I’ll be honest, for a long time I thought VPNs were one of those things that only people who work in IT or wear headsets for a living needed. It sounded complicated, a bit intimidating, and definitely not aimed at normal family life. But it turns out, I was wrong.
A VPN is actually one of those quiet, behind-the-scenes things that just makes being online a bit easier and a bit safer, especially when you’ve got kids, multiple devices and everyone doing different things at the same time.
I have used VPN mobile for years now and have only ever used a company called Surfshark but there are others out there who all do a similar thing. 😁
So… what actually is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which already makes it sound more complicated than it needs to be.
In very simple terms, a VPN creates a secure tunnel between your device and the internet. Instead of your information travelling openly across the internet, it’s encrypted and hidden from prying eyes. Your real location and IP address are masked, and your data is much harder for anyone else to intercept.
You don’t see it happening. There’s no extra effort involved day to day. Once it’s switched on, it just sits there quietly doing its job while you get on with life.
I actually started using a VPN because I wanted to watch a show on Netflix that was only on US Netflix and at the time, I was really only interested in being able to watch that but I’ve since learned about all of the other benefits that a VPN brings with it and you know what, they’re the benefits that are really why it’s worth considering a VPN.
Keeping kids safer online without hovering
You can’t sit next to your children every time they go online. Homework, gaming, YouTube, messaging friends… it all happens quickly and often on different devices, sometimes all at once.
A VPN adds an extra layer of protection in the background. It encrypts internet traffic so personal information is harder to access, which is especially reassuring when kids are clicking around without really thinking about privacy.
It doesn’t replace parental controls or conversations, but it does take some of the pressure off. You don’t have to hover quite so much, because there’s a safety net quietly running in the background.
Using public Wi-Fi without that little knot of stress
Family life means public Wi-Fi. Cafés, hotels, airports, libraries, waiting rooms. It’s convenient, but it’s also one of the riskiest places to go online.
Using a VPN means your data stays encrypted even on public networks. So if someone’s doing homework in a café, scrolling on their phone while travelling, or checking emails on holiday, there’s less to worry about.
It’s not something you actively think about every time, but it’s very comforting to know it’s there.
Making streaming and browsing feel less annoying
If you’ve got more than one person in the house, you’ve probably had the “why is nothing loading?” conversation more times than you can count.
A VPN can sometimes help reduce internet throttling, especially during busy evening periods when everyone’s online at once. It can also be handy when you’re away from home and suddenly realise half the apps you normally use don’t behave properly abroad.
For families, that mostly translates to fewer buffering wheels, fewer moans, and a smoother evening overall.
Protecting personal information as children get older
As children grow, their online world grows with them. School platforms, games, social media, online shopping, subscriptions… suddenly there’s a lot of personal information floating around.
A VPN helps protect that data by hiding your IP address and encrypting online activity. It’s particularly useful for teenagers who are online more independently but don’t always think about how much information they’re sharing.
It gives them a bit more freedom, while still keeping some protection in place behind the scenes.
One less thing to think about
The best thing about a VPN is how little effort it needs once it’s set up.
You turn it on, it runs quietly in the background, and that’s it. No constant settings to fiddle with, no daily decisions to make. For busy families juggling work, school, screens and everything else, that kind of low-maintenance protection is genuinely helpful.
It’s not about being perfect online. It’s about making everyday internet use feel a bit calmer and more manageable.
A VPN isn’t a magic fix and it won’t replace good boundaries or conversations around screen time and safety. But as part of family life, it’s one of those small, practical tools that earns its keep.
If your household spends time online, and let’s face it, whose doesn’t, a VPN can make things simpler, safer and a little less stressful.
And to give you an idea of how long we’ve had our VPN – we got it after a trip to LA where we toured a studio where they were filming a new show called ‘All American’. We were on set between takes and for that reason, we looked out for it when we came home but could only find it on US Netflix so we got a VPN to allow us to watch it. That same show is now in it’s 8th season and is available on a few different channels in the UK but we still have our VPN.
I’d love you follow me on Twitter and it would be amazing to see you over on my Facebook page and on Instagram. If you’re interested, you can find out more about me here and while I’ve got your attention, if you’re wondering why some of my posts lately are a little bit less frugal then have a read of this post. 😉
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