this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2026
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[–] Szewek@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 week ago (3 children)
  • doomscrolling to fediversing;
  • getting off Coca Cola and Pepsi Co. products (alternatives are both tastier and healthier, too many to list here, it will depend on where you live, anything from Fritz Cola and Green Cola through VitaminWell to your local kombucha brand);
  • Google Photos and Dropbox to Koofr, I got two-in-one;
  • Google Search to Karma/Ecosia.
  • Google Translate to DeepL and Reverso Context (the latter being much more helpful if you actually want to learn);
  • ChatGPT to Mistral and solidagent. Thinking you need a larger model is often like thinking you need a larger car: it really depends how you use it. With some brain power a smaller and less "reasoning" model might give you more to sieve through;
  • Google Maps to Citymapper in Stockholm/other big cities (It was always JakDojade in Poland <3);
  • it is not a change as much as an add-on, but getting Minimalist Phone on top of my Android (I hope I will get established in a de-Googled environment in a foreseeable future).

And possibly the biggest one: Divesting!!!

As my antivirus expires, I am looking forward to switch to Bitdefender. I've been avoiding most American non-digital services before. Using alternatives to credit cards in real life is annoying in Sweden, but I try my best. It is easy online, though.

[–] HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Using alternatives to credit cards in real life is annoying in Sweden, but I try my best. It is easy online, though. Wero is our Lord and Savior!

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)
[–] Szewek@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I try to pay with Swish when possible. But it is a bit cumbersome.

Blik, the Polish member of the European Mobile Payment Systems Association has a contactless payment solution that works as smooth as using a card. But I think they somehow collaborate with Mastercard on it. Some terminals in Sweden apparently can connect with Swish via Bluetooth, but I never got to set it up. So I use the QR code...

I wish these mobile payment systems would be integrated better across borders.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Bluetooth sucks, it's even slower than reading a QR, and unreliable on top of that. We've had this with the Swiss equivalent of Swish (Twint), and it sucked so bad they abandoned it completely. It's just QR now.

The reason we can't use NFC is Apple, by the way. They'reocking everyone out. And because corporate product managers don't want to use NFC on Android and relegate Apple users to QR both get the same, worse option.

[–] mirshafie@europe.pub 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Divesting is so important. It's good for your savings account too. My Canadian, French, Korean and Swedish stocks slap.

[–] Szewek@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yes! The US economy relies so much on overinvestment. All the American giants and startups had international investment fueling them for years before they made profits. The dollar relies on everybody securing savings in US treasury. The less of it the better.

And my diversified European, Latin American, and Asian stocks slap as well (⌐■_■) I need to get more stuff from Canada!

[–] mirshafie@europe.pub 2 points 1 day ago

Bombardier has been doing particularly well for me. I'm pretty confident it will continue to do so.

Haven't really chosen any Latin American stocks yet, but Brazil looks good overall.