There are many reasons you may want top of the line electronics. They can provide you with a lot of utility and entertainment. They can be a social status symbol especially if everyone already has a gadget. According to the Pew Research Center, two thirds of Americans now own smart phones. Beyond that, they’re just plain cool to have.
However, as you should already know, new top of the line electronics can be extremely expensive to purchase. Thankfully, there are ways to save. Below five methods you can use to get the devices and gadgets you want for much cheaper than regular retail price.
1. Trade in Your Old Devices
One option you should certainly consider is selling your old devices and putting the proceeds of those sales towards new electronics. Certain retailers even have trade in programs that can get you significant discounts on new gadgets. There are many such programs for smart phones for example. According to Forbes, the market for used iPhones in particular is extremely good.
2. Go for Cheaper Accessories
While you may want to buy a top of the line device, the accessories that go with that item don’t necessarily have to be from the most expensive brand. This is especially the case for cables. Many cables have industry mandates for how they can perform. This is especially the case after the move away from analog. Any HDMI cable, for example, will transmit the same exact HD picture and sound. So it’s a bit pointless to go for high end cables instead of cheaper off-brands.
3. Choose Refurbished Electronics
You can think of refurbished as somewhere between new and used. While refurbished electronics technically aren’t considered new out of the box, they aren’t usually the same thing as devices that were possibly used for hundreds of hours or more. Refurbished refers to electronics that were usually returned to the store for no significant reason. They were then sent back to the manufacturer and tested for functionality before being put back up for sale. They are quite often just as good as new and always come at a significant discount.
4. Take Advantages of Sales and Promotions
Although it may be hard to believe, top of the line electronics do sometimes go on sale. This sometimes occurs when a retailer needs to make room for stock of newer items. Computer or TV models that are being replaced by newer models may be discounted to make way. However, these are still top of the line items. Today, there are rarely huge differences between successive models form the same manufacturer. The internet, of course, can also be a great place to look for sales, coupon codes and more.
5. Get a Discount
It may also be possible to get a discount in store. Look for electronics where the box appears to have been opened or badly damaged in some way. You may be able to get a discount due to the damaged packaging. Floor models also often come with discounts as well.