Tricks of the Trade: Saving on Tech

When it comes to new technology, it can often feel impossible to keep up with the Joneses. As soon as you’ve saved up enough money for one gadget, another brand spanking new one will come along and steal its ‘must-have’ crown.

From televisions to tablets, scanners tospeakers – with this never-ending stream of new technology, how is it possible to take advantage of the latest, coolest, most innovative products on the market without being in danger of bankrupting yourself?

Luckily, there are ways to cut back on how much you’re spending on tech without compromising a desire for the very best. Here are just a few pointers on how to save money and have enough left over to spend on those gadgets you really want!

Sell your cast-offs

If you’re guilty of keeping old phones, computers and USB sticks for the sake of it, then you’re missing many a money-making trick! Instead of sticking them in the kitchen drawer and never giving them a second thought, put them on eBay or even flog them at a boot-sale. You might not get that much money for them (naturally the older they are, the less people will be willing to pay) but surely it’s still better than nothing? By using old technology as a way of subsidising the new, you’ll feel less guilty about having a fast turnover.

Tools like MoneySavingExpert’s Mobile Valuer can even give you an idea of how much your current tech is worth.

Consider refurbished items

Refurbished items suffer from a terrible misconception. Instead of being a straight-forward second-hand product (which people assume to be damaged, scratched and used as a result) they are often restored and revamped to look as good as new. If you’re on the hunt for a new-ish product from brands like Apple or Dell, it would be well worth checking out their refurbs; you could end up saving up to 30% on tablets or laptops simply by going down this route.

Search for discounts online

It might seem like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people miss out on a bargain by forgetting to look for vouchers online. For students especially, simply being at university is all you need to be entitled to some money off. It’s not just restaurants and fashion either, there are some excellent student discounts to be had on technology, so have a look at voucher websites like MyVoucherCodes to see if you could save on everyday stuff like broadband rates and printer ink.

Avoid expensive repairs

If your laptop or PC has fallen foul to a virus in the past, you’ll know how soul destroying it can be – if it were to happen again, you’d probably be willing to pay the earth rather than lose your entire music collection. But is it really worth spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds on a tech-expert? It’s likely you won’t be the only person to have had the same issue, so why not look at forums and technology websites to see if you can figure out a solution yourself? It might take time and seem like more hassle than it’s worth, but if it saves you a bucket load of cash in the process, we reckon it’ll be time well spent.

Now get out there!

If you’re desperate to get your hands on a new bit of kit, try implementing just a few of the aforementioned money saving ideas – you might be surprised at how much you could save, and just how much you might be able to afford in the long run.