Over the past 5 or 6 years, I've bought 3 back-up drives for my computer. Each one a bit bigger and fancier than the last. Certainly more costly. Sometimes, when you are thinking you're saving money it could actually mean that you are spending more money than you need to spend.
I am betting those three back-up drives -- all of which bit the dust, by the way -- cost me at least $700 or so. They are not free backup because one day they will just stop working. Which means your computer is not backed up. Can you afford to lose all of your data on your computer? As a Sacramento short sale agent, I can't lose anything. I would probably be out of business and my clients would be mortified if that happened.
I tend to resist new technology until I am certain it works. I'm not one of those geeky types who buy a new device or subscribe to a new service when it first hits the market. It took me at least 6 months to start writing on Active Rain, for example, even though I received an invitation when it came to first came to life.
You can bet your booties I am kicking myself now that I did not subscribe to Carbonite when I first heard about it. This is an online backup service. It costs $59 a year. You can't beat it. True, it took me 24 days to backup my computer, but it is now complete.
What I didn't realize is I can now access my computer on my cellphone. Yeah, my entire freakin' computer on my cellphone! This is so incredible. Have you ever been somewhere and just wished you could pull up something on your computer but you can't because you're not home? Problem solved. I can access my computer from any other computer anywhere in the world. Instantly.
But best of all, it's backed up. What are you waiting for? An asteroid to hit the Earth? Go buy Carbonite.
Photo: Adam Weintraub, Prairie Tall Grass National Preserve, Kansas
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Certified HAFA Specialist
My Sacramento Real Estate Listings
Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available at Amazon.com.
Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice. It could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.
