I just read something that made me laugh out loud — mostly because it's funny, but also because it's poignantly true.

"I wonder what my kids are going to tell their kids. ... 'It was so rough back in my day. I didn't get a phone till 4th grade, and sometimes the Wi-Fi didn't work upstairs!'"

You're laughing, too, aren't you? Well, I want to add one more thing to this memory: "And back then, a computer cost more than a thousand dollars!" I can visualize these kids becoming slack-jawed at the thought of having to pay that much money for a computer. It's unthinkable, right?

Over the years, I have owned seven computers, mostly because I just beat them to death, but also because I've convinced myself that as a writer I need to have the latest cutting-edge technology.

My first computer, not surprisingly, was the biggest, heaviest, slowest and most expensive of them all. With each upgrade I've welcomed a lighter, sleeker, faster and overall better computer. But here's the surprising thing: Each new computer cost less than the one it replaced. Technology is wonderful that way.

Speaking of wonderful, there really is no other way to describe what is happening in the world of laptops. The Chromebook is a specific type of laptop that relies heavily on Google's suite of applications. Chromebooks run on the Chrome OS operating system and are designed to be used primarily while being connected to the internet. A number of companies, such as Acer, HP, Samsung, Asus, Hisense and Toshiba, are manufacturing Chromebooks because they have become so popular. In fact, Chromebooks recently — and for the first time in the U.S. — outsold Apple Macs. Now that's amazing.

Chromebooks don't have a ton of storage capacity. Most apps and documents live in the cloud rather than on the machine's hard drive — which should come as really good news to anyone whose hard drive has ever crashed.

The most amazing thing about Chromebook laptops is the price. As I write this column, an ASUS Chromebook Flip laptop (www.everydaycheapskate.com/asus) with a 10-inch screen, 9 hours of battery life, a 1.9 GHz processor, 4GB RAM and a 16GB SSD (solid-state drive) costs just $269. That is not a typo. At that price, it would make a great gift for anyone.

Is a Chromebook right for everyone and every situation? I'm not planning on getting rid of MacBook Pro anytime soon, so the answer is no. But I do love my ASUS Chromebook. It's compact, sleek and lightweight, it has a full-sized keyboard and it doubles as a tablet. I carry it with me so I can keep up with emails. It's perfect for browsing the internet, creating documents, taking notes and even playing a game or two — or ten. Those are the things Chromebooks really excel at. Combine the practicality with the cheap price, and it's no wonder Chromebooks have become so popular.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.