When it comes to using a computer, there is more than just the initial purchase price to consider, which can itself be quite high. There are additional costs for the operating system, productivity software (apps for documents, spreadsheets, presentations and so on), security, additional storage and internet access. In this article, I'm going to give some examples of how one can be cost effective in how they use their PC.
The Operating System
If you wish to use a Windows 11 operating system you typically have to pay for the activation to unlock personalisation, connect the device to your Microsoft account and remove the watermark. In some instances this comes with the PC, but in other scenarios it can cost approximately £115 to do so.
A way around this is to use a local account, which is also an effective solution if you don't currently have a Microsoft email address (i.e. an "@outlook.com" or "@hotmail.com" address). This is an offline, device-specific profile that stores your files, passwords and settings entirely on that individual machine rather than in the cloud. The method of creating a local account is complicated due to Microsoft making it deliberately difficult in order to encourage people to use the cloud storage functionalities. However, it can be done and is usually via some fiddling around during the initial device set-up process. It's not possible to give a precise example here due to the fact that Microsoft is always finding ways to remove these workarounds.
Alternatively, one can use a different operating system such as macOS, Linux or ChromeOS, none of which have such drawbacks.
Productivity Software
Productivity software refers to application software used for producing information such as documents, presentations, worksheets, databases, charts and graphs. These suites usually contain some form of cloud storage service as well.
Microsoft 365
To use Microsoft 365 apps on the PC, it costs £84.99/year for a single person or £104.99/year for a family plan with up to 6 people with separate accounts. This gives you access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook as local desktop apps, longer meetings with more participants and recordings in Teams, and 1TB of storage in OneDrive.
Google Workspace
Google Workspace consists of several productivity software programs, including Docs (word processor), Sheets (spreadsheets), Slides (presentations), Mail (email) and Meet (video conferencing). It has a free tier with 15GB of storage and is based entirely in the cloud. To extend storage space and access additional perks, users must pay a minimum of £5.90/month (£70.80/year) — cheaper than Microsoft 365 but not significantly so.
Free Options
If you don't want to pay for productivity software, there are two main options. The first is to use Microsoft 365 for the Web — essentially a free version of the same apps accessed via a browser. They can also be downloaded for offline use, but do require an internet connection to function and have certain limitations. For example, Word for the Web lacks the Design tab (used for page colours, borders and themes), and PowerPoint for the Web limits the animations and custom slide layouts available.
The second option is a free, standalone suite such as LibreOffice, developed by the German non-profit The Document Foundation. It includes equivalents to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access — called Writer, Calc, Impress and Base — and is fully compatible with Microsoft Office file formats, meaning it can open and edit a .docx file just as Microsoft Word can. Similar products include Collabora Office and Apache OpenOffice, all of which share the same OpenOffice codebase.
Internet Access
A typical household broadband connection costs around £35 per month for unlimited data, which totals approximately £420 per year. This can be expensive depending on how much internet you actually use, especially since the gateway keeps billing even when turned off. There are a few alternatives worth considering.
Phone Hotspot
One alternative is to use your phone as a hotspot. You're already paying for mobile data, so you can use some of it to connect a laptop or desktop to the internet. The hotspot option is usually found in the Wi-Fi, Internet or Connections section of your smartphone's Settings app. If you're on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan, you can use only as much data as you need and pay accordingly.
Mobile Data Dongle
A mobile data dongle is essentially a USB stick with a SIM card that provides the device it's plugged into with 4G or 5G mobile connectivity. These are available on PAYG or monthly plans from providers such as O2, Three and Vodafone.
MiFi & Portable Routers
There are also untethered Wi-Fi devices — some that require plugging in, and some with internal batteries (MiFis). Both run on SIM cards stored within the device and can have their own data plan. Data-only SIM card plans are available for around £15–20 per month on 12-month contracts for unlimited data from providers such as Sky, Three and GiffGaff.
Add-ons to Existing Cheap Services (Storage, Security & Repairs)
Storage
Most computers come with between 256GB and 1TB of internal storage. If you need more, cloud providers such as Google, Microsoft and Apple charge from around £15.99/month for an extra 100GB — on top of any productivity subscription you may already be paying. More affordable alternatives include:
- External portable hard drive — 1TB for around £50 on Amazon, works just like internal storage.
- Internal solid-state drive — 1TB from around £90, slotting in alongside your existing drive.
- Mega — 2.4TB of cloud storage for just £3.45/month (£41.40/year).
- Dropbox — 2.4TB for £7.99/month.
If you choose a third-party cloud provider, do your own research and buy according to your specific needs.
Security
Most computers come with built-in security software: Windows devices include Windows Security, macOS comes with XProtect and FileVault, and Linux and ChromeOS have security baked into the system architecture. Windows devices often also come with McAfee pre-installed, though this largely duplicates what Windows Security already provides for free.
Paid providers such as McAfee, Avast One and Norton can be effective but are often expensive, starting at around £30/year. A more cost-effective approach is to combine the built-in antivirus with the following free or cheap tools:
- VPN — creates a secure, private tunnel for your internet traffic, hiding your IP address and making it harder for attackers to target you in public places.
- Password manager — automatically generates, auto-fills and stores strong, unique passwords for every account.
- DNS filtering — prevents you from accidentally visiting malicious or untrustworthy websites.
Repairs
When part of your computer stops working, it doesn't necessarily mean it's time for a new device. Many issues can be fixed. Start by running the diagnostic tools built into the operating system, such as the troubleshooting options in device settings — these can often identify the root cause.
If software or drivers are out of date, follow the provided steps to update them. A driver is a software component that lets the operating system communicate with a hardware device (keyboard, speakers, network card etc.). Dedicated utilities such as the Intel Driver & Support Assistant can handle driver updates automatically.
If the problem is hardware, specific components can often be replaced rather than the whole machine. Verify compatibility with the manufacturer's website, source parts from Amazon or eBay, and either take the device to a professional or attempt the repair yourself using YouTube tutorials or iFixit — a free site offering step-by-step repair guides for a wide range of devices.
Conclusion
Computing doesn't have to be as expensive as it might first appear. As this article has shown, there are cost-effective alternatives at almost every level — from the operating system and productivity software to internet access, storage, security and device maintenance. The key is identifying which areas you're currently overspending on and making small, informed changes accordingly.
It's also worth considering the initial purchase itself. Rather than buying brand new, purchasing a refurbished or second-hand device from retailers such as Back Market, CEX or eBay can significantly reduce the upfront cost while still providing a capable machine. Many of these devices are restored to good working condition and come with some form of warranty.