(collaborative post) Technology is a big part of our everyday lives. We all have at least one piece of tech that we like to keep up to date. Buying the latest items can sometimes be an expensive hobby to keep up with. You don’t need to cut corners to save a little bit of cash on decent products though.
In this post I look at some of the ways you can save on costs without skipping on quality:
Do you Really Need to Buy the Extended Warranty?
When you buy most electrical items you’ll be asked whether you want to buy insurance or an extended warranty alongside it. They are not always worth having unless you are excessively accident-prone. You’ll most likely be buying this item using a card. If you use a credit card you may find they’ll provide an extended warranty for free. Something to consider looking into. Most of us have contents insurance, again, most often than not they’ll cover phones, home computers, tv’s etc which is handy.
Reconsider Your Contract
You need to be careful when it comes to phone contracts for example. Often you will get a discount at the start of a contract for a new phone, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t ask for a long-term customer discount. If you are signing a phone contract for 24 months or more, then you may end up paying more for your phone than you would if you bought it outright. You can get some brilliant sim only deals that include things like an unlimited data sim saving you a fair bit of money in the long-run. Something I’m considering as my phone contract expired a while back.
Expensive Technology Doesn’t Always Mean Good Quality
Don’t you hate paying extra purely for the brand name? Do your research before you shop to ensure you get the best value for your money. Take a miss on the expensive HDMI cables or the overpriced phone cases. Often the generic makes of these are just as good as branded options.
Consider Buying Refurbished Technology
If you are looking for a new computer, laptop, phone, or any other gadget, especially if the model has been around for a while, looking at the refurbished options is one of the most cost-effective ways to get your hands on decent technology. Most refurbished products are just as good as buying brand new. They go through rigorous tests to make sure they’ll last. It’s always best to make sure you buy from a reputable dealer or the manufacturer themselves. Refurbished items are normally graded with A, B, C which is handy to know.
Can You Get A Discount?
You never know when you may be able to save yourself a little bit of money. Ok, you can’t barter the mainstream stores down, but, you can see if your workplace does a discount scheme, or if you are a student and have valid ID you may be able to get a discount. If not, you could always have a look at some good voucher code websites, often you will come across ten percent off codes, etc.
Buy Tech At The Right Time
As with many things you buy, prices on technology change throughout the year. Depending on the piece of tech you want, there may be a specific month that is the ideal time to shop. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the most popular times for grabbing yourself a tech deal. Make sure you take advantage!
Get The Most Money Back From Your Old Tech
Make sure you look after your tech. The better you look after items the more money you can get for them when it comes to upgrading. It means you’ll have more to spend on an updated item. If you plan things right and make use of money from old tech, offers or discount code you won’t need to spend much for your upgraded piece of technology and always have the latest and most recent gadgets to show for it.
Get Off The Constant Upgrade Cycle
Sometimes it’s best to wait to upgrade until your old one has stopped working. New technology gets released all the time so trying to have the latest pieces can lead to a constant upgrade cycle and wasted money. A lot of upgrades between models are minor. Avoid upgrading too often and get the most out the piece of technology that you have already. Not only will this save you money but also help reduce environmental pollution. If a piece of tech comes out that you just can’t resist and you’ve had your tech for longer than a year, research and compare before making a decision.
These tips should help you cut costs while still having the most recent technology.
Do you have any tips? Please share them in the comments below.
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Written by Melanie Edjourian.
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I am a huge advocate for refurbished technology, as long as you’re purchasing it through a trusted company (that will stand behind the product). Recently, my husband was due for a new laptop. He’s not a heavy computer user (not a gamer or anything like that), but he wanted something that would allow him to post on his craft beer blog and use social media sites. We saved a TON by purchasing a refurbished laptop and it both looks and works like new.
My friend bought a refurbished phone and it’s lasted years. I’m now considering try the same. Sounds like you made a great saving on the laptop.
So true…also, don’t be into name brands too much if you cannot afford the constant upgrade. E.g. Apple phones that have a new version every hour with old phones suddenly having issues when the latest version drops. Hmmnnn… Many less expensive phones that do the same thing Apple considers “new” with its phones.
There are many great alternatives that are just as good but you don’t pay for the brand name.
Those are great tips! I bought a refurbished laptop and it works great (*touches wood*)! I also never buy the extended warranty. Once I did and found that my laptop broke down AFTER the warranty expired!
Oh no, that is typical isn’t it. Some things seem to be designed to last for a year or two and then break nowadays it seems.
I can’t stand it when I get the warranty offer. I bought a $20 hairdryer and they tried to give me a warranty for half the price. NO! I can never keep track of the new versions of technology.
There are so many new items coming out I’m not surprised!
Such great points here. I’m always amazed that I feel I ‘just’ bought the latest model and then there is another newer and ‘improved’ model. We used to fall into the trap (hello iPhones!) but now we are more discerning. And yes, we buy refurbished for many items now too! (my vitamix is refurbished)
New models come out so quickly it is hard to keep up and far too expensive.
I am at the moment when a lot of tech at home needs to up refreshed and/or upgraded. I try to be smart about my choices and always mind pros and cons with tech. for example I will never buy noname phone because most likely it will not last, instead I’ll get a better and may be pricier phone but use it all time with no issues.
It is all about being careful about what you choose. It is important not to just choose a product solely on its price. You always need to do a bit of research. I find midway products tend to work well.
So many people I know ALWAYS get the latest phone as soon as their contracts run out, and I honestly can’t believe how much they’re willing to spend on them! I always wait until my phone stops working, and even then I don’t get the latest one, I just get *one* of the newest ones that won’t be obsolete in the next few years. So, while I still have my contract, I want to make sure it will still be able to most of the new software updates.
That’s normally the best way to do it to be honest. You don’t need to spend a fortune.
Expensive certainly doesn’t always mean good quality. I’m experiencing this right now with a phone I bought just a few months ago that is now failing to work properly. Thanks for these tips.
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. It is frustrating especially if it’s new as it shouldn’t happen.
It’s so easy to fall in to the trap of always needing the best product available but quite often refurbished is as good as new.
I hate saying no to the cover because I feel like I’m cursing myself but I never take it as it’s far too expensive in comparison to your own contents insurance x
That’s very true. They are expensive and most of the time unnecessary too.
I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of products and the helpful insights provided. Your website is a treasure trove of tech gadgets at unbeatable prices! I didn’t know that you have a passion for tech and I appreciate the effort put into curating such a fantastic selection. Looking forward to exploring more of your recommendations!
This is all great advice! I’m not in the know with new technology, so it helps to read up on it every now and then. Thanks so much for sharing!
In this fast-paced world, it’s hard to avoid and keep up with the latest technology. You’re right we all have tech that we like to keep up to date. For me are smartphones. Although phones don’t go on sale, I like to buy second-hand new models from people. It’s a bit cheaper than at the apple store.
True, I love your tips. It’s always worth it to wait for discounts. Technology nowadays is not cheap and we need all the ways to save money.
No, I don’t have any tips to add unto yours. You have covered all bases. Just to re-emphasize, we need to take care of the technology we have, in much better ways. Only then shall we get the best out of them.
Yes, we should all take care of what we have to help it last longer.
Good thoughts on technology. I love seeing where technology has come, but it seems like a lot of things are disposable – phones, appliances, etc.
Buying refurbished can help save so much ££££, Before I bought my refurbished camera I did a bit of research on it. Not only did it get fixed but has more one on one time with an actual person vs being pumped out by a machine so you can be sure it works properly.
You can really get some great items when buying refurbished.