Computers and Internet
I love gadgets and computers. The Internet has literally changed the world we live in, opening up communication and allowing us to shop, bank, and research anything online. It has also presented opportunities for crooks to steal your identity and rip you off.
In this chapter, I talk about how to save money on your Internet service; how to get a cheap but effective computer for well under $300; some ways to cash in on your gently used electronics; and how to stay safe while using popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
BUYING ELECTRONICS AND ACCESSORIES
Buy current technology—not state of the art
It’s amazing how many things that used to be so precious and expensive are unbelievably cheap today. I recall buying the first computer for my travel agency back in 1982. At the time, I needed specialized software to do travel accounting, plus specific hardware. The price? $25,000 used! And that was considered a deal back then!
Now my $19 Casio watch has more capability than that old computer. Unlike some other consumer items, technology actually gets cheaper over time. Last year, I bought a new Acer laptop for $299. Now even that price is high by today’s standards. But a cheap computer today is more sophisticated than what was used to put a man on the moon more than forty years ago.
Computers are getting so affordable that they’re almost becoming impulse purchases. What a world of difference from the beginning of this decade, when buying a computer was a major financial decision.
When it comes to electronics, you don’t want to buy state-of-the-art products. Buy current products or ones that are a little behind the times. Remember, early adopters always get their wallets emptied out for them. They pay big money to deal with the bugs of something that’s new so the rest of us can benefit from it down the road at cheaper prices. It pays to be un-hip! You’ll get a great deal if you just wait a little while.
A CLARK FAVORITE
Shop for electronics on sites that sell one item a day
I love a bargain, and few places are better to find one than the Internet. A slew of new websites have cropped up in recent years that offer one item for sale per day for extra cheap. I mean between 50 to 75 percent off retail! These include Woot.com and 1SaleaDay.com and they typically do most of their volume in electronics and tech gadgets. (For a more complete list of these “deal a day” sites, check DODTracker.com.)
Shipping varies but usually is only $5 per order no matter what you buy—even if it’s a laptop computer or a bi-screen TV. Once the deal of the day is one on these sites, it’s gone; you have to wait until midnight for the next day’s product to be posted. Once or twice a month, however, Woot will bend that rule and immediately start selling another item after the day’s initial offering runs out. That’s called a “Woot-Off.”
I purchased an easy-to-use handheld video camera for my daughter on Woot that usually prices out around $100. But I bought it for $59, which gives you a good idea of the deals you can steal.
Two caveats here about these kinds of websites. First, there’s typically no customer service after the sale. Second, some users on my website have reported that the electronics they sell might be refurbished. But that’s okay with me; I’m perfectly willing to accept lower quality for a lower price!
Finally, are you an eBay addict looking for a more efficient way to steal a deal online? LastMinute-Auction.com scours eBay for auctions that are ending in sixty minutes or less and are still priced at $1 or less. Sure, you’ll find some worthless items, but there’s an occasional gem to be had at a rock-bottom price.
From time to time, Woot will sell a “bag of crap” that is a true crapshoot as to what you’ll get. I was lucky enough to get one and here’s what they sent me:
1 Hamilton Beach Stay Cold blender
1 Perfect Pull-up (As Seen on TV)
1 set of six Star Wars bobble-head dolls
1 paper bag with trademark Woot! Bag of Crap (BOC) question mark printed on it.
1 hand-written note that read:
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, however your last item will not fit in this box and will be shipped separately. Thanks for your understanding.” So the last item remained a mystery... I didn’t see a tracking number for it on Woot’s site. Then it arrived unannounced. In one final moment of anxiety, the FedEx door sticker said it was left at the address next door. So I go knock. They didn’t know what I was talking about. Uh oh. But all was well. The FedEx guy had left it at the house on the other side and just took a swag on the number. So my neighbors opened the garage door and . . . voila! A 32” 1080p LCD. Vizio model VOJ320F1A. “Recertified” (naturally). Street price: $375!
Andrew C., GA1
CLARK’S GREATEST HITS
Shop online for the best computer deals
When you’re shopping online for computer gear, you want the best price—but you also want to know you’re buying from a reliable retailer. That’s why I love a site like DealNews.com.
This site aggregates deals from across the Web by searching more than two thousand online retailers each day and verifying that each deal they post is valid. Deals are updated about twice an hour and each deal is graded based on how hot it is; the more orange circles, the hotter the deal, on a scale of zero to five circles. No more guesswork as to whether you’re paying a great price or a mediocre one.
The site has become such a one-stop shop for cheap tech gadgets that they’ve adopted the tagline “Where every day is Black Friday.” Indeed, it can be with DealNews.com.
As I write this, DealNews.com is offering a Toshiba Satellite AMD Dual Core 2. 1GHz 16” Laptop for $299, plus $25 shipping and handling. That got four orange circles. And an Acer Aspire One Intel Atom 1.66GHz 10” LED Netbook for $245 with free shipping. That got three orange circles.
Of course, these deals won’t be there when you check DealNews.com—hopefully you’ll find even better ones!