Yeah. Me too, but until someone figures out how that works, we will have to continue to avoid the crowds and search for discounts. I suppose if anyone shouldn’t have to pay holiday prices, it’s the poor parents that have just come off of Christmas and already dreading planning how to keep their kids out of trouble and entertained for the three months of summer that’s right around the corner, but I digress.

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What else is out there? Well, you can always do the old standby and plan a frugal trip to Vegas.  Southwest, JetBlue and many other airlines are offering deals to Sin City and BookIt has rooms from as low as $22 per night. If staying on the Strip, skip the car rental and book an airport shuttle instead. You could save $100+ on a week stay and can take the free tram from one end of the strip to the other instead. Your trip can be super budget if you need it to be. Here are some free and cheap Vegas activities to do while you’re there.

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Lake Tahoe - If you were thinking of maybe taking a trip to Vegas, consider a trip to Lake Tahoe instead. With the high stakes of Vegas, but with the added bonus of lakeside activities, hiking trails and skiing. Depending on where you stay around the actual lake, you can have totally different experiences. New and interesting shopping and dining, as well as the option of a fantastic day drive around Lake Tahoe. 

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New Orleans, LA - Here's another destination that no one really thinks about outside of Mardi Gras. With so much interesting history, architecture, music and delicious food, New Orleans should be a must for any culture junkie. For those that don't care about culture, take a walk on the dark side with ghost tours. Save on your trip to New Orleans with the Power Pass. Starting as low as $28 per day, gain entry to the must-see attractions of the city. Choose from places like the Musee Conti Wax Museum, Audubon Zoo, Cajun Pride Swamp Tour and much more! Available in 1- to 5-day durations. Add a 1-3 day MealTicket to eat at awesome restaurants for one low price.

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Visit State and National Parks. Hiking, running, jumping and climbing are great ways to entertain (and tire out) your kids for a very nominal cost. Sometimes it’s free and sometimes you pay per carload. You get to enjoy some nature and wildlife and your kids get fresh air and exercise. Turn it into a bit of an educational trip by giving them cameras and having them take pictures of the different things they see along the way (i.e. trees, flowers, animals) and then print them out later for identification. Many parks have education centers where they do talks and have exhibits that explain about the plants and animals of the region. Make time to stop in and have your kids ask the rangers questions about their visit.

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South America is always a great Spring Break destination, because not only is it not a destination college kids look at to par-tay, but it's also budget-friendly. If you are looking to spend about half the price for a vacation, then South America (and even Central America) is where you should look. You'll have a less traditional Spring Break, save some money and help a struggling economy. Brush up on your Spanish and pack your warm weather clothes!

Are you traveling for Spring Break? Where are you going?

Take a Valentine’s Day Staycation

Some of us either don’t have the money to take a romantic getaway or want to spend that extra cash that you could use for a larger vacation later. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to enjoy a Valentine’s Day that will impress and create lifetime memories. Believe it or not, some of the best things in life really are free or at least cheap. Show your significant other that you care by doing something a little out of the box and unexpected that won’t empty out your pockets.

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Have a Picnic

If you happen to live in an area of the country where winter has decided to give up, it’s pretty easy to find a nice little spot to take a meal to, or even throw a blanket down in your backyard. If, like us in the Northwest, you have cold and usually rainy weather, you have to be a little more creative. Push the living room furniture out of the way, light a fire or put on a yule log video (this is streaming year-round on Netflix) and toss a blanket and some throw pillows on the floor.

Some fun ideas for picnic foods:

• Salad in a glass, so you have individual portions and can personalize each salad easily.
• Caprese salad on a stick. These are delicious, simple and fun to eat.
• Lasagna is delicious, but messy. Make lasagna cupcakes. Bonus that you can feed them to each other!
• A great baguette or loaf of garlic bread. If you both eat it, it won’t be so unromantic to breathe on each other.
• Cheese, cracker, fruit and meat platter. It can be sexy to eat with your hands.
• Fruit! Grapes, apple slices and even chocolate covered strawberries.
• Pressed sandwiches that you can cut into bite-size slices.
• A nice (inexpensive) bottle of wine, sparkling juice or fruit water you can make yourself by infusing your favorite fruit in a pretty bottle or carafe of water.
• Hand pies or empanadas. Put whatever you want in them, from curry chicken to cheese and veggies. You can make them easier by using biscuits or croissants in a tube.
• Have a tea party with a selection of tiny bites: sandwiches, scones, sweets and all your other favorite things.

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Make Your Own Drive-In

We love movies. For one of my husband’s birthdays, I purchased a Roku projector and outdoor screen so we could watch movies in our yard. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on such a thing. In fact, you can turn your smartphone into a projector with a few items you probably have around your house. Use it inside with a sheet or do the same outside if it’s warm or you can snuggle up in the car and pretend you’re at a drive-in.

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Get It to Go

I am a big advocate for going out to dinner, but Valentine’s Day meals can be expensive and a lot of pressure. Get the experience you want by ordering a fancy dinner and bringing it home. You don’t have to dress up, you don’t have to see all those other couples and, if you get drunk, you don’t need to call a cab or an Uber. This is also nice, because you can skip paying for drinks and a big tip. (You'll want to dish everything out on real plates.)

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Take a Drive

Sometimes it’s just nice to get out of the house. Pack a lunch and your camera, then jump in the car and drive around your city or to a nearby city or attraction (like a waterfall or historic district) and just take it all in. A nice little stroll along a romantic street or a riverbank can be relaxing and fun. Take photos of the two of you and your surroundings.

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Make S’mores

Got a firepit in your backyard (or not too afraid of flaming marshmallows in your fireplace)? Why not grab some sticks or fondue forks and spend a little time making an old favorite. Everyone likes a s’more, but you can also mix it up by using peanut butter, bananas or cookies. Feed each other your creations!

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Be a Kid Again

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about romance, as long as you enjoy yourself. Head to your local video arcade or laser tag arena and team up to beat the bad guys or rule a group of strangers at virtual war.

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Host Your Own Wine or Beer Tasting

You can do this as a couple or as a group. It’s quite a bit cheaper to purchase a selection of wine or beers and then try them out at home. You can break out your nice glasses and talk about the flavors and smells you detect. Not sure what to look for, there’s still time to order a book to help you through. Here’s one for beer and one for wine. Make sure you have some food to pair with it, because alcohol on an empty stomach is not a great idea. If you’d rather have an expert on-hand, lots of tasting rooms are open on Saturdays.

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Plan a Vacation

Not for Valentine’s Day, but for another time during the year. If you are planning to take a trip and you haven’t worked out the details yet, like we haven’t, this is a great time to sit down and find all the fun things you want to do, places you want to eat and visit and imagine all the fun you’ll have. If you don’t have a vacation planned, how about making a travel bucket list for the two of you (or your family). Post it somewhere you can see it every day so you have goals for your travel future.

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Critique Free Art

There are lots of places that have art and other kinds of museums that offer free admission. Maybe you have a park full of sculptures that you’ve never gone to before. Take your SO to view an art exhibit and talk about the art and your interpretations.

Do it for Less

I’m always going to tell you to use daily deal sites. Groupon, Amazon Local, Living Social and others can save you at least 50% off dining out, experiences and spa services. Many times these won’t be valid on a holiday, but that just means you can use it before or after Valentine’s Day and use one of these other ideas.

You don’t have to spend a lot to have a great day with your loved one. Here are 75 U.S. cities and what to do on a budget in them. Need more ideas? Check out my staycation Pinterest board.

What are some of your favorite free/cheap romantic activities?