If you're new here, you may want to learn what this site is about. I encourage you to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
The Bargain Queen offers a list of ten cheap geek tips, her advice for saving money on technology. For example:
Buy the best quality you can afford. If you’ve done your homework, you’ll know the best options at each price-point. So you buy the cheapest option that will do the job, right? Not always. In some cases, spending more will only get you a fancier brand name and packaging. In others, it means the difference between replacing it in a year or five years. In really extreme cases, the cheaper option won’t actually do what you need because a crucial feature is missing. The extra money will probably be worth it if you get a more reliable, extensible product; customer support and a good warranty will also make a big difference if you have any problems with the product.
The list is a thoughtful guide to saving money on tech gadgets. I don’t agree with everything she says, though. I’d much rather have stand-alone devices that perform specialized functions than add-on to existing equipment. For example, my iPod is an essential part of my daily routine; forcing my computer to take its place would be impractical.
Take a look at the entire list of ten cheap geek tips.
.jpg "The Money Blog Network - Improving your bottom line")
July 13th, 2006 at 5:32 am
I would add that brand names have a higher resale value. That’s actually how I manage to maintain such a tech-savvy lifestyle: when I’m done with a product, I put it on sale on eBay (ALWAYS keep the original boxes and receits somewhere). The difference between the new toy and the not-so-new is always far more bearable than the face value.
The key is to feel when the 2d hand price is optimum: ideally, it’s right before the introduction of a new model.
It’s like buying a Mercedes: it’s the first one that hurts. In my case, the same rule applied succesfully to: computers (Apple), smartphones, LCD Monitors or camcorders…
July 14th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
“Buy the best quality you can afford”
I bought the best quality, highest end computer I could afford. Spent $2600 three years ago, and it is still WAY more computer than I need. I expect I will be using it for another three or four years before it begins to feel long in the tooth.