From extreme weather to scientific advancements
While most of us still pay for calls, the prices are considerably lower nowadays. And if you have an internet connection, you can actually call people for free through a number of apps.
Remember these? For years, they filled up our bookshelves. Nowadays, there are endless online encyclopedias you can use, and they cost absolutely nothing.
Reading the headlines is part of many people's daily routines. Though back then, you'd only be able to do so if you bought a newspaper. Today, you have access to the news online, and in some places, free physical newspapers are even distributed.
If you wanted to listen to music, you'd have two options: listen to the radio or buy records, tapes, or CDs. Nowadays, you have access to millions of songs for free through streaming apps.
While many of us still pay to go to the movies or a streaming service, there are plenty of free movies online on platforms like YouTube.
Remember when we had folded road maps in our cars? Now, all we need is our phones to access maps of the entire world for free.
Whether you want a birthday or a card for a special occasion, you will find it online for free. Plus, they can be easily personalized with names and photos.
Many banking services used to charge a fee. Nowadays, having a bank account costs nothing, and you don't need to pay for many of the services that were once considered premium, such as online bill pay, mobile banking, and ATM withdrawals.
Before digital photography, you would carefully consider each photo because printing it was costly. Nowadays, you can take unlimited photos and choose to print only those you want.
You no longer need to buy specific GPS tools for your car. All you need is your phone and free apps such as Google Maps or Waze.
Back in the day, you used to have to purchase products like Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint. Nowadays, there are a number of free alternatives available.
Gone are the days when you'd have to back everything up on external hard drives or CD-ROMs. We now have access to gigabytes of free cloud storage, so you no longer need to spend money on physical storage solutions.
In the past, video conferencing was mostly reserved for companies, and they'd have to spend money on such equipment. Now, pretty much anyone can benefit from free video conferencing calls through apps such as Zoom or Skype.
Remember when paying for ringtones was a thing? Nowadays, you can download numerous ones for free.
Sure, you still pay for some video games, but you also have access to thousands of free ones on your phone.
You used to have to pay to advertise your stuff, but now you have numerous websites where you can advertise things for free.
Before the digital age, workout plans would be something only PTs and other exercise professionals would have access to. Now, you have free access to plenty of workout plans online.
The same goes for nutritional information and diets. Sure, you still want to consult a nutritionist, but you have a wealth of information available for free if you want to try a specific diet.
Anything more than just basic editing would be reserved for those who had software such as Photoshop. Today, there are a number of advanced photo (and video) editing software available for free online.
The same goes for basic graphic design software. You now have a range of free, intuitive online tools that allow you to design all sorts of things, from logos to posters and everything in between.
It is true that some airlines still charge for booking flights (though mostly if done on the phone or in person), but back then, you'd likely get a plane ticket from a travel agent, which meant paying an extra fee.
Investing in the stock market was reserved for brokers, and they'd pay fees for it. Nowadays any person can do so with an app. Other financial investment products also incurred fees from the companies providing them, but now things are a lot more accessible.
From public spaces to malls, coffee shops, and airports, free Wi-fi is more abundant than ever.
In the past, if you needed to contact a business or person, you'd have to refer to the phone book. Companies used to pay to feature their numbers and ads, but nowadays, an online presence is all that's needed.
Long-distance relationships are not easy, but they used to be a lot harder (and expensive!) back then, with long-distance phone calls and no messaging and video apps available.
Sources: (Critical Financial)
Getting a copy of your credit report used to cost money. And while some companies still charge for these (depending on where you are in the world), many don't.
Believe it or not, until the mid-'90s, email services used to come at a cost. Now, anyone can benefit from them for free.
While you probably won't be able to get a degree for free, you sure can learn a ton of new things without spending a dime.
As the years go by and technology advances, many things we used to pay money for are now available for free. Remember when you had to consult physical encyclopedias before you could Google information? Or when you needed road maps and GPS before having it all for free on your phone?
In this gallery, we cover popular things that used to cost money but are now free. Click on and see how many you remember.
Things that used to cost money but are now free
When did you last pay for these items?
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As the years go by and technology advances, many things we used to pay money for are now available for free. Remember when you had to consult physical encyclopedias before you could Google information? Or when you needed road maps and GPS before having it all for free on your phone?
In this gallery, we cover popular things that used to cost money but are now free. Click on and see how many you remember.