Buy smart, save big!
Discover how to cut the cost of buying your next Mac desktop or laptop, iPhone or iPad
AS MUCH AS we love Apple’s latest Macs, iPhones and iPads, you don’t need to pay top-dollar prices to upgrade your existing model. With know–how, you can effortlessly save hundreds of dollars without too much compromise involved.
PREVIOUS–GEN MODELS
If you’d rather buy new but aren’t desperate to own the very latest model, then, with the right timing, you can save yourself some serious money. The perfect time to buy is when the newest models have just started to hit the stores and retailers are left with the previous generation models to sell.
Stores such as Amazon (amazon. com), Best Buy (bestbuy.com) and B&H Photo Video (bhphotovideo. com) often have discount offers, depending on make and model, but also check out smaller chains too. If the idea of hunting for the best possible price seems off–putting, let our friends at TechRadar help you, with their regularly updated “best deals” pages (techradar.com/deals).
STUDENT DISCOUNTS
If there’s a student in your family, then you can cash in on some great deals. Any college students, or their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers, can take advantage of Apple education pricing to get discounts on Apple products, atapple.com/us-edu/store. It’s usually around 10% as a rule of thumb. Plus, as part of the discount, Apple will give you a gift card worth up to $150 to sweeten the deal.
Before splashing the cash, check to see whether your school, college or university offers free MacBooks for incoming students – Delaware State University’s Digital Student Universe programme offers a free 13−inch MacBook Pro to first years, for example. Students should also bookmark sites such as StudentRate (studentrate.com) or ID.me (ID.me), which bring together money–saving deals under one roof.
EMPLOYEE SAVINGS
Does your workplace participate in discount schemes, such as Reward Gateway (rewardgateway.com) or Access Perks (accessperks.com)? If so, keep an eye out for any Apple– related promotions that could save you money on your next purchase — and you can often extend these savings to others too.
If you’re self–employed or running your own business, check if your next purchase qualifies as a business expense — if it does, it can be offset against your tax bill (effectively giving you a discount of the amount of tax you’d otherwise pay on that portion of your earnings).
SECOND–HAND BARGAINS
You can easily pick up bargains on both current and past models of Apple kit from a number of places. Start with Apple’s Certified Refurbished store (apple.com/ refurbished). Here you’ll have the peace of mind that goes with buying direct from Apple and can save up to 15%. Many items in the Refurbished store are open returns, but all refurbished products come with a one–year warranty and iOS (such as iPhones) devices have new batteries and outer shells, too.
That’s a good start, but if you’re looking for more price–cuts you’ll find a wide range of second–hand outlets — both online and on main street — offer Apple kit with even bigger savings. Stores like decluttr (decluttr.com) and Trademore (trademore.com) grade second–hand stocks according to condition, and if you’re willing to put up with less– than–perfect, the savings go deep.
You’ll find plenty of bargains on eBay (ebay.com) too, from private sellers and businesses. Prices can be cheap, but do your research on the seller before plunging in. Do they offer a warranty or returns? Check the photos for signs of damage, and make sure the specs match the model you’re after — use everymac.com/ systems to help determine this. Also check what accessories, including power cables, are part of the deal.
The older the kit you’re looking for, the cheaper it should be — and while second–hand stores may offer great prices (check the “Buy smart” box to make sure what you buy meets your needs), you might also want to check sites like Gumtree (gumtree.com) and Facebook Marketplace, as well as your local small ads for potential bargains in your area.
MORE BUYING TIPS
You can recover some of the cost of your next purchase by selling your existing model — look for trade–in options, such as those from Apple, which enable you to convert your current model into credit towards your next purchase.
If you can’t afford to buy outright, then you may be tempted by finance. Look for 0% deals so you don’t pay more overall, and make sure you can afford the monthly cost. You can also lease-to-own your Mac from Best Buy (bestbuy.com). Businesses have more flexible options — Meeting Tomorrow (meetingtomorrow.com), gives you the chance to keep the Mac for an agreed price after your lease agreement is up.
“IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE PRICE CUTS YOU’LL FIND SECOND– HAND OUTLETS — BOTH ONLINE AND ON MAIN STREET”