
courtesy of appolicious.com
By far one of the fastest growing name brands in colleges across America, Apple, although a little pricey, arguably make some of the most dependable products available.
I first purchased my Macbook when I was a sophomore in high school back in 2007. Feeling pretty special being one of the only people in school with a Mac laptop, I loved the way my computer was the least susceptible to viruses.
Fast-forward four years to my junior year here at the University. With my trusty Macbook by my side, I struggle to keep up with the incredibly fast technological improvements that curse those of us with dated equipment.
It seems Apple issues a new operating system upgrade every year where you can double the speed of your computer with one easy payment of $30.
Call it a case of perceived obsolescence but I decide to upgrade from my Macbook to a Macbook Pro, the more sophisticated and faster cousin of my virtual dinosaur.
Last weekend I ventured to Westfarms with a plan of getting a new Mac but with minimal cost. I have already found a buyer for my Macbook. Lucky for Mac users, the resale value of Macs is extremely high simply because there is no competition. For me, the fact that my Macbook was in perfect working order made it worth even more.
I felt a little better that my Mac wasn’t simply being thrown out but recycled for a new user to enjoy. That, plus the fact I would get $400 for it also made me feel better about going to the Apple Store.
When I was there it took a while to get an associate to help me but once we started I made my decisions wisely.
Right off the bat, I received a $100 off discount for being a student. Simply show your University ID card and enjoy the savings. Next I picked the model I desired, the 13 inch Macbook Pro without all the bells and whistles.
Next I chose to buy AppleCare, an extremely wise investment considering it covers my computer for three years. Plus, being a student, I received $66 off of my AppleCare.
Already I was saving $166 for just being a student. With my transaction sealing the deal and the tedious setup with the Apple employee who seemed to be trained to teach Mac setup to me like I was five, I was ready to leave.
My bill reflected my student discounts. I purchased a brand new Macbook Pro for $1357. Another great incentive still going until Sept. 20, if you are a student you receive $100 to the Mac App Store. Cha ching.
So by recycling and selling my old Mac I managed to get a brand new computer for a net cost of $957.
If you take the right steps, you can upgrade your computer and save a lot of money while doing so. Even if you are upgrading a PC there is still resale value in your old model. All it takes is a little research of promotions and resale values to minimize the cost of your brand new computer.