It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with technological advances. It seems that as soon as you buy something like a cell phone, a computer, prepress equipment, an I-Pod or CTP, the technology of those items improves and what you own now is made obsolete by newer and better versions. In this struggling economy, many people don’t have the funds to keep buying the latest technology every six months. This article will give you tips on how to upgrade to technology without having to buy new items or spend a lot of money.
The first tip for upgrading your tech is mostly about your laptop or home PC. Instead of going out and buying a new computer, it may be worth hiring a company like the Geek Squad to try and refurbish your existing computer and add more memory to it as well. The cost of this service is minimal and you could extend the life of your computer for several more years without feeling like you’re working on a dinosaur of a PC. Also, if you can get a techie friend to help you out for free, that would be great too.
Another option for upgrading your current computer would be to take it to a resale store and trade it in for another used system that may be more technologically advanced than your current one. The owners of these resale computer stores are so good at working with computers that they can basically rebuild an entire computer and make it just like the new ones sold in retail stores. Not only will you receive a trade-in benefit, but you’ll also be able to buy a better computer for much less because it’s used.
Another tip is for cell phone owners. Many companies have two-year contracts for their phones, which is usually a long time in tech years. In that period of time, they usually introduce several new types of phones that can work more efficiently with much more features. If you have a family plan and someone else in your family doesn’t want to upgrade, then you may be able to use your upgrade to get a new phone before your two-year waiting period. Another option is to be patient and wait for a special sale from your phone operator. Many times they will offer a free upgrade at no cost to a newer, better, more technologically advanced cell phone.
The last tip for getting the latest technology without paying full price would be to search websites like eBay or Craigslist to find people selling their used items. There will always be those people who buy the latest thing as soon as it comes out and many times these people are the ones who sell their old items online. They are usually fairly new and in good shape and for a fraction of the cost.
