Must Know Gadgetry
Gadgets and gizmos are good investments to make these days, not only for keeping in step with the times but also in touch with friends. Laptops really do make work easier if you need to take it with you wherever you go. This is especially true for sales people who like to impress prospects with CD presentations instead of the usual clear book presentations. PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) are effective for keeping track of schedules and documents. Imagine yourself meeting a headhunter, he asks for your resume, and you beam it from your Palm to his in seconds. Worth it? Depends on your needs, but the number of Palm poking people is increasing steadily.
Here are some considerations in choosing / buying your gadget:
- Buy your gadget in cash. You will most likely to get it cheaper than if you use a credit card. If you do, examine your cash flow first and determine if you can pay the whole thing right away once you are billed. If you know from the start that you can’t pay it all off as soon as it’s due, you may be better off programming your payments in installments, rather than “revolving” on your credit card (or paying only the minimum amount due, and paying a hefty interest on the unpaid amount). This is because credit card companies charge “revolvers” interest from day 1 even for new purchases that are paid right once the bill becomes due – that means you’ll be paying interest even on items that have nothing to do with the appliance you just purchased!
- If you want to pay in installments, use a credit card with a smaller factor rate to save on interest payments. Choose 12-month terms, unless the store offers 0% interest for shorter terms. Also, most merchants are willing to waive their credit card surcharge if you buy things on installment.
- Research on the different brands and models of the gadget you’re eyeing. You may end up paying for some high-tech features that you won’t be needing or ever using.
- Canvas several stores and even several branches of the same appliance chain. With big-ticket items, a small 1% mark-up on prices can spell hundreds in extra cost.
- Try to wait for installment fairs or bazaars where dealers give goods on installment without interest.