Originally Posted by
wcj1
As I always say, I am my mother's son. (She grew up during the Depression...)
With apps, usually there is a free app that will do enough of what I want, so that's why I do not like to pay. This is an example of where a paid app fills a void, but often one can avoid that.
Former software developer here. You need to stop letting your mother control your finances! Grab that wallet when she isn't looking!
It's not like you are buying photoshop for $1000 or whatever that thing costs so you can touch up a photo, most of those app developers are just regular guys like us that do this on the side. I figure kicking down a few bucks isn't really going to change my life but it's a way to say "thank you" to the developer. These guys are getting beer money for their work, not Angry Birds millions.
I give at least that in a night to a random bartender who does little more than pour a beer and hand it over. Someone out there spent a lot of time developing an app that makes my life a littler easier and if kicking down a few bucks makes him feel like someone appreciated his work, it's worth it. There a lot of times where nobody is paying for it, lots of people are using it and there is always that one guy out there that sends constant hate mail about a feature he thinks should be included. A little positive reinforcement goes a long way.
If you can afford to pay $300++ for a smartphone, even spending a princely $5 a month is over time enough to buy pretty much every program that you regularly use that has a paid version. I'm all about try-before-buy but if you have something you love and use the heck out of it, let the developer know.
If you are in a place in life where you can't scrape together a few bucks (but have a fancy phone??), drop them a note and tell them you appreciate their work, that goes a long way too.
And stop asking your mom permission to spend your money! Move out of the house! And make your bed!