Hi Neighbors,
I just saw this opportunity on TwitterMoms where they are teaming up with Staples to get tips out on Holiday Tech Shopping. And, they have offered us a chance to get in on the fun by writing about our tips:) So, I will be giving you my five tips on Holiday Tech shopping.
1.Do your research.
I am very big about looking around to see what I can find out about a product or a brand. I want the best I can get for the cheapest amount of money. Make sure you get the facts about what you want to buy. Does it do everything you want it to, will it last long enough, are you going to be spending more money on upkeep than you paid for it? These are just some questions I would ask myself when buying tech products.
2.Look for reviews.
Yes I am a blogger so this hits me as one of the first things to look for. But it should be pretty easy to figure out for anyone. Check the internet for reviews by people who already have tried the item out. Whether someone who did a product review for a company or someone who purchased the item and wrote about it. And look for people who are like you. I am not a real geek person, so I am going to look for someone who is not tech oriented and see what they have to say about it. Is it hard to figure out how to use it? How about downloading or uploading? Is it something I will be able to use without having to read a 100 page book:)
3.Shop for deals.
Many stores have deals that run around the Holidays. Often things are marked way down or they offer gift cards or rebates. Look ahead and don't make a snap decision. And if you are shopping online, make sure to go through a cash back site. Sometimes this gets you a good amount back but every little bit helps.
4.Try it out at the store.
Normally with tech products, stores will have them where you can try one out. Take a look at it and see if it is really what you want. Sometimes you can get the cheaper one because you really don't need the extra gadgets. This really struck me with iPods. They are a music player, camera, etc all in one. Just make sure you really need what you want. Many times our eyes want what we don't need.
5.Make a budget.
Everyone should have a budget anyways, but when it comes to purchasing Tech products we really need one:) Plan how much you want to spend and don't go over that. This is where the research comes in too because you don't want to go buy something and then find out you have to purchase a plan or apps for it to do what you want. These things cost extra and sometimes are more than the product.
These are just five things I thought of off the top of my head. I am sure there are tons more out there. Leave me a comment and tell me your top tip. I am always happy when people leave comments because it lets me know you are really reading my posts:)
I just saw this opportunity on TwitterMoms where they are teaming up with Staples to get tips out on Holiday Tech Shopping. And, they have offered us a chance to get in on the fun by writing about our tips:) So, I will be giving you my five tips on Holiday Tech shopping.
1.Do your research.
I am very big about looking around to see what I can find out about a product or a brand. I want the best I can get for the cheapest amount of money. Make sure you get the facts about what you want to buy. Does it do everything you want it to, will it last long enough, are you going to be spending more money on upkeep than you paid for it? These are just some questions I would ask myself when buying tech products.
2.Look for reviews.
Yes I am a blogger so this hits me as one of the first things to look for. But it should be pretty easy to figure out for anyone. Check the internet for reviews by people who already have tried the item out. Whether someone who did a product review for a company or someone who purchased the item and wrote about it. And look for people who are like you. I am not a real geek person, so I am going to look for someone who is not tech oriented and see what they have to say about it. Is it hard to figure out how to use it? How about downloading or uploading? Is it something I will be able to use without having to read a 100 page book:)
3.Shop for deals.
Many stores have deals that run around the Holidays. Often things are marked way down or they offer gift cards or rebates. Look ahead and don't make a snap decision. And if you are shopping online, make sure to go through a cash back site. Sometimes this gets you a good amount back but every little bit helps.
4.Try it out at the store.
Normally with tech products, stores will have them where you can try one out. Take a look at it and see if it is really what you want. Sometimes you can get the cheaper one because you really don't need the extra gadgets. This really struck me with iPods. They are a music player, camera, etc all in one. Just make sure you really need what you want. Many times our eyes want what we don't need.
5.Make a budget.
Everyone should have a budget anyways, but when it comes to purchasing Tech products we really need one:) Plan how much you want to spend and don't go over that. This is where the research comes in too because you don't want to go buy something and then find out you have to purchase a plan or apps for it to do what you want. These things cost extra and sometimes are more than the product.
These are just five things I thought of off the top of my head. I am sure there are tons more out there. Leave me a comment and tell me your top tip. I am always happy when people leave comments because it lets me know you are really reading my posts:)
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
Comments
I like reading reviews on Amazon for everything I buy on the internet, though. Reviews are a huge help.