Bill anxiety is a battle splitting diners
slowing down or shutting off randomly. The more you charge and deplete batteries, the more they degrade.
Canstar Blue tech expert
Tara Donnelly recommends recharging your phone when it hits 40 per cent capacity, and unplugging it before it reaches 90 per cent.
“You should also avoid using cheap chargers or fast-charging accessories ... these can speed up degradation in lithium-ion batteries,” she said.
The screen is usually one of the most expensive components to change but it’s still cheaper than buying a new phone. Depending on the model, Apple charges from $219 for a screen replacement if you don’t have Applecare+, the company’s extended service plan.
Some Android phone repairs can be similarly expensive.
“The best way to avoid repairs is by investing in protective cases or screen protectors and taking care of your device,” Ms Donnelly said.
“However, if damage or faults do occur, do your research first.”
Websites such as ifixit break down the most popular phones and give them a score for how easy they are to repair.
“Move your files to a cloudbased storage to free up memory and install new updates as soon as they become available,” Ms Donnelly said. “Up-to-date apps and software not only run faster, they also ensure you’re better protected from bugs or security issues.” SHARING the bill at bars, restaurants and cafes causes anxiety for almost three quarters of Australians.
New research by Latitude x Samsung Pay has found that 77 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men feel nervous when presented with a group bill, and some don’t eat out to avoid the situation.
Cafe owner Gab Donoudis has seen plenty of bill anxiety at his Melbourne eatery Onethirtytwo, particularly when there’s a large group of people paying.
“We have a lot of big groups come in on the weekends especially, and when it comes to paying the bill you can see customers semi-race each other to the counter to select their items for payment,” he said.
“They’re trying to avoid being one of the last to pay because there’s always a coffee – or three – or additional menu items that people ‘forgot’ to pay for, which the last person in the group get lumped with.
“In some instances, we see or hear those customers reprimand the rest of the group outside, demanding reimbursement – it’s pretty funny to witness.”
Mr Donoudis said there was an emerging “new norm” for customers to pay at the counter for what they ordered rather than split bills down the middle.
Latitude’s research spanned more than 1000 people and discovered more than half found the trend of 50-50 splits unfair, but 46 per cent said they were happy to pay equal shares.
When asked how they felt when someone else paid the bill, 28 per cent said “embarrassed” while 13 per cent said “relieved”.
Latitude Finance’s etiquette specialist, Anna Musson, said some diners were “stressed out for the whole meal or even excuse themselves when the bill comes to avoid it”.
“No one wants to quibble about money, particularly when you’re having a nice time with friends,” she said.
“So sharing the bill 50-50 allows everyone to make a contribution without quibbling over who ate what or taking the time and effort to work it out.”
Ms Musson said other ways to reduce bill anxiety included checking indicative costs with the host before going out, using a bill-sharing app on your smartphone or offering to pay the full amount if you could afford it.