As the title of this post suggests, there are so many things that can be done with a VPN that we may not even realise some of them are actually a possibility. Not only does a VPN enable us to establish a secure connection over the internet and protect our data, with this secure, usually anonymous, connection we can access geographically restricted websites, block access to our browsing activity, safely connect to public WiFi hotspots and connect to a server anywhere in the world, among many other nifty tricks.

Here we will discuss six less well known uses for VPNs - how many of these do you use?

Watch Netflix content from all over the world

Having tested numerous VPN service providers while watching Netflix, it became clear that it was possible to watch content from different Netflix services, located in various countries around the world. Have you ever been watching a program in your Netflix account at home only to travel abroad and access your Netflix account to see that your program is suddenly not available? Well, with a VPN, gone are the days of having to miss out on Netflix shows. What about the opposite - when you are on holiday and a series that you have wanted to watch for ages becomes available but then is abruptly no longer visible on your list when you are back home? Now you don't have to wonder how it ended. Use a VPN server in your country of choice and access series to your heart's content.

Increase your internet speed

Otherwise known as throttling, some internet service providers are well known for suppressing bandwidth availability and thereby slowing down your internet speeds. How often do you hear complaints about receiving less than the advertised speeds? Probably way more than should be happening. Streaming video content from a variety of sites will often cause this problem, especially with services like Netflix and YouTube. With a VPN, you can effectively render this throttling by your ISP impossible! As long as the VPN you're using has robust encryption, you are well on your way to achieving the advertised connection speed.

Save money

Really? Yes, you can actually save money with the right VPN. If you choose the correct VPN for your needs, you can literally "virtually reside" in more than one country and be able to switch your IP address in a matter of seconds. Have you ever visited a site that lets you read a specified number of articles each day before you need to subscribe and pay? Clicking through to what looks like other interesting and relevant content but being blocked from doing so unless you become a paying member can be highly frustrating, but with a VPN, switch your server location and IP address, and access the same site as if you are a fresh user. The same goes for the likes of hotel and flight searches - with a VPN you will never again need to pay a higher flight price just because you returned to book the next day instead of when you first carried out your search!

Online shopping abroad

Ever left home to go on holiday and completely forgot that it's your best friend's birthday and you didn't get him a gift? Having trouble accessing online stores in your home country because you're searching from abroad? Don't worry, with a VPN this will never again be a problem.

Research your competition freely

If it hasn't already happened to you, you may be in for a shock the first time... accessing one of your competitor's websites and a chat box pops up with a personal greeting that includes your name and asks how they can help... You thought that just because you were browsing and not filling in any forms to request additional information that you were "safe". Well, these days, advanced software tools are available to companies to track their site visitors, log information and enable them to get in touch with you even if you navigate away from the site within seconds! With a VPN, none of your personal information will be visible.

Access Skype and Whatsapp calls no matter what country you're in

Some countries censor VoIP usage including Skype, Whatsapp and Viber calls which can be extremely annoying. With a VPN this no longer needs to be a hindrance to making affordable international calls.

After reading this post it is probably clear that using a VPN opens up a world of options you may not have thought about, never mind being able to sign up for numerous accounts on the same website, advertise your physical and digital products for sale in several cities and even countries, protect your data while torrenting, make anonymous comments about a terrible service you received without worrying about receiving any backlash, and put your feet up while you sit back, relax and enjoy the latest American Hulu series while you are sitting in Japan!