10 Budget-Friendly Ways To Score New Tech
Make your wallet happy while gettin' your tech geek on.
1. Get yourself some used tech!
Often something that is ~lightly used~ looks just as snazzy and operates just as smoothly as something new — without the premium price tag! There are lots of places to go online to search for previously owned gadgets, including Amazon, Craigslist, and eBay. Just remember to do your due diligence: If a product looks sketchy, it probably is; make sure you buy from sellers who have lots of selling history; and be on the lookout for sneaky counterfeits.
2. Swap or sell your own used gear.
You know that closet/drawer/box of old technology you have that you can't bring yourself to part with? Your old iPod, old laptops, and old phones? I promise, you do not need them anymore. Trade them in for merchant credits or sell them!
3. Avoid the extras.
Your next laptop may allow you to purchase a discounted printer, but remember that with a new printer comes the reality of having to purchase ink cartridges, which tend to be really expensive, and paper moving forward. Bonus items like memory cards, extra cables, and travel cases might seem appealing at the time, but in the end, you probably don't really need them — and your wallet sure doesn't either. And aren't we all trying to reduce clutter anyway?!
4. Speaking of cables, buy off-brand ones!
Digital cables from brands like Apple or Verizon can cost you loads extra. You can purchase off-brand cables from sites like Amazon for much cheaper, and they'll last just as long.
5. Pick up yo' stuff in the store.
Delivery, especially for tech products, can cost a lot of money. If the retailer is nearby, you can save by picking up your gadget in-store. Better yet, walk there and get those extra daily steps in, why don't ya?
6. Check those reviews!
Before you buy a new piece of tech, make sure to go through the reviews with a fine-tooth comb. Believe me, it's worth your extra time to find out if you're purchasing from a scam website or if you'll end up with a product that buyers say will break immediately. Reading reviews will also give you a chance to see if the site has a poor return policy, because nobodyyy's got time for that.
7. Sign up for mailing lists.
You probably don't have time to refresh your favorite tech retailer's page every day and hope for a sale. An easy way to be alerted to deals right away is to sign up for mailing lists, so you can have discount codes and sales delivered directly to your inbox!
8. In fact, why not just set up a whole, shiny new email account just for them?
Being on a lot of mailing lists improves your chances of snagging some sweet bargains, but fielding all the emails among everything else hitting your inbox can be overwhelming. So, if it helps, create a second email account just to keep track of deals, sales, and promo codes. Your inner neat freak will thank you!
9. Do some research into when sales happen month to month or on certain days.
And mark your calendars!
10. And last but not least, patience is a virtue.
It can obviously be really tempting to get a shiny, new product immediately after its launch. But don't upgrade unless you really need the new features NOW. Wait it out a little longer until the price drops and/or you can determine from word of mouth and reviews whether the product is even worth buying! It could turn out that you dodged something "meh" and now have the money to spend on something truly baller. 🙌