Technology has always changed the world, especially in the last 25 years since the birth and explosion of the internet allowed us to connect with people on the other side of the world instantly. Computers once took up whole rooms and now many of us carry comparable computing power in our pockets, in the form of a smartphone. As technology has proliferated, people easily can fall out of the loop and miss out on important opportunities and information. This is why not having some way of connecting to others makes smartphones and other technology no longer a simple desire but a necessity.
As far as necessities go, technology is not cheap, so people do whatever they can to protect and save money on their investment.
Protect Your Investment
If your current phone, tablet, or computer is doing the job, stick with it for as long as you possibly can. Protect it by using it properly; do not carry it around in your pants pocket which can cause it to bend and eventually break. Carrying it your pants pocket in hot weather can even trigger liquid damage. Take advantage of the protection cellular phone accessories can offer.
Do your Research
When shopping for your phone or tablet, make sure you do your research. Do not assume that an expensive device is better than others. A lot of the times, if you shell out big bucks, you are paying for the brand name, not a quality product. As long as you find a device that suits your needs you should be fine.
Buy your new device at times you know there are going to huge savings. Companies are always looking to move large amounts of products around back to school, Father’s Day, and Christmas time. If you can, wait until you know there is going to a sale of some kind; you will not have to wait long, there is always a sale somewhere.
Buy Third-Party Accessories
With few exceptions, there is no device that will not work with third-party accessories. Sure, it is nice to keep things simple and consistent, you will not see a difference between $10 charging cables and the Samsung branded cables that come with your Galaxy Note 4 – one of Samsungs’s entries in the smartphone wars.
Trade in or Sell your Old Gear
Once you upgrade devices, chances are your old gadgets will languish in your junk drawer. If you have properly taken care of them, you can sell them or trade them in towards the purchase of a new device. Even if you only get a few bucks for them, that is more than you had before.
Embrace your Inner Hacker
Even if you do not purchase the newest device, you can use your hacking skills to get more power out of the less inexpensive version. Processes such as rooting your Android device, jailbreaking your iOS device, and overclocking your processor are not difficult and can get you the features and performance you want. Just make sure you know, and are willing to take the risks associated with them—voiding your warranty, for example.
Do not Buy the Extended Warranty
Every time you buy a device, no matter how small or large, you will be asked if you want to purchase an extended warranty. Most of the time, these warranties just serve to increase the cost of your new device and just are not worth the extra cost. Look into your credit cards rewards because certain credit cards automatically give you an extended warranty for using their card. If you do not have such a card, consider socking someone money away for instances when you need it for repairs and such. On top of that, putting that money in a bank account rather than giving it to the store also allows you to gain interest on top of that.
Do not Upgrade Just Because You Can
Just because you can upgrade does not mean you should. If your device is still going strong and doing everything you need, do not be distracted by the newest, shiniest device on the market. If people stop jumping on the upgrade bandwagon, companies will have no choice but to create better, more efficient products, from the get-go.
