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How did you pay for your iPad?

How did you pay for your iPad?

  • I paid for it with money I have now.

    Votes: 458 90.3%

  • I got financing and can easily pay it off in a few months.

    Votes: 34 6.7%

  • I got financing but it will be difficult paying it off any time soon.

    Votes: 15 3.0%
  • Total voters
    507
Would NEVER buy something like this on credit if I couldn't afford to pay cash! We use credit cards for convenience but always pay off monthly statement in full. Some nimrod on another thread was suggesting I return my pinkish screen iPad ( otherwise perfect) so I could "pay off my credit cards":confused:. I was kind of offended - this idiot knows nothing about me or my finances. No one should be making assumptions about others' spending habits or finances. However, my dad told me when I got my first credit card straight out of college to never incur debt on anything but a mortgage (or a car to get to and from work). This was sage advice and has served our family well.
 
I got a freelance design job that paid me $850 about 1 week before launch. I then put it on CC and just paid off the loan with the cash. It was like getting a free ipad just in time! Nice.
 
Apple fanboy said:
But like most things in life you don't need just pay cash. Credit should only be used when you need something and you can't afford to wait.
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Huh? Credit cards have a ton of benefits that have nothing to do with "buying things you can afford".

-Points (miles, cash back, comps)
-Easier expense management (statements that break down expense categories so i can adjust my budget easier
-Less germs. (Have you ever gottent change at a fast food joint. It's like people are storing their money in a jock strap)
-Free Warranty doubling (Thos saved me a few times)
-Cardholder protection services (price protection, stolen etc)
-protection from theft/loss (Try going to the bank to recover missing cash because you lost your wallet)
-Billpay with credit cards is safer than direct withdrawals from my checking

If youre responsible then credit cards simplify life and offer huge benefits over cash. I use credit cards all the time and never leave a balance on them. An at the end of the year I usually get $500 back from all my cards.
 
I wouldn't Know about the benifits of credit cards. At 37 I've never had one or a loan. I currently own my own house (no mortgage) and have enough savings that I could give up work for more than a year. But yes if you think a few air miles are worth it you go ahead and get a credit card. And if you are the one in 1000 that is responsible and pay it off each month good luck to you. If you are not however enjoy paying the 128% for your iPad. I'd rather pay the store price, but that's just me. After all isn't most of the worlds economy screwed because of the have now pay later culture we live in?
 
Apple fanboy said:
I wouldn't Know about the benifits of credit cards. At 37 I've never had one or a loan. I currently own my own house (no mortgage) and have enough savings that I could give up work for more than a year. But yes if you think a few air miles are worth it you go ahead and get a credit card. And if you are the one in 1000 that is responsible and pay it off each month good luck to you. If you are not however enjoy paying the 128% for your iPad. I'd rather pay the store price, but that's just me. After all isn't most of the worlds economy screwed because of the have now pay later culture we live in?
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this is great, if more people did this (like my parents, grandparents, etc) we would have less issues in the world today. growing up we never had credit or cards, always paid cash, insurance was a dirty word (like welfare or handouts)
and no we were not 1%, just a normal nuclear family growing up in the 50s and 60s with one income and a stay at home caregiver.
i've paid for everything i own (house, cars, education, etc) grand-dad said it right...pay cash or do without!
this advice has served me well

i know that not everyone can do this for myriad reasons, life just doesn't work that way all the time, my only advice is don't get drowned in debt just because it's new and shiny

my .02

oh yeah, paid cash for both iPads and both iPhones (no contracts-just service)
 
tmagman said:
I bought apple stock, I sold apple stock. I spent the gains on my ipad. I didn't buy an iPad, Apple bought me one :p
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Be careful with stocks. Just a few mistakes and then bam, your losing lots of cash because a company stops innovating and are to slow to change with the market. Technology stocks are such a huge gamble. There was no bad news for Apple yet their taking a 20 plus point hit. Very unpredictable.

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koigirl said:
The key: never carry a balance!
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Easier said then done with the majority of people out there.
 
I'm surprise no one opened up a Chase Freedom Card that came with the $300 cash back if you spend $500 in the first 3 months.

I did this and got my cash back with in the month. Put the cash back towards the card.

Total out of pocket for the 32 GB black 4G AT&T = $429 + tax

Offer is not available anymore, but it was everywhere.

Did anyone else do this?
 

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I paid in "cash" through an electronic transfer of my actual money that I use from my debit card that is linked to checking account.

I don't use credit cards. I'd rather use my own money instead of paying someone back with growing interest.
 
cdmoore74 said:
Be careful with stocks. Just a few mistakes and then bam, your losing lots of cash because a company stops innovating and are to slow to change with the market. Technology stocks are such a huge gamble. There was no bad news for Apple yet their taking a 20 plus point hit. Very unpredictable.
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I'm a business student, grew up in a financial household and have been buying and selling stocks since i was 8 too. I by no means endorse stocks if you're not informed or know what you're doing. I'm a technical trader too and saw the P/E creeping up outside of the normal range that I was comfortable with and decided to sell for the final time. Sure I missed out on some of the up-up side beyond their last quarter's financial reporting but I didn't want to see the stock go parabolic and not time the top. I flipped apple a total of 4 times starting at $85 about 5 years ago now...

Obviously you know what you're talking about cause tech is definitely a volatile market. I'm willing to bet you have some knowledge cause of the .com bubble. Have you read Maggie Mahar's 'Bull!' book? Highly recommend it.
 
Paid cash.

If I can't pay cash, I don't buy.

Don't have nor want a credit card / financing
 
Target Red Card, 5% off, bought in Oregon... No tax.. 30 days to pay off in full w/o any interest.. Saved $50 off my iPad purchase + tax.
 
Credit is not a bad thing, if used responsibly. When I bought my iPad I didn't have the full amount spare, so I bought it on a credit card with a "0% on purchases for 12 months" promotional offer. Made five monthly payments of £80 onto it, and after those five months it was paid in full, with no interest whatsoever. I could've simply waited and saved, but by taking advantage of that promotional offer it meant I got the iPad straight away without having to wait. If it would've meant being lumbered with lots of interest though, then that would've been a different story. So as I said, credit's not a bad thing when used responsibly, and with the right kind of mental discipline.
 
Glad to see people who pay their bills
1) try to use a rewards card.

Paying cash does nothing for your credit nor points

2) pay your cc bill on time. Don't carry a balance
That's free $ u are giving away.

Oh u can't afford to pay the whole bill? Then don't buy it!

3) ensure the cc u use has buyer protection for accidents etc

My top cc cards are Amex gold and southwest premiere rewards visa
 
Bought on CC, paid off full balance within the next week when I made my regular CC payment with more than 20 days to spare. I carry no balance on my cards, I budget every month and knew what I had in extra spend-money that I could part with. I, too, don't understand people who carry a balance, but I applaud those who make a conscious effort to pay them off instead of forever carrying a balance and saying "that's how they work". Build up a savings nest that can be put towards a house/car/future, but have some padding so if you want to buy that new iPad, you have a buffer if need be (but don't go blow savings money on iPads and cars and vacations!)

However, I feel that using straight cash is kind of backwards too as it is harder to track (for a good part of the population..some do quite well tracking cash) and more of a liability (if you lose your wallet full of $150, it's gone. A CC can be quickly cancelled). Plus, reward points have given me extra spending/savings money, and I like playing reverse roles with the CC companies and having them pay me to use their card instead of me paying interest.
 
hcho3 said:
iPad goes as low as 349 dollars from apple. I can hardly see how that needs to be financed. Look at our ladies, wives and girls. They buy bags from coach, Channel, and Prada. Look at those price tags. They go 500 dollars as high as 1000 dollars.

They buy those bags like 5-10 a year. Buy 1 less than you have an iPad. If your wife is giving u hard time buying an iPad, just tell them to look at their fancy bags from prada, Channel, Coach and other brands. They cost 300-500 dollars easily.
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You're a bit out of touch. My wife just spent a modest $2,450 + tax on a "mid-priced luxury bag". Comparatively my Apple MBP's, MBA's, pads, pods, and phones are downright inexpensive. Cash is my payment of choice.

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product...35cat12310742cat19470732&parentId=cat19470732
 
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