You all (y’alls?) must think I’m crazy.
Here’s the world famous Cheaplander, pincher of great pennies and saver of old socks, buying a brand new computer while the Eeekconomy is in the tank and the DOW just stumbled its way below 9000 again.
And I didn’t just get a budget PC laptop for $399 either. Oh no, I had to get a full blown 20 inch iMac with 2GB RAM that comes in around $1500.
Hm… I think I’m an idiot. Credibility = FAIL.
Well, as is often the case, a Cheaplander often does things that appear slightly insane to other people. However, it IS all integrated in the quest to live beneath your means. At least I hope so. Most people assume that this website is only about coupons, free things, and saving money. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Being a Cheaplander doesn’t mean saving every single penny, never buying anything except super bargains, and being a miserly old troll. It has less to do with money in general than taking the time to think through your decisions, both financial and personal.
But still, I guess you probably want to hear at least a few reasons I bought a new computer when I should be saving the money. We’re not exactly flush with cash. (I’m also planning on buying a big screen TV, but that’s another IMac-razy (haha, I’M a crazy) story). I also feel like I need to justify it to myself, so here goes nothing. Be kind, this stuff is just off the top of my head:
10 Reasons I Just Bought A New Computer
(aka, Please Don’t Shoot Me, I’m A Simple Cheaplander Not A Life Coach)
- I REALLY needed it. I actually do contract work for websites and internet companies, and so I really depend on having a working computer. I absolutely can’t live without having my own machine - borrowing someone else’s or going to the library is not an option. I haven’t had any problems until my current PC completely tanked. I did try to fix it, to no avail. So something needed to be done, and getting a new computer immediately was that “something”.
- I really needed it NOW. Emphasis on the now. One of the ways a Cheaplander saves money is putting off buying things that aren’t really needed at the present time. Why get a new set of dining room chairs if the ones you have are perfectly fine? But, in this case, the opportunity cost of putting it off until a few months later trumped the wait. I think not getting paid is a pretty good reason to capitulate.
- I really WANTED one. One of the most important things a Cheaplander can do is make a distinction between “need” and “want”. I’m not saying to eliminate all the “wants” and only ever buy something when there’s a “need”. That would take all the fun out of life. And of course, there’s stuff that falls inbetween the two. I’m just saying that knowing when you WANT something versus when you NEED something can help you save money in the long run. If you can identify it as just something you want, then you can sit back and rate the pros and cons of getting it. This is what a Cheaplander should be doing. In the case of the computer, it was BOTH an extreme need and also very high on the want list. This is a simplication - but it definitely put the “Go” light on.
- We can afford it. I didn’t feel comfortable buying a new full computer for myself a few years ago. Not only because my new one worked fine, but because we didn’t have a large enough financial cushion. But I feel like we can afford it now, even with the economy the way it is, and even though we’re not exactly rich. Being able to afford a purchase is probably the most pressing issue for most people. No matter what the other issues, if you can’t afford to buy something - you simply shouldn’t. And just remember that putting it on a credit card and paying a zillion percentage interest is NOT “affording it”.
- I haven’t bought a computer in 10 years. I know many people are going to raise their eyebrows at this, especially since I make a living through computers. The last (and only) time I personally bought a FULL new computer was in 1998. Yes, Windows 98. Here, the key is: that was the last time I bought a COMPLETE computer. In the interim, I’ve begged and borrowed various pieces of hardware from family and friends to keep me in the game. I’ve accepted everyone’s hand-me-downs from 17″ CRTs to network cards. I’ve replaced power supplies, swapped out video cards and hard drives, reinstalled OS’s. Well, I DID buy a new AMD motherboard and case at one point (total cost $180), so if you want to count that, then well I guess I’ve bought 2 computers in 10 years. In any case, I was about due.
- I’ve skipped several generations of “product”. This goes in tandem with the previous point, and applies to more than just computers. I’m a fan of trying to ignore all the latest fads and gizmo updates for electronics. “Hey, the new iBotPhone has a cool feature that lets you press a key and it does a Peanut Butter Jelly Time Dance. You must throw away the one you bought 6 months ago because it is Teh Stupid now.” Are you kidding? I’ve never bought a cellphone in my life. I get the free “outdated” ones that come w/ the 2 year contract, and even at that, the last phone I had was a T68 Sony Ericcson from 2002(?). It worked fine up until recently. So, I skipped 6 years of phone “updates” - I have friends who’ve bought 6 phones in that time period. For computers, I completely skipped Windows ME and 2000. With XP, I was planning to also skip the crappy Vista OS as well.
- The price was not going to change. OK, so I like a bargain just as much as the next guy. However, I actually think that “sales” can often induce you to buy things you don’t need and at the wrong times. So, it’s somewhat of a relief when buying a computer from Apple. There IS no price difference between stores - there’s just one price, and you have to pay it. You can get a discount if you’re a teacher, and there’s probably a few other incentives out there. But other than that, the price you see is the price you pay. (Uh, please don’t tell me if it’s otherwise, because I might go bang my head against the wall for 10 hours if so.) Yes, they do drop the prices occasionally when new models come out. However, as said above, I couldn’t wait for that to happen. In general, I often buy new things (note: buying used is an entirely new article) I need at or near full price - if it’s a quality item, I need it, and I can afford it - then I’m willing to buy it. If that makes me a sucker, then I’m happy to oblige.
- I’ve been planning to buy a computer for awhile now. This is also a similar point. Before I purchased the iMac, I had been seriously considering switching from PC to Mac. For years, I used to dislike Macs because I felt like I couldn’t do what I wanted with them (cue the hatemail from mac fans). Gradually, all those barriers fell - I think the turning point for me was when Macs switched to a UNIX architecture. I wanted in on that. In any case, I’ve been sort of watching and waiting. A few years ago, I decided that if I was ever to buy a full computer, it was going to be a Mac. And finally, the PC meltdown I had recently provided the “opportunity” to make the switch when buying a new computer.
- Switching to Mac represented an opportunity for CHANGE. Yes, yes. I know you’re going to think I’m talking Obama here but I’m not. Here’s what I mean when I’m talking about “change”. As a dedicated Cheaplander, you’re going to find that if you work at it, it’s entirely possible for anyone to live within or even beneath your means. However, you’ll also find that sometimes you get stuck in a rut because you’re not buying all the latest gizmos and taking expensive vacations to Peru. Slow and steady wins the race, but you might be asleep at the finish line if you’re not careful. Maybe this is also my type of personality that makes this so important, but I find that every so often you have to insert a somewhat radical change in your work or life to avoid the doldrums. I find that it’s best if you can somehow work that into the overall Cheaplander scheme of things. In this case, The Need to buy a new computer presented an opportunity for some serious change in my life. Switching to PC to MAC after 25 years is a momentous thing for me, but I was going to buy a new computer anyhow which made it a convenient change.
- It’s the right time to buy one FOR ME. It’s really important when making a larger purchase decision to know when it’s the right time for YOU to buy. I’m sure your reasons might be different than the ones I listed here. Whatever criteria you have for the purchase have to add up to “Go”. Remember, it might not necessarily be the right time if there’s a huge sale (in fact, I’ve found this can sometimes be the WORST time). The time has to be right for you, and you alone.
[Editor’s Note: Are you still awake? Sorry, that was probably booooring beyond belief. Still, it’s probably one of the more relevant Cheaplander posts I’ve made. Sigh, OK back to reviewing frozen dinners…]
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November 6th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Ooh, you’re going to loooove it (that’s the same one I have too, it’s about 1 year old)! Welcome to the Mac side! Your keyboard is cooler though, and you won’t get crumbs in it eating while online. Not that I ever do that.
November 6th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I think there is a lot of advice for others in your reasons. For one thing, skipping several generations (at least 2) of a product is a good thing, particularly when there is so much wanting of whatever is new and shiny out there. I learned a lesson about that when I was buying upgrades to every version of Photoshop from 2.5 to 5.5 (2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.5) and finding that I wasn’t getting much for ever increasingly expensive upgrade.
Also, we can’t live our lives devoid of fulfilling our wants, especially when they go hand in hand with our needs and the means to fulfill them. Responsible consumption is not a sin, nor is it antithetical to living a frugal life.
I’m still waiting for whatever replaces the Mini (or is an update) to buy a new computer. I did buy a new PC for $350 about 6 months ago because my old one was 6 years old (and coincidentally died within a month of my new one’s arrival) and I need a PC for gaming (Guild Wars). It wasn’t much more expensive to buy a whole PC with Windows XP preinstalled than it was to buy a copy of Windows XP to run on an Intel Mac, so I figured I’d just buy the machine. It helps that I don’t actually own an Intel Mac since my Mac is so old.
Enjoy your new computer!
November 6th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I think #1 pretty much trumps everything. If your income is dependent on computer work, you need a computer.
I am STILL on a PII 350 with win98 using dial-up for internet. But I am definitely feeling the need to upgrade. So many websites out there assume you have broadband and can process quickly all their neato, whiz-bang, loop-dee-loo graphics. It’s just hard to decide when to buy something when a few months later everyone may be using something else.
November 6th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Actually, you could’ve saved a decent amount of cash by buying a refurbished Mac, which are available from the Apple online store. Refurbished models go through a rigorous testing process at Apple, so you’re practically getting a new machine. I’ve bought a couple of refurbs from the online Apple Store and they’re still running today.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:15 am
@PJ - thanks! although, i think I already need to clean the keyboard. A few of the keys feel kindy sticky after a coffee “incident”, haha. Actually I really would like the small wireless keyboard they make - but again, that’s want vs. need =)
@Orchid - I bought a copy of Office 2000 and was using that for years - I refused to upgrade it and it worked fine all through the XP years. Yeah, skipping generations is the way to go. I have to say that it’s been more difficult to stick to the “repair my computer” philosophy since the prices for new machines have dropped so much. You’re right, just getting the OS for a machine costs hundreds, and if a completely new PC costs the same - I’m almost tempted to do the same. I was running Guild Wars on my “latest” 1.3Mhz, 512 RAM PC with an unbelievably old Radeon vid card. I nearly caved in at one point to buy another machine just for that.
@kirk - I commend your cheaplanderness =) I don’t know too many people still on dialup, except my inlaws. The thing is they have a brand new Vista computer, makes it sorta hard to do updates for programs and other things over dialup. We have to download it at home, stick it on a USB key drive and bring it over. I still have the first computer I bought which was a 233Mhz Win98 machine - works fine but leaves a little to be desired. I can’t believe I paid about $2300 for the full pkg!
@marvo - *bangs head on table* Ok, I’ll have to look into that. One thing - this is the 2nd round for the iMac, the first one I got had a dead pixel right smack in the center so we had to send it back. (Of course, at least we COULD send it back. Many PC companies allow a certain number of dead pixels…) So, I’m sorta glad I didn’t go the refurbished route. But it’s ok - for my wife’s machine we did get the teacher’s discount. Dare I ask - how much cheaper is a refurb usually?
November 7th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Awesome! My iMac G5 crapped the bed on me last year. Don’t worry! It was a first gen and normally I don’t buy first gen but I needed a new computer at the time because my current one was a craptop and was on the way out. But the iMac lasted me years before croaking. As of now, I use my Powerbook but am looking to get a new desktop to replace Gimli (my old iMac). I like the colors of the new ones and it also comes with the mighty mouse! 1995 was when I got my very first Apple and believe it or not, it is still running AND can access the internet! I gave it to my sister who uses it.
I don’t use iCal (or Safari or Mail, I am a bad Appleite sometimes) but you have the newer OS which may have a better iCal on it. The version I have is a bit wonky. Both Scott and I are huge Apple fans so if you have any questions feel free to ask!