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Buying The Right Computer
Which is the right computer for you? I can’t answer that question without knowing what you want to do with the computer. I can help you to determine which computer would be the best choice based on your needs. There are many reasons why people purchase computers. A few include to run a small business, download music, create graphics, play games, email or simply to surf the web. Most likely, it is a combination of these. In some cases, the selection of a computer is based on some pretty strange reasons. Here are just a few of them:
Instead of just buying the big sale computer, go to your favorite search engine (google, ask, yahoo, etc.) and type in the make and model you are looking for. There will be many other places that have the same or similar units and probably for much less. It is true that most Internet purchases will cost you shipping but you will usually save the sales tax to make up for that. And, many companies are now giving free shipping on larger orders. The Rebate Trap: A $400 rebate deal could cost you more in the long run. Basically, you get a rebate check for $400 when you purchase the computer at full price if you sign up for a three-year Internet access contract. One particular contract was for $23.95 per month. Let's do the math on this deal and see how it works out. Let's assume that you will be purchasing unlimited Internet access with a dialup connection. By taking the $400 rebate and signing up for the three years at $23.95 you will be paying $862.20 for three years of dialup access. With this deal, Internet access will cost you $462.20 for the three years. That is, the $862.20 less the $400.00 rebate. If instead, you paid the full price for the computer and purchased unlimited access from Netzero, for example, you would pay $9.95 per month for three years. This would cost you $358.20, a savings of more than $100.00 even counting the rebate. Even if you had put the extra $400 on your credit card and paid the interest, you would still be ahead. Rebates create even more problems for you. First, it can force you to purchase a computer that isn't right for you. Secondly, you are stuck with an Internet Access Provider for three years no matter what kind of service you get. If you try to drop them, the financial penalties are very high. Rebates can be very problematic unless they are unconditional. That is, you simply get the rebate if you make the purchase and submit a coupon. Looks Great: As to the really good-looking computer reason, I have little comment. If making a fashion statement is your main reason for purchasing a computer, there isn't much point in reading further. This article is geared to those who are more interested in purchasing the right computer to do the job for them. To buy the right computer there are many questions you should be able to answer. One of the main questions is whether you really need a new computer. Once that decision is made you must decide whether to purchase a factory new or a refurbished computer. It is also essential to make certain you get the software you need. Once you have made the purchase you need to set up the computer properly and take the steps necessary to make certain you are prepared for future problems. |
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