Paying monthly for software is no stranger to the business world. Payroll services, credit card services, bookkeeping services all have implemented software for business owners for a monthly fee, to take advantage of for a long time. This type of monthly payment for software is entering the home use arena. Software for budgeting, special projects, and computer functions are becoming popular today.
Budgeting software is advertised online as a free download for you. The 30-90 day trial is free, then they charge a monthly fee. After you get all your personal information entered and start to work the budget plan you need to cough up the monthly fee to continue. There are lots of tips and advice on budgeting, retirement planning and investment planning that comes with the software and it may be very helpful to some people. Software packages that you can outright purchase have the same functions as many of the monthly rentals. In some instances the same software package that is offered as a monthly service can be purchased outright. But, the monthly plan may put these services in a customer’s hand a little more easier, financially, to get them started.
Microsoft has a program called Albany that they are testing. It offers a monthly service fee for use of programs like Office, Windows and Office Live Workspace. Now most computers already have these programs preloaded and it is not very certain the direction that Microsoft is headed with this trial program. Reviews and bloggers feel that this is a sneak preview of what is to come. Blank computers will be offered that you buy and then have to purchase the software to function the system, much like the cell phone business. You can buy a smart phone, but what can you do without the data plan.
Perhaps some of the monthly software plans that are being offered as a monthly service will help more people be able to take advantage of some costly software if purchased outright would not be accessible. If pay monthly software is the wave of the future, hopefully it is just not a way to hook people into monthly commitments for pure financial gain.