In our modern era of social media, one of the most pervasive feelings many people complain about is known as FOMO, or “fear of missing out”. FOMO can be observed in all areas of life; when you’re checking your social media feed, you notice a friend is on holiday somewhere exciting, and you wish you could be there, that’s FOMO.
Perhaps one of the most prominent areas in which FOMO can be felt is the world of tech. When you meet your friend and they’ve got a far better smartphone than you, that’s FOMO – wishing you had a better phone, looking forlornly at the one in your hand and realising you’ll never look at it in the same way again. Luckily, there are ways you can get hold of the latest tech without spending a ridiculous amount of money. Here are our tips on how to update your tech without breaking the bank.
Take out a short-term loan
Short-term loans have garnered a bit of a bad reputation in the press, but the fact is there are plenty of reputable, trustworthy short-term loan providers out there. If you approach short-term loans in the right way and make sure you can make repayments, then they’re a great way to get your hands on a quick cash injection with minimal fuss. Got your eye on the latest iPhone, but just won’t quite have enough money in the bank until payday? Looking forward to a windfall day that’s coming soon, but really don’t want to wait? A short-term loan might be the way to go.
Sell your old tech
If you’re looking to update your laptop, then one way you can summon the cash to buy a new one is by recycling your old one. Sites like SellYourLaptop or MusicMagpie will take your old tech and give you money based on how much they reckon it’s worth. Look at it this way – what else are you going to do with your old phone, laptop or tablet once the replacement arrives? Chances are that if you don’t sell them on, they’ll simply sit there gathering dust. Selling your old tech is a great way to take a chunk out of the cost of a new device.
Shop around
You don’t always have to pay premium prices for premium-quality tech. The world of smartphones, especially, is saturated with great-quality devices at ridiculously low prices. If you’re looking for a new phone, instead of aiming straight for Apple, give brands like OnePlus or Honor a try. These companies offer high-spec phones at extremely reasonable rates. When shopping for a laptop, try lesser-known makes, and if you’re looking for a tablet, there are plenty of options available for you too. Don’t just go for big names because you know them.
Know your needs
Do you really need an incredible graphics card in your new PC? What exactly will you be using it for? Don’t let companies sell you extraneous features that you probably won’t use. When it comes to computing, understand what your requirements are and proceed from there. For example, most normal PC or laptop users won’t need more than 8GB of RAM, and 4GB will suffice for light users or Internet browsers. Your phone doesn’t necessarily need an incredible camera if you don’t take many shots, and your tablet doesn’t need a huge screen if you’re not an artist or creative type.
Find friends willing to sell
You can often upgrade your tech for cheap if you’ve got friends who are looking to upgrade. If your smartphone model is a few years behind, then have a talk with your friends to see if their more recent models are up for sale. Companies like Apple and Samsung release new models every year, so even if you’re upgrading from an old phone to a less old one, that alone will feel like a massive leap in terms of power. Similarly, if friends don’t need old laptops since they’re graduating from uni (for example) or upgrading to new ones, you can ask them if they’d be willing to sell to you at a slightly reduced rate.
Buy second-hand
You need to be careful with this option, as there are likely to be many companies that will try to take advantage of you when it comes to second-hand goods. The fact remains, however, that many companies offer perfectly good second-hand devices which people have simply traded in as a result of duplication, unwanted goods or other reasons that have nothing to do with quality. It’s a well-known fact that cars, for example, lose around a third of their value within the first year of ownership. Most people don’t tend to hesitate when it comes to second-hand cars, so why do the same when it comes to tech?