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A Very Stupid Purchasing Decision (Help Me Justify This)

M

m_melugin

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 9, 2005
11
0
I'm about to do something really stupid. I'm tired of waiting. I can't sleep, can't think, can't get any work done... I'm just going to go out and buy a 17-inch PowerBook at a local reseller... without the educational discount. Every time I call the Apple Store, they're out of stock. I can't buy it online because my credit card limit doesn't go that high... please, somebody STOP me! (or justify my irrationalness to make me feel better). :)

And besides... I want 1.5 GB of RAM anyways, so wouldn't it be almost the same price if I were to get the machine and the extra stick of RAM at the reseller as opposed to letting Apple upgrade it (they're RAM is very overpriced)?
 
I am going to be purchasing the samething as you, (cept 2 GB RAM, I wanna max it out). I am just waiting on a $1000 check from my school to get here and then im gonna go out and get mine. Whether the check gets here before or after the paris expo, im gonna be getting my powerbook the day I get that check cause I need one for school asap.
 
m_melugin said:
please, somebody STOP me! (or justify my irrationalness to make me feel better). :)
Click to expand...
Well you only live once! :D

m_melugin said:
And besides... I want 1.5 GB of RAM anyways, so wouldn't it be almost the same price if I were to get the machine and the extra stick of RAM at the reseller as opposed to letting Apple upgrade it (they're RAM is very overpriced)?
Click to expand...
Yeah definately don't buy a gig of RAM through apple, thats really pricey. Not sure if you would even want to buy RAM through a retail store, you might be able to get a better deal online. (do a forum search, always a bunch of topics on the best site to buy RAM then you can compare and make up your mind about where is cheapest/best place to get RAM).
 
Easy. The EDU discount on that expensive (very, very, very expensive) 17" PB is a LOT of money.

Think of all the things you can buy with that extra spending money...case, extra battery, iSkin, sleeve, mouse, keyboard, iCurve, iLap, things for ITASOR, magazine subscription, helpful books, dinner, furniture, mighty mouse, mx 1000 laser mouse, palm, router, ap express, ap base station, miniDV camera and accessories, more presents for ITASOR, that expensive Apple mouse pad you always wanted, 5+ years of MR contribution status....etc.

See what I mean? Pointless to not wait a few weeks or so to save all that money.
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I don't know if you guys are seriously justifying this irratinal decision, but I'll take what I can get! lol.
 
You're going to suffer from serious buyers' remorse should you continue your current course of action. Please bookmark my post so I don't have to say "Told you so".
 
m_melugin said:
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I don't know if you guys are seriously justifying this irratinal decision, but I'll take what I can get! lol.
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Saving a few hundred or more dollars by waiting a little doesn't justify it alone?
 
If m_melugin is typical of most Macrumors members, he apparently has money literally seeping from his pores, so I think he'll be okay whatever he decides to do. I wish my biggest dilemma in life was "17" PB: Now or in a couple weeks????"
 
m_melugin said:
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I don't know if you guys are seriously justifying this irrational decision, but I'll take what I can get! lol.
Click to expand...

I don't see your purchase as irrational at all. You know that you want a new PowerBook. Don't think there will be a significant update at Paris Expo anyway. You might as well get the enjoyment now. Purchase what you can afford. Besides RAM, I would highly recommend AppleCare.
 
m_melugin said:
I'm about to do something really stupid. I'm tired of waiting. I can't sleep, can't think, can't get any work done... I'm just going to go out and buy a 17-inch PowerBook at a local reseller... without the educational discount. Every time I call the Apple Store, they're out of stock. I can't buy it online because my credit card limit doesn't go that high... please, somebody STOP me! (or justify my irrationalness to make me feel better). :)

And besides... I want 1.5 GB of RAM anyways, so wouldn't it be almost the same price if I were to get the machine and the extra stick of RAM at the reseller as opposed to letting Apple upgrade it (they're RAM is very overpriced)?
Click to expand...


i kno E-X-A-C-T-L-Y how u feel, i was on that boat 8 months ago. i was waiting for a check from school, BUT i couldnt wait anymore and just bought it on my credit card. the check never came in (they cancelled my scholorship) but i dont regret one minute, cuz i love my ibook.

p.s. my ibook was wayyy cheaper than the 17"pb ur gonna get, so I WOULD use EDU disc. :D
 
The last PB update was in January. 8 long months ago. You're going to kick yourself for not waiting a little bit longer. There's a reason for the Out-of-Stock status.
 
m_melugin said:
...I can't buy it online because my credit card limit doesn't go that high...
Click to expand...

Hi, you can always put more money onto your credit card. eg: if you limit is $3000 and you want to spend $4000... put an extra $1000 on the card.
 
Actually, the PowerBook update rumored for next month doesn't phase me a bit. As the 17-inch model stands right now, it's perfect for me: enough power and the screen is just fine as it is. I've actually never been obsessive about having the latest and greatest hardware so long as it has the functionality I want.

Anyway, as I said, I'm going to hold out 'till the rest of this week and maybe the weekend. But I absolutely have to have it by next week when college starts up again. :)

By-the-way: Why can't resellers offer the educational discount to buyers?
 
Do you have an Apple store nearby? They can do the edu discount. And I have heard from people that CompUSA has sometimes matched the edu discount if you ask for it (they don't want to lose a sale).
 
Yep. I've got two stores close to me here in Texas. The one in Plano and the one in Highland Village. I guess this makes me more lucky than most people (although you people in California have it good!). But both stores were out of stock.

I've never heard of the CompUSA stores matching the educational discounts. I'm sure it happens though. The CompUSA I went to last week (just to lick the PowerBook for an hour) didn't offer me any discounts even though they were practically attacking me like vultures.
 
I'm in the same boat kinda. I don't have the money though. Well I do but it could be spent on food and rent. Hmm food and a place to live or a powerbook? Wow my van is looking like a good place to live......


Merf
 
m_melugin said:
Yep. I've got two stores close to me here in Texas. The one in Plano and the one in Highland Village. I guess this makes me more lucky than most people (although you people in California have it good!). But both stores were out of stock.

I've never heard of the CompUSA stores matching the educational discounts. I'm sure it happens though. The CompUSA I went to last week (just to lick the PowerBook for an hour) didn't offer me any discounts even though they were practically attacking me like vultures.
Click to expand...

CompUSA did seem to have a good discount in the past.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/137978/

edit: Chicago has 5 stores, and counting...
 
AJ Muni said:
i kno E-X-A-C-T-L-Y how u feel, i was on that boat 8 months ago. i was waiting for a check from school, BUT i couldnt wait anymore and just bought it on my credit card. the check never came in (they cancelled my scholorship) but i dont regret one minute, cuz i love my ibook.

p.s. my ibook was wayyy cheaper than the 17"pb ur gonna get, so I WOULD use EDU disc. :D
Click to expand...


ok, 1 question:

What school do you go to that writes you checks!?! I write a friggin $30,000 off a year for this place and you GET money? WTF!? I'm going there!
 
If you can't sleep because of the decision which computer to buy - you have issues and money are better spent elsewhere.

Just my $0.02.

On a side note, Apple is on the verge of major architecture switch - to me it doesn't make sense to buy any of the current Apple lineup. Unless of course you need to do some serious work and Dual-core PowerMacs hit the market.
 
have you ever heard of refund or residual checks? i know that's one primary way of receiving a check from the school. you get one if you have a surplus of financial aid (federal loans, outside scholarships, grants) after your tuition and other fees are paid. the difference you receive in check form from the bursar/cashiers office.

i'm waiting on one myself...as soon as that baby comes my ibook will be on the way.
 
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