It’s estimated that the average American spends over $1200 on electronics every year, which is pretty massive when you think about it. If you feel like you’re spending too much on gadgets right now, the simplest thing you could do is avoid spending money on things you don’t need. However, some purchases are inevitable, and if you’re on a strict budget, you might be asking yourself how you’re going to be able to afford them. Let’s take a look at a few things you can do to cut down the price of electronics.
Buy Refurbished Products
Buying refurbished electronics is one of the smartest moves you can make. Some refurbished products look just as good as new and will only cost you a fraction of the price. You can save even more money if you’re willing to deal with products that have a few cosmetic defects.
If you think that refurbished products are unreliable, you should know that many sellers will offer a warranty on their products. This isn’t something you’re likely to see if you buy the item from a place like eBay; however, stores like Plug Tech offer a 12-month warranty on all of their products. When a service offers this kind of warranty, this usually means that they care about the quality of their products and won’t sell them unless they’re 100% sure that they’re in good condition.
Buy Older Models
If all you need is a phone that will make calls and take decent pictures, there’s no reason to pick up the latest Galaxy Note or Google Pixel. The differences between different model generations are so minimal these days that you could get a phone that is one, two, or even three generations prior and still get something nice. You have to make sure that the company is still providing updates for that phone, however. If not, they could have serious security vulnerabilities and you might not be able to get support.
Buy from AliExpress
AliExpress is an absolute goldmine for cheap electronics. You can find everything from high-performance laptops, to phones, monitors, TVs, and even things like smart appliances on there. The only issue is that you may have to wait weeks to get your items and deal with less than reputable sellers. Things like returns and warranties might be much more complicated and even impossible in some cases, so beware.
Go to Goodwill Stores
Another place where you could find incredible deals is Goodwill stores. People don’t usually think of Goodwill for electronics, and that’s a good thing. That means that you could come across some hidden gems. The things you’ll find there might not be the latest, but you can rest assured that they will be functional. Going to a Goodwill store in a nicer area will also increase the chances that you find something nice as they tend to see less clientele.
As you can see, there are tons of things you can do to keep your electronic spending to a minimum. Follow these tips next time you’re contemplating a purchase and be open to all options.
