Year-End Hacks for Tech Bargain Hunters
Are you searching for a few smoking hot deals on tech products? The middle of a calendar year is an excellent time to pick up tech bargains and take advantage of retailer panic about bulging inventories before black Friday arrives in November. The good news is that many merchants now take part in a summer version of Black Friday to unload their warehouses before new shipments arrive in August and September.
Finding year-end hacks for picking up great technology deals is different than tips to get out of debt or other personal finance-related issues, this is all about timing. Too many people overlook the opportunities available in July, August, September, and October because they’re laser-focused on the big sale day in November after Thanksgiving. But, for big-ticket items like the latest laptops and smartphones, sellers behave like car dealerships. They struggle to empty their warehouses of last year’s models during the final few months of the year and are willing to cut prices almost down to their break-even points. Here are a few suggested hacks for saving some major money on your favorite technology products in the middle of a recession.
Tech Bargain Tips
Use Expert Timing
Don’t ignore black Friday in July. The sale day is not universal yet, but it’s spreading quickly. If you’re patient, sit out all the madness until the second week of January. That’s when prices really take a nose-dive. Stores are deluged with returns from fickle customers, and the biggest sale season of the year is over. If black Friday in July is new to you, you’re not alone. The shopping holiday is still in its infancy, but most retailers set the dates to be as close to Amazon Prime Day as possible. The entire month of July is turning into one gigantic sales marathon, especially for computers, phones, entertainment tech, and peripherals of all kinds.
Save On Recurring Monthly Bills
One straightforward way to have more cash available for technology products is to slice some fat out of your monthly budget. If you still have a few old college loans on the books, now is the time to refinance them into one easy package and potentially save a significant amount of money. The move is a quick and clever strategy that helps build up a cash stash for both black Fridays as well as other summer and fall sales. Refinancing education debt means one, not several, monthly payments. It also gives you access to better terms, rates, and repayment periods.
Get Multiple Quotes And Trade In Your Old Items
If this year is your first IT products rodeo, don’t miss out on trade-ins. Getting a new laptop or plasma TV, ask merchants what they’ll give you for your used one. If you don’t get any bites on that offer, clean the items up and sell them online. Avoid the urge to recycle them at local stores that make vague promises about environmental disposal. The truth is that many companies simply take your used items, refurbish them, and sell them on their own websites for huge profits. It’s a relatively recent scam and can end up costing you money instead of putting a few extra dollars in your pocket. Beware the friendly recyclers.
