How do you afford it? [Archive]

Drgnhntr

Feb 24, 2005, 06:13 PM

I have always bought end of life apple products. Right after (sometimes before) apple released new products, they drop the prices on the old models. They are still new with full warranties, they are just not the latest thing. I find that this saves along the lines of a few hundred dollars depending on what you are getting. The problem is that no one really knows when apple releases new products so it makes planning a pain. I have also always used educational discounts and that will stack with end of life product discounts. You should check your school's bookstore electronics department as I have found the best deals there.

eMacs and mac minis would be good places to start. Wait until they are updated and look for deals. If you want to upgrade later, macs have good resale value and you can put the money towards a newer mac.

I know what you are saying about money in college. It's rough, and I am still paying the debt I acquired. I don't know if you have considered a roommate, or if that is even possible. There are loans and I believe that most student loans allow for computer purchases. If your school is near a research institution, they typically pay well for "research subjects". If you are really tapped for cash and really want a mac, I would suggest the loan. Student loans have really low rates and don't need to be paid back until you graduate.

wordmunger

Feb 24, 2005, 07:20 PM

I currently make around $900 per month. Rent is $750.

Ahhhh... I see. You either need a roommate or a cheaper apartment.

baummer

Feb 24, 2005, 08:34 PM

Ahhhh... I see. You either need a roommate or a cheaper apartment.

You obviously haven't seen the costs of renting an apartment in California...

blackfox

Feb 24, 2005, 08:42 PM

In direct opposition to Wordmonger's (good) advice, I offer my (bad) advice:

Credit. As a student, CC companies love you, and even with a relatively low limit, you should be able to afford a mini, or alternately, put some monthly expenses on the card, and save the cash.

Or, if you are really desperate, go through Apple Loan - which will seriously gouge you on interest, but at least you'd get your computer.

This plan, if done wisely, has the added bonus of building your credit. If done poorly, however, it can be a major headache.

Used macs are also good, and fairly cheap with the intro of the mini. My macs are from 2000 and 2002 respectively, and both fine performers.

Good luck.

chanoc

Feb 24, 2005, 09:23 PM

Get a "stable" roommate (not a relationship) to cut costs. I sleep in the living room for only 200.00 a month and my roommate has the bedroom and pays more. Eat at soup kitchens and get food at foodbanks. Volunteer at foodbanks and get a *****load of food. Buy a cheap Power Mac off eBay. I got a PM G4 733MHz off eBay for 500.00. If credit interest is no concern, take out a loan at the Apple Store Online. Get a better job. :)

Drgnhntr

Feb 24, 2005, 09:32 PM

You obviously haven't seen the costs of renting an apartment in California...

It just plain sucks and I couldn't afford it. I lived with my parents and had a horrendous commute. My sister is up at UCR, and paying about what you are for a one bedroom. She shared it with another girl and it was working great until the roommate bailed. My wife had to have three roommates when she went to school in La Verne. Finally, a girl I went to school with at UCSD had 5 other roommates just to make the payment. I don't know of anyone that could swing their own apartment while going to school. Are you totally against having a roommate?

chanoc

Feb 24, 2005, 09:40 PM

Problem is, I don't have much to save. I currently make around $900 per month. Rent is $750. After gas, food, and school expenses, I have nothing. See my dilemma?

Gas? Ride the bus like the rest of the poor folks. I am making 1,300.00 a month washing dishes. Got an interview for a Web Designer position next week - hell yeah!

wdlove

Feb 24, 2005, 09:45 PM

When I was in college computers weren't available so it's hard to comment. Although the things that I did have came from the money that I earned in the summer or my parents were good enough to purchase what I needed. Maybe your parents would be willing to help you with a Mac mini. The educational discount should help.

yellow

Feb 24, 2005, 09:47 PM

I sold drugs to elementary school children. Man those kids were CRAAAZZYY for the benedryl!

angelneo

Feb 24, 2005, 10:15 PM

I paid for my laptop using a college loan (but its a PC laptop). kind of regret about getting that loan as after 3 years the laptop went bye bye on me, and I am still paying off the loan at that time.

rainman::|:|

Feb 24, 2005, 11:39 PM

You only have to come up with a big investment once... so long as you sell your machine every year or two (once you're on a schedule stick to it), use that money and you'll only have to pay a small additional amount to get a new machine. Of course this works better on the pro equipment than the consumer... And you can keep a studio display and use it with multiple PMs, so you don't eat the depreciation (in theory). Every independent graphic designer i've known did this, because it's hard to come up with the necessary $3,000 every 5 years for a whole new system. Without going onto credit, which is kind of silly for a purchase that will be obsolete before it's paid off...

Leareth

Feb 24, 2005, 11:50 PM

A large number of schools will give you loans to buy computers, thought you would have to justify why a mac versus a PC, my school is very mac friendly so I am lucky in that account. As well there are technology bursaries available from external donors you might want to look at one of those. You could also take out a line of credit with your parents being cosigners at a lower rate than credit cards. Speaking of credit cards if you get the one with 2% cash back you have 2/3 of your minimum payment paid every month...so that might not be a bad way to go.
What about Federal Student loans? or student loans from a bank?
Another tip is see if you can plan your class schedule so that you are commuting less per week, saves gas and food moneys. Last term I had all my classes on mon and tue with the rest of the week free to work full time that other students could not take up due to their class schedule. my weekends were free.
I am not sure what year level you are but 4th year and above students usually can become TA's and Tutor-markers which means salary, benefits, extra grants and bursaries ,and occasionally they will buy you a computer and accessories. An friend of mine got his powerbook, printer and one year of ADSL paid for by the school because he is TA one class for two terms.

KingSleaze

Feb 25, 2005, 01:00 AM

I currently make around $900 per month. Rent is $750. After gas, food, and school expenses, I have nothing.

Cut out the gas, get a bicycle. How far is it to school? 3 miles? That's 15 minutes at a slow pace. Good for your health and pocketbook.

Dros

Feb 25, 2005, 01:01 AM

Eat at soup kitchens and get food at foodbanks.

I would feel pretty bad about taking food from charities that are trying to help the truly needy, then turning around and buying a Mac with the money I've saved. I would suggest instead beating up bums on streetcorners for their spare change.

notjustjay

Feb 25, 2005, 01:06 AM

Unfortunately I misjudged (don't we all) and as a result I carry a whopping ***$4500*** balance on my credit card today. (Pleeeease don't tell my mom...) Still trying to pay that off, ever so slowly, but the money I make from being a Master's student just doesn't go far, especially when I have to pay for gas and maintenance for my car, and my admittedly rather frivolous lifestyle of occasionally eating out with my friends and other incidental expenses.

I bought my 12" Powerbook using an Apple loan. The interest was killer, but that's where I made my mistake... see, they were offering interest-free for 180 days, and I jumped on that. I ordered my 12" ($2800 Cdn) along with Final Cut Express for $149. Trouble is, the fine print says that the 180-day interest free deal is only good on the FIRST charge made to the loan... and guess which was charged first? Yep, I got a 6-month interest free loan on a measly $150, and paid something ridiculous like 26% on the other $3000. This was unexpected, so I transferred the balance to my credit card, which charges me "only" 18%, and I've been trying to get rid of it on and off ever since. (About a year and a half now).

I've been making liberal use of eBay and the local buy/sell groups to get rid of gadgets and other things I no longer need... I've even (*sniff*) decided to let go of my iPod. At least for a few months until I graduate and hopefully land a good paying job of say $65,000 or more. :D

Other than selling all my older gadgets, one thing I did find very nice was offering to take notes for disabled students through our school's center for disabilities. Last term, I was paid $20/hour to sit in class and type up notes for a student with vision impairment. Good money, and I got a good refresher on UML and software design too :)

Good luck...

pseudobrit

Feb 25, 2005, 10:39 AM

I bought my 12" Powerbook using an Apple loan. The interest was killer, but that's where I made my mistake... see, they were offering interest-free for 180 days, and I jumped on that. I ordered my 12" ($2800 Cdn) along with Final Cut Express for $149. Trouble is, the fine print says that the 180-day interest free deal is only good on the FIRST charge made to the loan... and guess which was charged first? Yep, I got a 6-month interest free loan on a measly $150, and paid something ridiculous like 26% on the other $3000. This was unexpected, so I transferred the balance to my credit card, which charges me "only" 18%, and I've been trying to get rid of it on and off ever since. (About a year and a half now)

What a scummy thing to do. I mean, that's just rotten. I am disgusted that Apple teams with these lowlife bottom-feeders. I would have threatened to send it back to Apple. MBNA are blood-thristy scum bastards.

(I'm glad my Apple Loan is PAID OFF in full! Never again with MBNA!)

Fredstar

Feb 25, 2005, 11:12 AM

I am 17 and i have managed to afford a full spec 20" brand new imac, Altec Lansing speakers, a 20gb ipod, a 512 Shuffle and more and i still have a load of money spare. (i go to college 5 days a week as well). Yeh ok i live at home but here is how i make all my money - i only have a job in the summer. I pretty much have paid for 95% of all of my stuff.
Basically i make a bit of money in summer jobs and i invest in certain undervalued goods and resell them on Ebay, sounds too good to be true to buy things cheap and sell them for more but it works trust if you are clever and vigilant.
I do a variety of other things as well, i buy and install any computers for friends and family members (for a lil commission ;)), i design websites for clients (well developing a load atm) and i kinda ticket tout tickets, which again if you are intelligent can make you regular money. A combination of all of these has served me nicely since i was 14 and i have bought a lot of stuff, i have also bought my own complete home cinema. All this and i have a pretty full wardrobe and spend quite a lot going out and of course on music - itms makes it so damn easy

baummer

Feb 25, 2005, 11:40 AM

It just plain sucks and I couldn't afford it. I lived with my parents and had a horrendous commute. My sister is up at UCR, and paying about what you are for a one bedroom. She shared it with another girl and it was working great until the roommate bailed. My wife had to have three roommates when she went to school in La Verne. Finally, a girl I went to school with at UCSD had 5 other roommates just to make the payment. I don't know of anyone that could swing their own apartment while going to school. Are you totally against having a roommate?

I know what you mean, I'm going to UCR and am from San Diego. I had a roommate and then they never showed up when moving day came. Apprently pulled enrollment from school; but left me with a full rent payment. What sucks is I make $11 an hour, but with classes, the most I can work per week is 20-25 hours.

baummer

Feb 25, 2005, 11:42 AM

Bibulous

Feb 25, 2005, 11:43 AM

Ebay everything you don't need, buy this book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805077650/qid=1109349529/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/103-4684742-2812638?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) and don't drink too much at the tables.

baummer

Feb 25, 2005, 11:44 AM

Gas? Ride the bus like the rest of the poor folks. I am making 1,300.00 a month washing dishes. Got an interview for a Web Designer position next week - hell yeah!

Unfortunately, a car is a necessity here. Public transportation is about as safe as crossing a railroad track with a train coming towards you rapidly. Not to mention it's really hard here in Southern California to get anywhere with public transportation.

mac-er

Feb 25, 2005, 02:51 PM

If you wanted the Mac bad enough, you'll find a way to afford one.

That is the most asisnine, arrogant statement I have ever heard anyone make on here.

Lacero

Feb 25, 2005, 02:55 PM

Pfft.. whatever. You know it to be true.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4607&item=5167474526&rd=1

EJBasile

Feb 25, 2005, 05:47 PM

(I don't know if this counts since i'm not a student)

How do I afford it...

I'm a Doctor so thats pretty much how. All the schooling really *pays* off.

Eevee

Feb 25, 2005, 06:55 PM

I sold drugs to elementary school children. Man those kids were CRAAAZZYY for the benedryl!

You are aweful! :p

Eevee

Feb 25, 2005, 07:01 PM

For my first mac, a G3 PB (233 GHz, 2 gig hard drive-how did I survive with this?), my parents bought it for me for graduate school at UC Davis. Cost $2000 back then!!! It worked well for Word, Powerpoint, Chemdraw, and checking email. I really need to thank them.

Hey, there are lots of UC people here and Southern Cal. And yes, you NEED a car there! And rent costs so much $$$!!!

Eastend

Feb 25, 2005, 07:38 PM

It was not a Mac, it was a car, but it's cash were talking about here. At 15 I worked all Summer in an Amusement Park just cleaning around the Pin Ball machines and keeping it tidy all night(It's called a game center now I guess). Saved over 500 dollars and bought a 1955 chevy the next year, great old car. I will not tell you how many decades ago that was, but in todays dollars that might very well equal over 1,000 dollars. You can buy a good used Mac for 1,000 dollars.

Brian

chanoc

Feb 25, 2005, 09:36 PM

I would feel pretty bad about taking food from charities that are trying to help the truly needy, then turning around and buying a Mac with the money I've saved. I would suggest instead beating up bums on streetcorners for their spare change.

Okay Bill Gates. :rolleyes:

That is some of the worst logic I have ever heard. :rolleyes:

chanoc

Feb 25, 2005, 09:50 PM

Unfortunately, a car is a necessity here. Public transportation is about as safe as crossing a railroad track with a train coming towards you rapidly. Not to mention it's really hard here in Southern California to get anywhere with public transportation.

Yeah I know, not having a car in America makes one a third-class citizen. :(

Move, you have no business being in California unless you make at least 35,000 a year. Life is so much easier in Alaska. Public transportation goes everywhere here, except the rich people's neighborhood. A UAA student ID card gets you on the bus for free. There is so much food here it ends up in the garbage if not given away. I am working as a DMO (dishwasher machine operator) - aka slave labor - and it pays me enough to afford a Mac, Internet, and upgrades.

I remember trying to live in Chula Vista, what a nightmare. Jobs wanted to only give part-time hours, and it was hard to get a job. Sometimes even a McDonalds job had > 300 applicants. Finally I got a jobby telemarketing, got two checks, went to San Felipe, got drunk, took the bus back to San Diego, said f it, and went back north. California sucks unless you can afford to live there.

chanoc

Feb 25, 2005, 10:00 PM

What a scummy thing to do. I mean, that's just rotten. I am disgusted that Apple teams with these lowlife bottom-feeders. I would have threatened to send it back to Apple. MBNA are blood-thristy scum bastards.

(I'm glad my Apple Loan is PAID OFF in full! Never again with MBNA!)

I hate MBNA! Those ********ers charge ridiculous amounts for interest. I got ride of NMBA with chapter 11 though, told them to kiss the 10,000.00 bye bye! :D

These days I buy my Macs with cash.

jsalzer

Feb 25, 2005, 10:16 PM

I got my first Mac my freshman year (Performa 550 from Wal-mart). I justified emptying out my savings with the gas I'd save not going to the college to use the computer lab (had classes the first half of the day, went to work in my home town, went back to the college at night to do my work, and then went back home.)

Of course, I was lucky to have scholarships to cover most of my tuition, so I know that doesn't help you.

Years later, I got my Performa 6400 at Computer Renaissance (sp?). It was quite dated by the time I got it, but it was a huge step up for me, and that's what counted. Of course, for that amount (around 500), you could have a brand new Mini now!

Anywho - while in school, I held several part-time jobs. I was very lucky to find so many flexible jobs that I could stack them up and work them around my classes.

Check with Financial Aid to see if you qualify for Work-Study - where the federal government pays you to work for one of the departments at your school. You'll be more likely to get an employer who will work around your class schedule *and* your other job schedule. After all, they're there to help you succeed.

I was about to suggest turning down the heat a few degrees and keeping a sweatshirt on, but being that you're in Cali, I doubt your heating bills are as much of a problem as they are up north.

Find a sugar daddy?

:)

Bibulous

Feb 25, 2005, 10:27 PM

I hate MBNA! Those ********ers charge ridiculous amounts for interest. I got ride of NMBA with chapter 11 though, told them to kiss the 10,000.00 bye bye! :D

These days I buy my Macs with cash.

Sure they got the raw end of that deal ;), could be why they charged those ridiculous interest rates to some customers

Don't you guys up there get a check from the state just for living, and pay no state taxes of any kind? Was in Anchorage once, unbelievably beautiful, but when you drive out of town, the roads just stop!

chanoc

Feb 25, 2005, 11:05 PM

Sure they got the raw end of that deal ;), could be why they charged those ridiculous interest rates to some customers

Don't you guys up there get a check from the state just for living, and pay no state taxes of any kind? Was in Anchorage once, unbelievably beautiful, but when you drive out of town, the roads just stop!

Every October I get a direct deposit, varies though. The highest was around 1,900 and last year's amount was 919.84 - just for living here. This year should be high. It called the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (http://www.pfd.state.ak.us/index.aspx), and yes have used this to buy Macs.

The road stopped? It goes north to the Arctic, south to Seward and Homer(North Pacific Ocean), east to Canada, but going west would stop somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Direct flights to Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Hawaii and Canada. I still cannot get used to moose meandering about the city though!

Kirbdog

Feb 25, 2005, 11:49 PM

I just got my and I took advantade of the EDU Discount. Before I went to college I got a student line of credit, and I used that to buy my Powerbook. I got it now by I will have to pay later. I sold my PC desktop while it was still worth more than 500 bucks to help with the cost. I conviced myself I could not afford to be without it. (not a hard sell) It also helps that I have a high paying job whe I'm not at school.

Les Kern

Feb 26, 2005, 12:03 AM

Consider some advice from a man twice you age who has been through it all. I started out poor, like most folks. If I wanted something, I did what I needed to do to get. A second or even a third job, even when in college. Debt should NOT be an option. What you won't REALLY understand is how financial issues can destroy you... until it happens to you. I watched a dear friend lose 10 years of his life trying to chase all that down. It was gut-wrenching.
Why do you want this computer? Entertainment? Something for the soul? What are your priorities? Is it for "fun"? Will you make some dough?
My first computer was a Plus. It cost a LOT back then. One of the first things I did was look for a way to make money with it, and I did. I made some simple menus for area businesses. Later, when I earned enough to buy another (LCII) I started building web sites for folks. Then later, since I knew a lot about Macs, I did side-work doing repairs, upgrades and other things. Then I found a business that had a small network of them. I did the IT and even training. Now, because I did all that ground work (without going into debt mind you) I'm a tech director making a crapload of money.
Know what you want to do. If the computer is for fun and not profit, where is the priority to get one? Of course "the soul" should also be considered, but I'm willing to offer that if it's not for "a plan", the soul doesn't need you in debt you can't handle. It will be crushed.

CanadaRAM

Feb 26, 2005, 12:28 AM

Man, don't get sucked into credit cards or retail loans. Those credit cards are 18 - 21% interest. If you have to borrow, go to your bank or credit union, get a relative to back you up, and do it at 6% - 8% interest. But better not to borrow for anything except tuition or a house (the two biggest expenditures you'll have in your life, except possibly a daughter's wedding....:-). Buy a cheap used car if you have to have one. New cars are for suckers.

Lareth: What you talking about making 2/3 of your monthly minimum with the 1% cash back cards (never seen a 2% cash back -- since Visa charges the merchant 1.8% - 4% they can't be giving back 2)? First off, you have to pay a yearly fee to have one. Then you get 1% back on your purchases, only if you keep the card in good standing. So you buy something for $1000, you get $10 discount back a year later, in the mean time you have paid $180 interest and a $100 fee to have the card. How does that make sense? Never, ever look at the minimum payment -- minimum payment = maximum interest.

If you have credit card debt, WAIT to buy the Mac until you have paid it off. Seriously. Every $100 you pay off the card balance pays you back $18 per year, or more. The exception would be, if you have a revenue making opportunity that will make you enough to pay the machine off in 6 months - (lets say someone will pay you $250 a month to maintain their business web site, collect the stats, do search engine placement) which you need the machine for. Then it is viable to invest in the opportunity.

My solution was - First: don't drink booze and don't buy fancy coffee. Even if I save only $10 a week (1 Starbucks Doppio Latte every 3 days), that's a basic Mini every year. So, when I go out I'm always designated driver - that's fine with me - I save a bundle on drinks and my friends get home alive. Second, drop Cable TV. I'd rather have broadband than TV, I can make money with my internet connection, I can't with the boob tube. Third: Use the public (or school) library for magazines and books rather than the newsstand. If I could break my magazine habit, that would be another iBook every 2 years.

notjustjay

Feb 26, 2005, 01:00 AM

Second (third?) the advice about not getting into credit debt. I always, always see stories in places like magazines, newspapers, Reader's Digest, etc. about how to handle credit cards, and they always give helpful tips like "always pay off the mininum balance" and "try to avoid carrying debt". I used to laugh. I thought I was better than everyone else, because I *never* carried a balance, I *always* paid off the entire month's balance in time. I thought I had those credit card companies suckered.

Then one month I had a bill that was just a bit higher than I had in my account.. and I said, that's ok, I'll pay it off next month. Then next month's paycheck was delayed because of a screwup at the university payroll office (something which I was soon to discover would be FREQUENT) - and I said, aww, that's ok, I'll have it paid off in a few months.

Well, that was a year ago...

It starts off slowly, and then when you realize you're in that position, it takes a LONG time to get out, barring major lifestyle changes. This is, in fact, what I am counting on to get me out - a major lifestyle change from being a starving grad student to a productive, money-making member of the workforce.

Edit: anyone want to buy a video mixer and help me pay off some of that debt? ;) I'm about to post a Panasonic WJ-AVE5 mixer for sale.

RacerX

Feb 26, 2005, 01:56 AM

I have been a fan of Apple for a long time. But, because the cost of the machine is expensive for someone like me (university student, living on my own, part-time worker), I always have to resort to using PCs,
How did you afford a PC? You buy what you want, you bought a PC. There is nothing forcing you to buy a new, top-of-the-line Mac. You decided on a PC and that is what you got. You could have used that exact same amount of money to get a Mac and you didn't. It is that simple.

Sorry, no magic here. I, personally, have never spent more than $800 on a system (of any type, not just Macs).

And there was never anything stopping you from buying what you wanted. You just didn't really want a Mac. Otherwise you would have already been tracking down the best prices for a suitable system.

I mean, just to buy my mini ipod it took me a year and a half and a generous donation from my family (and keep in mind I did take advantage of the edu discount and spent about $240)
You can afford an iPod and not a Mac? That looks more like a priority problem than a financial one. There was no way I would have bought an iPod while in school. That is (in my opinion) a waste of money on what is a luxury item.

I know what you mean, I'm going to UCR and am from San Diego.
When I was in school (at UCSD in the early 90's) I worked nights and was a full time student (mathematics), and I owned a Mac back then (when Macs really were expensive). And I didn't have anyone helping me.

I bought an SE/30 for $500 in 1991 while in the same situation you are in now. I watched, I waited, then found a great price (that I could afford). When it came to a music player, I couldn't justify a CD player, so I had a cheap tape player (around $15). Something equivalent to an iPod would never have even crossed my mind back then.

Priorities, you gotta get them straight. :eek:

SamIchi

Feb 26, 2005, 02:00 AM

Create a Gradient Creator (http://emoonline.com/gradient/), advertise it, advertise on it, and benifit.

Actually, I've only earned 20 bucks off Gradient Creator, but every cent counts I guess. I don't even touch it and it earns me money, so I'm happy about that.

scem0

How does this work???? Please enlighten me. :D

scem0

Feb 26, 2005, 06:16 AM

How does this work???? Please enlighten me. :D

I hate to go off topic, but you put the text you want to gradient in the box, select the colors you want, click Gradient It, then copy the code, and paste it into the posting box. How's that for a run-on sentence?

scem0

Chappers

Feb 26, 2005, 11:18 AM

What a scummy thing to do. I mean, that's just rotten. I am disgusted that Apple teams with these lowlife bottom-feeders. I would have threatened to send it back to Apple. MBNA are blood-thristy scum bastards.

(I'm glad my Apple Loan is PAID OFF in full! Never again with MBNA!)

All interest free loans are designed my the same type of scum, sad that Apple deal with them but probably have no choice except not to offer interest free loans.

SamIchi

Feb 26, 2005, 12:47 PM

I hate to go off topic, but you put the text you want to gradient in the box, select the colors you want, click Gradient It, then copy the code, and paste it into the posting box. How's that for a run-on sentence?

scem0

I meant how are you makin' money off of it?

ravenvii

Feb 26, 2005, 01:43 PM

I meant how are you makin' money off of it?

Scroll down on his page. See those ads? The rest answers for itself.

jamdr

Feb 26, 2005, 03:00 PM

You obviously haven't seen the costs of renting an apartment in California...
Hey, consider yourself lucky! A $750/month apartment in Berkeley would either be a refrigerator box behind the dumpster or a figment of your imagination. But most Berkeley students end up sharing rent with three or four roommates and public transportation is pretty good, although if you need a car you usually know someone who has one.

The way I got my current iBook is I started small and worked my way up. The first laptop I had was a 300MHz Wallstreet a few years ago which I bought for maybe $400. Then I sold that for $300 or so on eBay and spent another $400 to get a 700MHz iBook G3 last year. Eventually I sold that and got a 800MHz iBook G4, which I was happy with. But a relative wanted to get into Macs and so offered a good price for it and after that I bought a current iBook. You just gotta work out things like this and eventually you will get what you want. DON'T use credit and DO get a roommate or two.

chanoc

Feb 26, 2005, 03:52 PM

For me the bottom line is: car or computer.

I choose computer.

Lacero

Feb 26, 2005, 03:59 PM

You also choose not to have a girlfriend. ;)

anotherjeff

Feb 26, 2005, 05:14 PM

Tax refund!
and ebay anything not nailed to the floor, including pets, roommates, and food.

pubwvj

Feb 26, 2005, 08:17 PM

I have been a fan of Apple for a long time...My question is...how did you afford it?

If you really want something you can find a (legitiment) way to get it:

1) cut all your other expenses to the bone

2) eat less, eat cheaper, don't buy prepared foods, coffees, etc.

3) move somewhere cheaper and/or get a roommate (or another)

4) stop buying stuff

5) sell your other stuff

6) get another job or create and sell something working for yourself

7) if you do buy something ask yourself three times slowly, "Do I really need this?" If you answer yes then ask yourself slowly, again three times, "Would I rather have this or a Mac?"

8) look into the educational discounts

9) put every penny you have left at the end of every day into a box for it (forget bank accounts - too many fees, don't trust them further than you can throw them)

10) buy a used machine and then don't upgrade for as long as possible. My mother still uses a Mac Plus which we've kept running for almost 20 years. It does what she wants and she does not want to get something new. (She can afford it, she is just like that.) I use a PowerBook Pismo that I've had for five years - great machine and I won't be replacing it for a long while. When I do replace it I will pass it on in the family - the resale value isn't there but the pass along value is.

Lastly, Mac's aren't expensive. Your monthly rent is enough to buy a Mac Mini or two excellent used PowerBook Pismo 500MHz which will run MacOS X 10.3.8 and maybe even Tiger (not that you need it) as well as email, Safari, spreadsheet, wordprocessing, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc just fine. If you're willing to run MacOS 9 then you can even get a PowerBook 1400 or such for under $100.

You just gotta make the sacrifices if you really want something.

baummer

Feb 26, 2005, 09:17 PM

Yeah I know, not having a car in America makes one a third-class citizen. :(

Move, you have no business being in California unless you make at least 35,000 a year. Life is so much easier in Alaska. Public transportation goes everywhere here, except the rich people's neighborhood. A UAA student ID card gets you on the bus for free. There is so much food here it ends up in the garbage if not given away. I am working as a DMO (dishwasher machine operator) - aka slave labor - and it pays me enough to afford a Mac, Internet, and upgrades.

I remember trying to live in Chula Vista, what a nightmare. Jobs wanted to only give part-time hours, and it was hard to get a job. Sometimes even a McDonalds job had > 300 applicants. Finally I got a jobby telemarketing, got two checks, went to San Felipe, got drunk, took the bus back to San Diego, said f it, and went back north. California sucks unless you can afford to live there.

Funny...I was born in San Diego and my parents still live in Chula Vista. I know what you mean. But, moving is not an option.

baummer

Feb 26, 2005, 09:18 PM

Hey, consider yourself lucky! A $750/month apartment in Berkeley would either be a refrigerator box behind the dumpster or a figment of your imagination. But most Berkeley students end up sharing rent with three or four roommates and public transportation is pretty good, although if you need a car you usually know someone who has one.

Well...I don't because I've never been to Berkeley and I don't go to school there, so that's pretty much moot. I'm talking about my situation as it is.

baummer

Feb 26, 2005, 09:21 PM

How did you afford a PC? You buy what you want, you bought a PC. There is nothing forcing you to buy a new, top-of-the-line Mac. You decided on a PC and that is what you got. You could have used that exact same amount of money to get a Mac and you didn't. It is that simple.

Sorry, no magic here. I, personally, have never spent more than $800 on a system (of any type, not just Macs).
My computer was a high school graduation gift that had already been purchased for me. I didn't decide on the PC, it was decided for me.

You can afford an iPod and not a Mac? That looks more like a priority problem than a financial one. There was no way I would have bought an iPod while in school. That is (in my opinion) a waste of money on what is a luxury item.
Again, it was with money saved up and the rest was a Christmas present from my parents. I wanted a Mac, but at the time the cheapest one they had, with tax, was $1000, and my parents were not willing to do that.

phrancpharmD

Feb 26, 2005, 10:46 PM

You only have to come up with a big investment once... so long as you sell your machine every year or two (once you're on a schedule stick to it), use that money and you'll only have to pay a small additional amount to get a new machine. Of course this works better on the pro equipment than the consumer...

Excellent advice; exactly what I have done, and with iBooks to boot! I started with a 600MHz G3 iBook two years ago and traded up to a 933MHz iBook about a year ago and my 1.2GHz G4 iBook this past October (I think) with only a couple of hundred dollars outlaid each time.

Also, you can dilligently check out eBay and "track" several items for a couple of weeks - it's tedious, but you might get an idea of the least you can get away with spending. I've seen some great stuff sneak past for cheap!

5300cs

Feb 26, 2005, 11:09 PM

Have you thought about getting a floor model? Most of my machines were display models: the staff cleaned them off and packed them up for me. Since the store was the 'previous owner' they kept the box, manuals and all that. It may sound strange or cheap, but you want your Mac, don't you?

Also when a new model is released- like a speed bump in the iBooks or something- the older models are then priced cheaper, or priced to clear. That's when I go in and can usually get a good deal. In fact, the only machine I bought new was my G3 800 iBook, and it's the ONLY one that's gone bad on me :mad:

Anyway, over here in Japan, the stores will eventually sell their display models and you can get them cheap, and in good condition. I'm not sure about the US (been here for 5 years now) but it's worth a shot. Try a non-Apple store like CompUSA or MicroCenter.

Also since the upgrade cycle for Macs is a lot longer than peecees, you could get by with a B&W PowerMac, for example. How much is one on eBay these days? Get one, toss in a decent video card and you're all set to go- trust me, I have one.

Hope that helps :)

RacerX

Feb 27, 2005, 04:41 AM

My computer was a high school graduation gift that had already been purchased for me. I didn't decide on the PC, it was decided for me...

Again, it was with money saved up and the rest was a Christmas present from my parents. I wanted a Mac, but at the time the cheapest one they had, with tax, was $1000, and my parents were not willing to do that.
Wow, my parents were out of my life after I graduated high school. No gifts, no presents, and they weren't making any choices for me either.

Hate to say it, but until you can make your own choices nothing else we can say is going to make any difference for you. As long as you're under your parents control and they want you using PCs, you'll be a PC user.

The question isn't how we could afford it... because you can afford it now. We had the freedom to choose what we wanted, but you don't seem to have that same freedom.

Posted by chanoc
I remember trying to live in Chula Vista, what a nightmare. Jobs wanted to only give part-time hours, and it was hard to get a job.

Responce by baummer
Funny...I was born in San Diego and my parents still live in Chula Vista.
I was born in La Jolla and my parents still live in Coronado. While I was in the San Diego area I was living in La Mesa. It didn't seem that expensive to me. I was always able to find a job if I needed one. Before I left I was a track coach at Cuyamaca College... I got that position by accident as I wasn't even looking for a job at the time. :eek:

baummer

Feb 27, 2005, 05:00 AM

Wow, my parents were out of my life after I graduated high school. No gifts, no presents, and they weren't making any choices for me either.

Hate to say it, but until you can make your own choices nothing else we can say is going to make any difference for you. As long as you're under your parents control and they want you using PCs, you'll be a PC user.

The question isn't how we could afford it... because you can afford it now. We had the freedom to choose what we wanted, but you don't seem to have that same freedom.

My parents and I have always had a close relationship, though I don't feel I need to justify that. I make my own choices. What I was referring to was they were not going to split the cost (because they are living on a fixed income) of a $1000 mac. I am not under my parents control, not do they give me money. The presents I receive twice a year; Birthday and Christmas. It's not that they wanted me using a PC, it's that when they purchased the laptop, it was cheaper than a Mac. Again, it's not a matter of parental control, it's a matter of cost.

jefhatfield

Feb 27, 2005, 09:29 AM

I have been a fan of Apple for a long time. But, because the cost of the machine is expensive for someone like me (university student, living on my own, part-time worker), I always have to resort to using PCs, which I'm growing more and more disgusted and frustrated with. My question is...how did you afford it? Any tips? I try to save, but with rent and food costs, as well as books, etc., I just can't save enough money for anything. I'm lucky if I walk away with $10 after bills are paid. Anyways, sorry about this rant, just wondering if I'm missing something.

i commend you for working, paying rent, and going to school...without the use of a loan or credit card, you may have to wait until you finish college or have a semester off in order to be able to afford a mini mac or emac

when in college, and spending good working time being in class and not getting paid, it sometimes feels like a waste and its not worth it...many students are desperately poor in their school years and resent that fact

but whether you finish school or not (degrees don't make a lick of difference for most of us college/university graduates in pay...he he...reality bites) you can then work full time and you will find it easy to buy most, if not all the options available to the public...you may not have to settle for an emac since with full time work, and thus better credit card offers, if need be, you can get yourself that g5 with a nice cinema screen

ultimately chances are the best thing for you to do is wait until you finish college or have a semester off where you can work full time and afford a mac...with the mini mac out there, apple computers are actually as affordable as pc desktops

RacerX

Feb 27, 2005, 12:19 PM

My parents and I have always had a close relationship, though I don't feel I need to justify that. I make my own choices.
I didn't think you needed to or that there was anything wrong with that.

What I was referring to was they were not going to split the cost (because they are living on a fixed income) of a $1000 mac... It's not that they wanted me using a PC, it's that when they purchased the laptop, it was cheaper than a Mac. Again, it's not a matter of parental control, it's a matter of cost.
Then I guess the question is how is it that you are unable or unwilling to see that there are reasonably price Macs on the used market. Mac users (throughout the community as a whole) tend to take very good care of their systems. Used systems are often in great shape and any factory problems and bugs have already been found and fixed.

For example, I have bought (for myself and my clients) a number of computers from this place (http://www.baucomcomputers.com/). The PowerBook I'm using right now I bought from them back in early 2001 for $400 (it is a PowerBook G3/266 Wallstreet). By the summer I had enough money to up the RAM from 192 Mb to 512 (around $120). In the spring of 2002 I replace the 4 GB drive with an 8 GB drive ($50). At the time I was running Mac OS X Server 1.2 (Rhapsody 5.6, part of the reason I wanted a Wallstreet was for running that OS) and it was a perfect system for me. In the summer of 2002 I tried Mac OS X v10.2 on a spare drive (the original 4 GB drive) and loved it. I backed up everything off the 8 GB drive and installed 10.2 on it in September 2002 (same installation I am using now). By early 2003 I decided I needed more speed so I started looking for a faster system (I was thinking of an eMac and had been for a while). I ended up getting a G4/500 upgrade card ($300) for the PowerBook, and the need for another system disappeared. Last summer I bought an expansion bay drive kit ($60) which let me use my spare 4 GB drive in my system as a second hard drive and I got a CDRW drive for the other expansion bay ($270) as I don't use the battery anymore.

Other than the CDRW drive (which was a frivolous purchase as I already had a CD burner on another system) everything was bought based on what I needed and could afford at the time. If I was starting today, I would buy a PowerMac G4/1 GHz (as I figured out that I get all the usefulness I need from a mobile system from my old ThinkPad running Rhapsody 5.1).

The point is, you get what you want based on what you can afford. What I have now is roughly equivalent to an iBook G4 (14"), but I still have a ton of expandability left (I can easily replace both hard drives with bigger ones, which is a hard thing to do with iBooks... I know because I've done it for a client once) including two unused PC card slots, and still have compatibility with old devices (like my Newton which I can still sync with Address Book and iCal).

The Mac I used in college I got from a Doctor who was upgrading his office to faster systems and was happy to be helping out a student at UCSD. It was used, but in great shape. And as the person selling it was being generous, I got a great system at an incredible price (as I said earlier, I paid $500, the SE/30 was still being sold by Apple in 1991 for around $3000). And there was no way I could afford the lowest end new system back then (the Macintosh Classic which was running about $1500, or around $1100 at the university bookstore).

If you really want a Mac, you'll have a Mac.

I, personally, consider cars and computers to be pretty much the same when buying them. If you buy new, you'll have lost a lot of your investment as you drive it off the lot. Buying something a little used means someone else has paid that cost for you.