You might have heard of a VPN, but might not know exactly why you should be using one. NordVPN has been a staple in my software toolbox for years! I started using them when I lived in China and needed to see beyond the great fire wall. Since then I’ve found a lot of different reasons to keep using a VPN in my day to day life.
A VPN not only do they keep you safe online, but they also help you stream anonymously and unlock all types of content.
How a VPN Works
When you browse the internet your IP address sends a request to the server of the local internet service provider (ISP). This is then sent to the server of the website you want to reach.
There is a catch, ISPs are known to keep logs of browsing sessions. This means that the websites you visit, how much time you spend on each web page, the information you enter can also be tracked and stored. Everyone has a digital profile, we should be aware of who has access to it and what kind of information you’re around online.
Week in the life of NordVPN
7 ways that you can use a VPN
Day 1 Mobile App – checking bank balance while out at the grocery store
This is particularly a problem with open Wi-Fi connections where there is no password, or the security key is easily available to everyone.
When I’m out on my phone, even if I’m not using public WiFi and just the connection on my phone, when I’m accessing my banking information I like to be safe. Whenever I access any of my financial services in public, I always use a NordVPN.
Day 2 – Evening of Streaming Hulu in Germany!
US streaming services often have better programming than their German counterparts, for me it’s most noticeable on Netflix and Amazon. I was surprised to find out that NordVPN also unlocked Hulu. So after dinner I fired up Nord and watched Stephen King’s Castle Rock.
Nord works with Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon, Pandora, Disney+, YouTube, BBC and iPlayer.
Day 3 – One account on multiple devices
My dad got a new laptop and wanted to install Nord, but he forgot the login details, and messaged me about it! You can connect up to 6 devices at the same time. It’s also good for him to install CyberSec, it comes free with the subscription, it blocks dangerous websites and annoying ads. It’s another layer of protection while he surfs. He’s gotten a virus or two in the past, so it’s nice to have this layer when sometimes you don’t “think before you click” which is always my first line of defence.
Day 4 – StreamingTV
A friend came over for dinner and wanted to watch the VOW, she fired up Potlocker, which my years of internet training threw up a massive red flag! A lot of my friends stream illegally on sites like potlucker, which now in Germany, i’ve been told that you also get fined for streaming and not just downloading. NordVPN comes with Military-grade AES-256-GCM encryption using only the most secure protocols: OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), IKEv2/IPSec, NordLynx. If you’re going to engage in risky activity, using a VPN is the smart thing to do.
Day 5 – Getting past the Great Firewall
Google photos reminded me that I was in China three years ago, I’ve been using NordVPN for at least 6 years. One of the reasons I first starting using Nord was that it was much more affordable than other VPNs that also worked in China and the middle east. The speeds are not throttled either, which matters to me because I hate waiting for things to download or pages to load. A lot of VPNs will cap your speeds, especially in countries that limit access to information.
Day 6 – Avoid having a marketing profile
Online Shopping Online shopping not only requires you to enter your credit card or PayPal account details on the connection being monitored by your ISP but also puts you at risk for marketing profiling. This is how customised ads end up on the websites you browse.
A VPN can help secure the connection for you by making your location and browsing data completely untraceable. This way you can be sure that your personal information remains safe.
Day 7 – Booking Hotel and Travel
We’re not travelling much these days, but Christmas is coming and if like me you’re dreaming of travelling home for the holiday’s, you’ll want the best rates. You may have heard that clearing browsing data and using incognito mode on your browser can impact flight prices. There is another trick which can cause the prices to fluctuate too. Try installing a VPN and connect to a low-income country.
Sometimes I’ve found that flight prices have dropped but hotel prices are usually more affordable. This is a travel hack to keep in mind to try to get a hold of more affordable fares.
This is a sponsored post, however, I have been using NordVPN for 6 or 7 years, so when the opportunity came along to work with them I jumped at the chance.
The reason I choose Nord as my VPN is they have competitive pricing and they work when i travel, or when I used to travel. Now I have more local needs, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t need a VPN in different parts of my daily life. VPN is no longer something that you need for a few specific situations, increasingly, it’s something that you should be using more and more regularly.
Head on over to NordVPN to check it out, they have a 30 day money back guarantee if you’re not happy with their service, but my 5 years + of loyalty says you probably won’t need to use it.
