Saving Money on Electronics

Brian    Electronics    

Being a gadget nut, computer nerd, and a musician for almost 20 years has taught me a ton about saving money on electronics and music gear. These 3 tips should help you the next time you decide to invest in your next electronic device or piece of music gear.

Tip #1: Before you decide to run out to your local big box electronics store or neighborhood music shop, try to find the electronic device or music gear you are looking for on Craig’s List. I know Craig’s List can be frustrating and it can be annoying meeting up with sellers on the other side of town but it can be worth it. This money saving tip alone will save you hundreds of dollars on electronics every year. If you are a gadget freak or a musician that buys gear frequently, you might save thousands of dollars every year by purchasing items on Craig’s List.

Please Note: Buying items on Craig’s List can be risky if you do not take the proper precautions. ALWAYS meet sellers (or buyers if you are getting rid of an item) in a public place. I prefer to meet Craig’s List Buyers or Sellers at places like Starbucks or McDonald’s. These establishments are perfect because you can find one almost anywhere, they are usually at least somewhat busy, and they usually have video cameras. Video surveillance is important because not only do they deter criminals but they are also there just in case something happens.

Tip #2: Don’t buy the electronic device of your dreams the day it comes out. I know you want to be the first guy/gal in your office that got the iPhone 4 or the first guy/gal in your nerd circle (this would be me) to have the latest Pentium quad processor…BUT…hold your horses and you will save yourself hundreds! For example, when the iPhone first came out, the company my brother works for bought him and a couple of other employees one. At the time, they were about $600 each. Can you guess what happened next? About a month or two later the iPhone was down to about $199 and a month or two after that they were down to about $149! Really?!?!? You couldn’t wait a month to save yourself $400? In this case, the company he works for would have saved about $1200 if they would have waited a month or two. Trust me, I have done my share of buying the latest greatest electronic devices and gadgets…this is how I learned my lesson.

Tip #3: Don’t be afraid of buying refurbished, open box, floor models, or discontinued items. These are all great ways to save money on electronics. In my opinion, refurbished can be just as good as buying new as long as you are buying from a reputable retailer. Stores like Comp USA sell high quality refurbished items that will save you money. You may not find the same quality buying refurbished electronics on eBay or Amazon but this depends on the seller. I have had great luck with open box items at Best Buy, Comp USA, Guitar Center, and Sam Ash Music. In most cases, there isn’t anything wrong with the item…the previous customer most likely returned it because they didn’t like it or something similar. Floor models and discontinued electronics go hand in hand because you can usually get a killer deal on a floor model when the item becomes discontinued. If the store (brick and mortar or online) still has a few of these discontinued electronics in stock, they will usually blow them out during a weekend or holiday sale.

At the end of the day, you can save money on electronics in many ways but it depends on what you are looking for and what you are comfortable with. The tips I shared with you aren’t rocket science but they are helpful when it comes to saving money on electronics and music gear.

If you enjoyed this article please consider sharing it!