Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Privacy Tips. This is the sister podcast for Stupid Sexy Privacy. I'm your host, BJ Mendelson.

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A zero day doesn't just refer to a terrible Netflix series starring Robert De Niro. A zero day is also something we suggest you take every 90 days. But first, a quick definition: zero-day (with a hyphen) is shorthand for a zero-day vulnerability. In simple terms, a zero-day vulnerability is a bug in a program you're using that you don't know about, but a bad actor does. That bad actor could use the vulnerability to harm you. This is why it's a good idea to shut down your devices once a day, preferably three hours before bed. Doing so gives your operating system a chance to install updates, including patches for zero-day vulnerabilities.

Because it's Stupid Sexy Privacy, when we mention zero day (without the hyphen), we're talking about something different: the day you put on your calendar every 90 days to accomplish three goals:
1. Review the apps on your phone.
2. Review your bank statements.
3. Make sure software is up to date on all internet-connected devices.

Review The Apps: If you don't know why an app is on your phone, delete it now. The second-best time is during your upcoming zero day. Things are expensive right now, partly because of corporate price gouging, monopolies in key food sectors and a federal government that doesn't understand how tariffs work. Remember: a tariff is something you pay, not something the country pays. If you can, every 90 days take yourself out to lunch and use that time to look through all the apps on your phone. Ask yourself two questions:
- Why is this app on my phone? If there's no answer, remove it.
- Does using this app make me happy? If the answer is no, remove it.

One reason we recommend a zero day every 90 days is so you can save up to take yourself out to lunch. This should be a moment to treat yourself. If money is tight, go to a local park instead. The goal is to get somewhere distraction-free and practice some solitude. There's a difference between loneliness and being alone: being alone encourages self-reflection and offers an opportunity to relax in a world where we're bombarded by fascist propaganda.

Review your bank statements: The second zero-day goal is to ask yourself, Where's my money going? Between buy-now-pay-later grifts and every company chasing subscription revenue, it's easy to lose track. Every 90 days, print the last three months of your bank and credit-card statements. If you have a budget, this helps ensure you're staying within it and lets you see whether your budget is realistic. If you don't have a budget, this is a good chance to find adjustable expenses. I'm not going to tell you to stop getting lattes — I suggest using a "money dial," which we'll cover in a future episode. Today we're focused on the zero day basics. Identify regular expenses that recur every 90 days so you can budget for them, spot and report fraudulent charges, and cancel services you no longer use.

Check your Devices: Finally, use your zero day to ensure every internet-connected device in your home has the most up-to-date software. We'll discuss home internet-connected devices in depth in an upcoming episode. For now, if you use the TP-Link Archer router (the model I recommend and personally use) and its Tether app, use your zero day to make sure the firmware and app are up to date. Yes — even the humidifier can be connected to the internet now.

This episode of Privacy Tips was recorded at the DuckDuckGo podcast studio in Los Angeles. It was written, produced and hosted by BJ Mendelson. Shout-out to the production team at Stupid Sexy Privacy: Andrew VanVoorhis, Rosie Tran and Amanda King. Special thanks to our sponsor, DuckDuckGo.

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