Greetings from Sallie's Niece's Headquarters - now not broken! I had been dealing with a semi-broken laptop for months now...which I just didn't want to deal with because I kept telling myself "it's not really that broken" to "well I can't afford a new laptop right now." But finally last week when my fiance was out of town the problem got worse and worse and yesterday we decided to set out in pursuit of a computer that would not make me want to give up computing forever.Originally we set out to purchase a netbook...small and affordable..they sounded really cool. AND picking up and playing with the netbooks we saw I did kind of appreciate the novelty of the mini cmputers..but they were just too small. I really never bring my laptop anywhere except from the couch to the bedroom (haha) so I didn't need something so portable and I wasn't willing to sacrifice keyboard and screen size just to save a couple of bucks. In fact, the laptop I ended up purchasing was cheaper than the netbook I was eyeing.
So I ended up with a Compaq Presario X2 CQ60. I'll spare you the technical mumbo-jumbo but the fiance who knows more about it signed off the on the specs and I signed off on the price ($389) after first eyeing a sign in the store that said "ask about our open box specials" and we ended up getting it out of the box for ten percent off!
And since I of course did not have $400 floating around in the bottom of my purse the fiance and I decided that he should apply for a zero percent interest Best Buy card to charge the computer on. I would have tried applying in my own name but I'm still working on rebuilding my credit. We were approved and I have six months to pay the sucker off at no interest (around $75 a month). So yes another unexpected expense right before our Disney trip but I really needed the computer for my sanity (and wedding planning) and I really love it! They keyboard is very easy to type on. Look forward to more blog posts now that I have a functioning laptop!
13 comments:
Oh sure, you can get a new computer, but when I mention anything of the like, my readers tear me a new one!
I have been eyeing netbooks too. But if you found a full size at that great price maybe I should expand my search. Great buy!
Great purchase. I'm hoping to see more posts from you now! :-D
Yes indeed I'll be blogging more. It's one thing trying not to blog at my new job but I definitely missed having a laptop at home to keep in touch.
@jake, readers can keep you honest definitely but ultimately the decision to buy or not to buy something is up to you. Good luck!
Sorry this was a dumb move on your part. Not the computer itself, but signing up for a credit card in order to buy it. You make extra money now couldn't you saved for a month or few and just pay for it? I think you let the emotional frustration control you to the point that going to the store in pursuit of a computer was the release you were after. Now you have another payment to add to your budget each month. Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is the definition of insanity.
I'm actually making $40 LESS at my new job right now because my pay is being lagged for the first five paychecks....frustrating. I see what you're saying about waiting and saving up for the laptop but it's a 0% interest card so technically I'll be paying it for six months a little at a time. Waiting would have driven me crazy without a computer. I'm not saying it was the most prudent decision but I'm not kicking myself too much either.
Yes, a computer is another expense. But as a blogger, a reliable computer is a must-have. Enjoy your new laptop!
So the ends justify the means? That's like an addict saying they'll go clean over a period of 6 months, but they'll still get clean right? What's done is done though so enjoy the computer.
I agree with Jim. You're already completely in debt, and you rarely make payments over your minimum, yet you're adding more debt? And not even in your own name, but his? How is that really responsible?
If you wanted a new computer why don't you save and then buy one? Right now I really want a Das keyboard. At a hefty $120. But, I'm saving. I might not get there for a few months - but when I do I will have it all to myself.
It's nice to say "save up" but in today's world, a computer is a lot like a car (for most). You need one in order to get through your daily life, manage your finances, etc. And a lot like when that jalopy you have breaks down at an inconvenient time and you have to finance it, I think the same thought process applies to a computer.
It's not like she purchased the top of the line laptop; at the price she got it's not a huge undertaking to pay it off. Also, even if the she had the $ available in cash, there's still a highly valid argument that the card is a better approach. At 0% interest, the money will earn more interest in a simple saving account than in the hands of the retailer (at least for her).
While it's good to think twice about spending using credit, it's not a hard and fast rule to avoid debt spending at all costs. Responsible borrowing can improve your credit, strengthen your financial position, and still allow you to enjoy things today.
Now it is on Sallie to make sure she pays it back in time... because if you don't pay it off during the grace period she will owe the interest on the 6 months that were "interest free".
Anon: It's the twisted logic that enables you to justify borrowing money. A computer is not critical to survival, neither is a vehicle. It's very easy to WALK to a library to use a computer. She didn't have the cash at the time to do this deal. Even worse, her fiancé signed up for the credit card at 0% for 6 months. If she doesn't pay then he is on the hook. Credit really isn't the issue here though, it's spending.
A credit score is based on the amount of debt and types of debt someone has. This is why banks are more likely to give people credit with a high score, they feed the system. If you don't use credit you remove the risk from your life. There's nothing I want bad enough to go into debt over.
all i know is, i miss the posts! i fear the comments here scared off sallie's niece. boo.
Haha I'm here, was on vacation for a few days. New post in a few minutes!
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