Judging based on what I’m actually paying for myself I’d say Mullvad VPN, Protonmail and a nameless AI assistant.
Edit: I forgot I’ve got a website too, so hosting of that is another one.
Mullvad is stellar. I’ve been a user for years and it’s never let me down.
I strongly disagree on proton mail. If you use a custom domain with a catchall it’s absolute trash. Also possibly the worst email search ever. Don’t even get me started on the proton bridge.
I lasted a few months (about 8) and then switched to fastmail. Worlds apart.
I’m curious, since you’re already on Protonmail, why not use their VPN too?
Maybe too many eggs in one basket
Yeah, that would be the reason I wouldn’t switch now but it’s not why I didn’t go with ProtonVPN in the first place.
For no particular reason really. I don’t think Proton was offering a VPN service when I switched to their email so I used few different ones and eventually landed on Mullvad and have just stuck with it since.
Fair enough, thanks for the response
I actually pay for quite a few digital service subscriptions. Off the top my head: Proton (email/VPN), Mega (storage), Kagi (search engine), Inoreader (feed aggregator), Signal (both voluntary donation and for online backup), Audible (audiobooks), Reuters (news), a few newspaper and magazines (online editions), some apps, …
Internet, the shit show is 24/7 no need to pay more for anything.
Mullvad, and a strong internet connection from the spyware company of your choice. With that you can pirate any media, and browse the internet. I have never needed more.
The only extra subscriptions I have are a VPN while I’m at school, a domain name for my portfolio, and one game that is the main place I interact with my friends. Also have a slightly larger Google drive until I can afford to make my own NAS.
Honestly, I don’t see the need for much more. Costco is great if you live near one (they are one of the few decent companies left). Server hosting for games is another one I’ve done in the past.
Adobe used to be manageable a decade ago, especially if you were sharing the cost. Same with Game Pass when it came out. Now the prices for both are absurd. Streaming has been replaced by the high seas.
Email, Nebula, Dropout, Borgbase, a domain name.
I also have humble choice, but that’s a bit of a tossup. I’ve found some great games through it that I still play, but most months it still feels worth it to me
Edit: Forgot Mullvad VPN! Love that thing, 15/10 would recommend. Reddit doesn’t like it, but also I don’t like reddit so whatever
Grocery delivery
Electricity
Water
Mobile data.
If you like movies, I’ve been enjoying AMC Stubs A-List, been going to more movies with the gf, screen unseen is fun if you have nothing specific you want to see. And we keep costs down by sneaking food in.
VPN
And if you want a double whammy, get keepsolid, it’s a Ukrainian company. So you’re supporting Ukraine and getting a good vpn provider.
Your own email domain + an account at a privacy respecting email service is more than worth it. Avoids the privacy nightmare that is using Google/Microsoft for your email, and gives you the flexibility to change email providers on a whim if your current one starts doing anything you don’t like.
Kagi, next DNS, mullvad
If you’re using mullvad, why not also use their DNS? Just curious
Ente.io because I’m a chicken about personal photos. Other than that I also pay for Borgbase and Kagi.
Columbia House.
Subscription-based services are in general worth the money, if
- you can cancel the subscription any time
- you use it, because you actually want it
- you know exactly what you get out of it
E.g. it doesn’t matter shit how much content on Netflix is terrible, if I use it for one month precisely for that one new show, a new season or a few movies I’m interested - just about anything that makes up an actual reason to starting the subscription.
