I love technology. It makes my life easier, more fun, and more interesting. It helps me keep in touch with people I would otherwise struggle to remain in touch with, and keeps me up to date with the happenings of the world.
Getting a new laptop, phone, tablet, or TV is exhilarating, and can keep me entertained for hours. However, these things can really add up and having to have the newest tech gadgets can be a very expensive habit.
I am no stronger to having a bad case of the iWants, but I’ve been able to quell my desire to run out and buy every single new product on the market. I had my iPhone 3 for three years, until I had to renew my cell phone contract and got my iPhone 5 for free. I had my last laptop for several years, before it finally kicked the bucket and I bought a Macbook Air.
It’s not that I am not a huge gadget geek. Like most of my generation, I love technology and having the latest and greatest. I’ve just become very good at controlling my impulse to purchase the newest models.
Next time you find yourself on Apple.com, try to do the following things first, to stop yourself from upgrading unnecessarily.
Update Your Operating System
Chances are, your existing device is working just fine. You probably want to buy the newest model for some other reason (because it’s new and exciting and you want to try it out), and it’s probably unnecessary. To make yourself happy with what you have already, try updating your operating system to the newest one.
You will get many of the features you are looking for with the updated operating system, but without the steep price tag that comes with buying a new device.
Try a New Software
Sometimes, we just need change. Technology can get boring pretty quickly, especially as updates are becoming available, taunting you with the new things that can be done.
Trying a new software may scratch the itch of wanting something new, and satisfy your need for a change.
Consider Other Purposes for the Money
When a new model of iPhone or a new technology comes out, we never know how long it will be until the next new thing will be released. Technology is developed quickly, and new models of existing products have a very short life before they are considered old again.
One thing that always helped me hold off on buying the newest gadget, was considering what else I could spend money on.
When I got a new gadget, it would be really fun for a few days, but after that, the novelty would wear off. If you consider how much money you’d save by not upgrading all the time, you may be able to spend it on a vacation or something of that nature every year. Or, a bigger, better gadget down the road.
Remember: It’s Just Hype
Remember when camera phones first came out, and they were hyped up an unbelievable amount? People were obsessed with them, and the companies creating them were hyping their own ability to combine two technologies (a phone and a camera) into one device.
There are dozens of amazing, life changing technologies created and released on a yearly basis, which don’t get half the response because the companies or individuals behind them don’t have a team that actually creates unwarranted excitement over them.
Do you really want to fall victim to the hype that these companies create over their own products? I don’t want to be that easy a target.
It’s pretty easy to avoid gadget lust if you can do a couple of these things. They should be able to hold you off until the next model is released.
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It hasn’t been that long since I upgraded my computer equipment due to the fact that it was so old and slow. Even then, the old computer was second hand. I’m not much of an upgrader. As long as it keeps working it will do fine.
Brand new technology always costs more at the initial release too, one year later it will have dropped significantly.
Good advice! If you’ll upgrade just for the latest features, then updating the system will help or getting apps that could make your device interesting again.
My son wanted to upgrade his iphone to IOS7….not because of any features he knew about, but because he felt he was falling behind everyone else if he didn’t do it. I did manage to talk him out of it while the initial upgrades were being done (and lots of problems being reported). But with the third update now released and things seemingly settled down he successfully updated. And then didn’t really like it.
If it was for me and husband the industry would go bankrupt 😀
We NEVER buy any new gadgets unless the old ones are not working anymore. I have used a laptop for 6 years till it finally broke out. The next one worked for 3 (and I was very angry about the fact it didn’t work for at least 5 years). Got myself a new one (I need it for my web design business after all) and plan on using it for as long as it’s working. I could buy a new one every month, but it would be clearly a bad way to spend my money
We both own DSLR cameras, which were bought in 2011. Yes, they work wonderfully and we’re planning on keeping them for more.
I love owning gadgets and would love to change them monthly if you asked me, but as long as they’re working properly, I never see the use of spending the money. Which reminds me of my old mp3 player, which is 8 years old and working great
I don’t use an MP3 player anymore because I have an iphone and I prefer simplicity – why carry two gadgets when you can have one? But I’m with you. Why spend if you dont’ have to?
Yeah, well…the problem with updating your software in the Mac environment is that Apple engineers its programs so that after a few years they won’t work on an older computer — and that happens LONG before your computer craps out. It’s pretty darned infuriating. If you try to hang onto the old software, they come up with 87 gerjillion ways to force you to update, mostly by making various programs that you have to use in your work incompatible with older IOS versions.
Frankly, the gadget I miss is a typewriter. To use it, you didn’t NEED to know how the inside of it worked, and you once you’d learned how to use it, you never had to waste time learning how some “update” worked.
LOL I couldn’t imagine how long it would take to do.. well, everything with just a typewriter. I see your point though. I never had that issue with Apple products, but I have never had them for super long.
I have kept the same laptop for 4 years but with heavy travel, carrying it around on a motorcycle for 60,000 miles, it has really suffered. I thought it was dying a year ago but putting some more RAM and a big anti virus swipe did wonders. Now it was really damaged so I changed it but in normal conditions it could have lasted more.
I rarely upgrade my electronics because I’m not really a recut person.Electronics just don’t excite me.
Lucky! I love electronics, you’re preference is saving you lots of money 🙂
It hasn’t been that long since I upgraded my computer equipment due to the fact that it was so old and slow. Even then, the old computer was second hand. I’m not much of an upgrader. As long as it keeps working it will do fine.
Brand new technology always costs more at the initial release too, one year later it will have dropped significantly.
So true. I try to not buy the newest model when it is first released.
Good advice! If you’ll upgrade just for the latest features, then updating the system will help or getting apps that could make your device interesting again.
It might just scratch that technology itch, even temporarily 🙂
Are you reading my mind?
I’ve been thinking about some new toys for the house, but can’t afford them right now.
Maybe in a few months. I love tech toys but I will need to keep my discipline in check for a little while longer 🙂
Mark
Haha, looks like good timing on my part!
My son wanted to upgrade his iphone to IOS7….not because of any features he knew about, but because he felt he was falling behind everyone else if he didn’t do it. I did manage to talk him out of it while the initial upgrades were being done (and lots of problems being reported). But with the third update now released and things seemingly settled down he successfully updated. And then didn’t really like it.
I’m never really a huge fan of the updates when I do them initially, but then after awhile it is intuitive. Teens are these companies favorite market!
If it was for me and husband the industry would go bankrupt 😀
We NEVER buy any new gadgets unless the old ones are not working anymore. I have used a laptop for 6 years till it finally broke out. The next one worked for 3 (and I was very angry about the fact it didn’t work for at least 5 years). Got myself a new one (I need it for my web design business after all) and plan on using it for as long as it’s working. I could buy a new one every month, but it would be clearly a bad way to spend my money
We both own DSLR cameras, which were bought in 2011. Yes, they work wonderfully and we’re planning on keeping them for more.
I love owning gadgets and would love to change them monthly if you asked me, but as long as they’re working properly, I never see the use of spending the money. Which reminds me of my old mp3 player, which is 8 years old and working great
I don’t use an MP3 player anymore because I have an iphone and I prefer simplicity – why carry two gadgets when you can have one? But I’m with you. Why spend if you dont’ have to?
Yeah, well…the problem with updating your software in the Mac environment is that Apple engineers its programs so that after a few years they won’t work on an older computer — and that happens LONG before your computer craps out. It’s pretty darned infuriating. If you try to hang onto the old software, they come up with 87 gerjillion ways to force you to update, mostly by making various programs that you have to use in your work incompatible with older IOS versions.
Frankly, the gadget I miss is a typewriter. To use it, you didn’t NEED to know how the inside of it worked, and you once you’d learned how to use it, you never had to waste time learning how some “update” worked.
LOL I couldn’t imagine how long it would take to do.. well, everything with just a typewriter. I see your point though. I never had that issue with Apple products, but I have never had them for super long.
I have kept the same laptop for 4 years but with heavy travel, carrying it around on a motorcycle for 60,000 miles, it has really suffered. I thought it was dying a year ago but putting some more RAM and a big anti virus swipe did wonders. Now it was really damaged so I changed it but in normal conditions it could have lasted more.
Yeah, sometimes you just have to upgrade – can’t avoid it due to damage, etc. I bet that your laptop would have taken a beating!
Oh it’s definitely clever marketing! Haha I can’t imagine having a laptop duct taped together, but hey, whatever works!