The prices for the latest electronics right now are painfully high, partly because inflation is making electronic components more expensive, and the latest devices have more functions that you pay for whether you use them or not. Here are factors you should consider to save up on costs.
1. Compare Prices Between Stores
Different retailers or stores offer various prices, whether or not they are holding discounts for the item. By comparing prices, you'll know which store will have it cheapest. This can apply to both online shops and physical stores, although you might end up spending more in fares or fuel if you try to visit on-site stores so your best option is looking online.
2. Buy Older Models
Contrary to what most believe, you don't actually need to buy the latest model when it comes to devices. Older models can work perfectly well just as much as their successors, and they tend to cost way less. This mostly applies to smart devices like phones and tablets. Just make sure that they're not too old and that they're close to becoming obsolete.
3. Look Out for Sale Events
Retailers, especially online shops tend to hold discounts for devices, especially during certain occasions like Black Friday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, and so on. There are so many events spread out across the year, and that's not including random discounts like clearance sales, promos, and whatnot.
4. Purchase Refurbished Items
In case you don't know, refurbished electronics are the ones that are found to have defects, some of which are returned by customers. The company will then repair what's broken and will sell it again at a much lower price. They already work like new but lost a fraction of the value due to them being opened. You will barely see a difference or not at all.
5. Trade/Sell Your Old Devices
Some retailers offer trade-in services where you surrender your old device and they will give you some credit for your next purchase such as a new unit. If you don't intend to use the old one anyway, you might as well trade it. If no such services exist for your electronics, you can always sell them for a fair price and add what you earn towards your purchase.
6. Consider Less Popular Brands
If you want a new phone, for instance, you'll find that brands like Samsung and Apple will be much more expensive than other brands. Other than them being popular brands, you're also paying for the quality and the research that was conducted behind the technology. However, you might not even need a high-end phone if you only need it for communicating and simple apps.
7. Opt for Repairs/Upgrades
If you're buying a new unit because the old one no longer works, you could always check if all it needs is a repair and maybe a proper cleaning. You might find that repairs will cost you significantly less. You could also equip upgrades yourself. In laptops, for instance, you can boost its performance by swapping out a few components instead of buying a new one.
Related : Are Refurbished Electronics Worth It?
