Digi Citizen
My family and I have had European health insurance cards for years. They provide security when traveling abroad, as you never know when an accident might happen, requiring healthcare. Nowadays, I rarely visit Kela’s website, usually twice a year to pay the student healthcare fee. Previously, I applied for Kela’s speech therapy reimbursement for my child once a year, attaching a doctor’s statement and a speech therapist’s assessment of the therapy need. Through Kela, you can use various calculators and apply for a wide range of services if eligible.
I can log into OmaKanta through my bank. Strong identification brings security to the user.
The prospect of a possible future pension doesn’t make me smile. Already, it feels like a working person’s salary barely covers living expenses, let alone in 25 years. On the other hand, we don’t know what kind of world we’ll be living in then; whether my pension will be small or large, but I doubt it will be enough to live on. Extending my career by five years would somewhat affect the pension amount, but the sum isn’t very significant. Considering the responsibility and demands of my current job, extending my career isn’t an option I would consider. My work is mentally and physically demanding, and I don’t believe I can do it until retirement.
I compared accommodation prices in my hometown Joensuu and found that booking through the Sokos Hotel website gets me a room three euros cheaper than through Trivago. I’ve used both services, and I believe customers should be price-conscious when choosing accommodation. Sometimes Trivago offers cheaper accommodation, but good advertising shouldn’t blind you to think this is always the case. It’s wise to check the official hotel website for price comparisons.
In my job, I don’t handle procurement, but in my private life, I’m an avid online shopper, purchasing most of my clothes and cosmetics online. Sometimes I might check out a product, like clothes or shoes, in a local store but end up ordering it online. Often, I get discount coupons or find lower prices online. This is unfortunate for brick-and-mortar stores but a cheaper option for consumers.
People who don’t use virtual services may face various challenges. For example, daily financial management becomes more difficult when bill payments are often electronic. Electronic transactions can be cheaper than those done at the counter. Purchases are made using cards or various apps like Pivo or the S-Group’s mobile payment app.
Many people’s jobs require digital skills and the use of various programs and applications. Complete lack of IT utilization is rare in any field, even if it’s not in a significant role everywhere. IT skills are also weak if not used in everyday life.
Various services have moved online, and, for example, making appointments often happens electronically. Handling matters is also often electronic, such as filing a tax return or applying/reporting different things, which is often faster online.
Online shopping is becoming an increasingly significant part of consumer culture, so those who don’t use virtual services may miss out on their offerings. For example, election machines and other opinion polling sites are online, and those who don’t use them may feel excluded.
After taking a digital skills test, I was surprised to find that I have quite strong skills in information and communication. I’ve thought of myself as mostly self-taught and needing more learning, but it seems my basic skills are good. Security was my weakest area, so I definitely need to pay more attention to it in the future.
Self-assessment
This task made me reflect on my digital behavior. Are my choices right, or am I just following the crowd? How could I better and more efficiently utilize digital tools in my work and meet the national early childhood education plan’s digital requirements?
Blogs I commented on
https://blogi.savonia.fi/anukainulainen/digi-society/
https://suvipulkkinen83.wordpress.com/digi-citizen/