Most of us need or want to use tech on a daily basis, whether it is our smartphone that enables us to stay connected to the people we love wherever in the world they may be or the laptops that enable us to work from home more effectively. But, tech can be pretty expensive to buy, which is why most of us are always on the lookout for ways to save money on our technological spending.
Lucky for you, I have put together a list of the best ways to save money on tech right now:
Don’t replace, repair
Perhaps, the best way to save money on the cost of tech in your everyday life is to repair any issues you have with your devices before you repair them. So many of us throw out MacBooks out because they’re not connecting or there’s a crack on the screen when they can be fixed for a much lower cost, or even free in some cases if you can do it yourself, or we upgrade to a newer phone when the existing one is not holding a charge any longer when we could just get a new battery installed.
Obviously, there are some instances when a repair will be just as costly, so buying new might be a better idea, but you should always check out which course of action represents the best value first.
Stop upgrading
Speaking of upgrades, if you want to save money on the cost of tech in your life, then stop upgrading all of your devices every time a new one becomes available. It can be really tempting, I know to get that latest iPhone as soon as it comes out, but if your existing one is still in good working order, it’s just an unnecessary expense The only time it makes sense to upgrade is when your current device is nearing the end of its life or if you really do need a new feature. Otherwise, hold on for a while, wait until you really need it and get a better deal.
Sell your old tech
When you do need to upgrade, you can offset the cost of buying a new device by selling your old ones, You will be able to get more money for your old tech if you have taken good care of it and if you have kept the original packaging and instructions, etc. So, whenever you buy something new, make sure you have cases and screen protectors to prevent any damage from dropping it or whatever, and maybe see if you can keep the boxes stored safely away in the garage or attic so that, when the time comes to sell, you sn get the best possible price.
Do your research
When you need to buy, for example, a new laptop, instead of just picking the shiniest one or the one that you know has everything you need, take some time to do your research. By researching tech-based on what you need it to do, you can easily identify the optimal piece of equipment for you without paying over the odds for a device that offers more functions than you will ever need. Yes, it takes a bit more time, but you can save big money by simply doing your homework, so, it is definitely worthwhile.
Turn it off
Of course, the cost of technology is not just in the buying of the devices you and your family use. It is also about how much energy you use to power your devices up. A really easy way to save money in this instance is to simply ensure that you are turning off your devices when they are not in use and that you are unplugging chargers when you are done with them too. You would be surprised at just how much energy a charging cable that is left switched on can use, and with energy prices skyrocketing, it really is something you do not want to be doing regularly at all, so get in to the habit of turning the chargers and your devices off as soon as you are done and you will see significant savings.
Technology can be expensive, but as you can see above, it does not need to be nearly as costly as many of us make it by doing the wrong things are the wrong times. Change the way you deal with tech, and you can ensure that you have more than just small change in your bank account!