There’s no avoiding it; tech can be really expensive. If you’re the kind of person that waits for the latest tech releases and waits outside the store to be the first customer, you’d better have an impressive bank balance. However, if you don’t have deep pockets, there are still ways to save money on tech. Here’s how:
Consider refurbished products
Buying the latest tech brand-new is a fool’s game. The stores put a huge mark-up on tech items because they know that people will pay. You can save hundreds (sometimes even thousands) by buying refurbished products instead. This is where stores take in damaged tech items and refurbish them so they work perfectly. You get all the benefits of the technology at a fraction of the price.
Recycle and trade-in your old device
It’s amazing that people collect all of their old tech instead of trading it in. You can visit someone’s home and find a pile of old iPhones, outdated consoles, and even laptops. Instead of hoarding your old tech, trade it in and get some money off your latest purchase. Sure, you won’t get back what you paid for it, but it’s better than it taking up closet space.
Use your student or business discount
Students and businesses can often access amazing discounts on new tech. Because all of the big tech companies are fighting for the business of students and professional companies, they will drop the price significantly. Make sure you use any discounts you can access. When you’re dropping $1000 on a new Macbook, a 10% discount is pretty significant.
Pick the right time to buy
There’s a right and a wrong time to buy technology. November is definitely the best time to buy technology; if you can wait for the Black Friday sales, you will save a lot of money on tech. You can also pick up some bargains in January if you can wait till after Christmas.
Say no to the extended warranty
When you buy expensive tech items, you will often be offered an extended warranty. While this will protect you from anything going wrong, they are often overpriced and not worth investing in. In addition, new tech rarely has any problems in the first couple of years, so you shouldn’t need to pay for an extra warranty.
Buy from the source
You can often get a discount by buying straight from the source. For example, on Lenovo.com, you can often find lower prices than you would on the high street. Of course, you should always check out the prices on the manufacturer’s website. On top of the lower price, you might also be able to access extra benefits like a free warranty or optional extras.
Go generic
The more specific you go with tech, the more it’s going to cost. For example, If you buy a Macbook Pro with all of the add-ons, it’s going to cost you a lot more than the most generic version. Conversely, the more mass-produced an electronic item is, the more affordable it’s likely to be.
