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How do you convince your parents about getting a Mac?

E

ericmjl

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 3, 2006
88
0
I want to switch to a MacBook, but I have a hard time convincing my mom about it. She adamantly just doesn't want to have anything to do with a mac, and I suspect it's because of the price of getting a new one.

Recently, my com was hit by a virus as well, and after 1.5 years of fiercely protecting my com from viruses, I realize that I'm still vulnerable as ever. (The last infection was early in 2004.) Running all the security software in the background slows my computer and hogs my memory... ZoneAlarm, AVG Antivirus, Ad-Aware, SpyBot Search and Destroy, FreeRam XP Pro (to keep my RAM usage in check)... this all has to run while I'm trying to use Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Firefox, OpenOffice Writer and Calc all at the same time. 384MB for WinXP and all that? Not enough. And I can't upgrade my Fujitsu's RAM. Btw, my Fujitsu is 5 years old.

Things is, I know in my conscience that my computer can probably keep running for another 1 year or so without any major problems; if I ask for a new computer, my mom will invariably try to send over her old laptop, which I totally don't want. It's an ultraportable Sharp laptop, and can't handle any multimedia. I do multimedia stuff on a weekly basis, and I can't afford to have something like a PIII 700MHz with only 256MB RAM. That's downgrading. The alternative is she'll send her 1.4GHz notebook with 512MB RAM. I wouldn't want that either, for it still runs Windows.

Essentially, I want to up the power on my computer, and I want software security. But she won't agree that a Mac has that.

Oh well, enough for my rattling. What advice do you guys have?
 
Do you have the ability to contribute to the purchase (i.e., through your own savings)? If so, that may help to assuage your mom's concerns on price.

Make a list of what it is you need to use a computer for, and as such was requirements you have for a system. Make them generic - multimedia capability, hard disk size, RAM requirements, etc. Once you have your requirements, outline which devices fit those requirements and why.

Essentially, put some work into providing your mom with some good reasoning as to why you need this Mac. Show her the cost of purchasing and maintaining all the spyware applications on your PC. Show her all the good stuff (iLife, etc.) that comes with your Mac. Show her why the Mac is what you need (and also help make sure it is indeed what you need).
 
Either:

A) Buy it your self
B) Annoy her until she buys it (ie when something goes wrong on your Fujitsu say that wouldnt happen on a Mac-even if it would).
C) Do as your told-it always helps :p
 
ericmjl said:
I want to switch to a MacBook, but I have a hard time convincing my mom about it. She adamantly just doesn't want to have anything to do with a mac, and I suspect it's because of the price of getting a new one.
Click to expand...


I had the same problem with my parents. I got a good friend of mine whom everyone respected as being the master of all things computer-related among everyone who knew him, big IT guy, to come over with his PowerBook. He got my mom to buy one and she's been hooked on Macs ever since. (I was like 15 at the time, he was a married adult, not a kid).

To this day my dad still doesn't want anything to do with Macs, but my mom now finds them so much easier she doesn't want to touch Windows. So I go to my mom for Mac-related things because she understands :)

Anyway, something that works for me sometimes is to offer to pay for half. Are you a student? If so, pull the hardworking student card.

If you're not a student, well, she'll probably insist you buy it yourself, and she'd be right.
 
I concur. Pony up the cash yourself. I don't know how old you are, but am guessing old enough to get a job. Let her know you are working and trying to save up for it yourself. Keep her updated on your progress, when you can show that you really want it. She will do one of the following:

1: Come to you and say, you know you have been working hard. I will put in the rest for your Mac.

2: Watch to see if you will really do it, then she will help you in some way.

3: Wait and see if you can do it, and if you do. She will let you buy it and spend your own money. Then use this time to teach you a valuable lesson in life.

All these are good in my opinion. And when you get the Mac, surely let her know the benefits of having one and that you are happy with your purchase.

If they don't like Macs. Well you don't have a choice, chances are you can't convince them. I don't know how familiar you are with Macs. If you aren't though, it is hard to convince someone that something is better when you have never used it. Just a though.
 
Ahhh..I am 13 and i just got a new 2GHz Black macbook.

I had your trouble's. Yet here i am responding to your thread on my new macbook.

The only reason my parents were sketchy about me getting it was the price. BUT lucky i had money and my parents made a Half-Half deal. Plus i have a relative thats in collage and that does not need a mac notebook for a year so i used her educations discount. I paid for half my macbook and my parents paid for the rest which meant i paid $750. I sejust raising money and not making your parents buy it for you. It feels much better knowing you have a laptop because of YOURSELF not your parents..Well for me i got Half the feeling:p .
if you get it i hope you enjoy it. And if you dont care about the color just go for the white 2GHz macbook. And if you dont need the extra speed and superdrive go for the 1.83GHz with Combodrive.

The reason i got the black was because i needed a fast Laptop that i could burn DVD's on. And im a kiss-up to apple and HAD to buy the black 'cuz it look so Nice.

Enjoy your future macbook


-O.N-
 
Take the time to educate your mother about the benefits a Mac provides over a Windows based PC.

Good Luck ;)
 
GFLPraxis said:
I had the same problem with my parents. I got a good friend of mine whom everyone respected as being the master of all things computer-related among everyone who knew him, big IT guy, to come over with his PowerBook. He got my mom to buy one and she's been hooked on Macs ever since. (I was like 15 at the time, he was a married adult, not a kid).

To this day my dad still doesn't want anything to do with Macs, but my mom now finds them so much easier she doesn't want to touch Windows. So I go to my mom for Mac-related things because she understands :)

Anyway, something that works for me sometimes is to offer to pay for half. Are you a student? If so, pull the hardworking student card.

If you're not a student, well, she'll probably insist you buy it yourself, and she'd be right.
Click to expand...

I am a student, 1st year Science at UBC.

I also have a freelance web design/development job; I posted a thread recently wanting to know how much I should charge my boss for it, but I've figured that out.

I think the amount of money I'll earn from the web job (based on no. of hours I've worked till now) should be able to pay for at least half of the MacBook. Once I move the website to another server that supports more advanced scripting, I can do more work on it and include more functionality. That'd really be a bang.
 
ericmjl said:
I am a student, 1st year Science at UBC.

I also have a freelance web design/development job; I posted a thread recently wanting to know how much I should charge my boss for it, but I've figured that out.

I think the amount of money I'll earn from the web job (based on no. of hours I've worked till now) should be able to pay for at least half of the MacBook. Once I move the website to another server that supports more advanced scripting, I can do more work on it and include more functionality. That'd really be a bang.
Click to expand...


Then do what I'm doing. Explain to your parents how hard you work at school and the benefits of this computer, and ask if they'll be willing to pay for half of it. I just graduated with my 2 year degree and am going on to university- no job, but I've saved money for years and have enough to purchase an iMac, easily, but i'm too much of a cheapskate. My mom agreed to pay for half of it :) I'm just waiting to see if there will be an update at WWDC.
 
ericmjl said:
I want to switch to a MacBook, but I have a hard time convincing my mom about it. She adamantly just doesn't want to have anything to do with a mac, and I suspect it's because of the price of getting a new one.
Click to expand...

it was easy for us, i ordered an ibook online and had it shipped to my mom. i did the work, my brother paid for it and that was that. my mom and dad had to learn mac. :p

learning-wise, it was hard for her at first, especially since we're not there to teach her. but she's learning through the help of friends. my mom's almost a technophobe when it comes to computers. all she wanted to do then was type in a PC. hehe.
 
Yeah, seriously, screw convincing. Get a job much easier, and you wont have to worry about your parents if they will let you have it or not.


Also, i dont think you should even bother getting a mac or let alone a new computer. I would understand if you wanted a new PC because you wanted to play games or something like that. However since you probably are in high school, the most you ever need for any computer is just word processing, surfing, and chatting. Your computer you use right now is fine. There is no point in going out and buying a new computer and then a few years later you found out you need a laptop when you go off to college.
 
Or if you have a family friend who knows alot about macs you would be able to get him/her to tell your parents how much better they are. my dad totally took that one when i wanted an iMac for recording! he especialy likes the no virus thing :p and he also hates dell 'cos the desktop of theirs we have is appalingly loud!! good luck!
 
Buy it yourself.

Get a job, etc. What everyone else said. The Macbook I bought (should ship on the 18th) cost $2600AUD with extended warranty.

I paid for all of it.

I had some savings in the bank and I worked for the rest. Don't expect your parents to pay for it.

.diametric
 
Quit baggin' on kids

What i don't get is how all the people in these threads are always saying "get a job, it's easier. parents won't get in the way then". Bull. Getting a job is NOT easy for a teenager because at minimum wage and max work hours of 30 a week (trust me, ain goin to happen), it does anything BUT easy. Finding a job takes a couple of weeks before you can actually get an opening. Then comes the interviews. We don't have fancy resumes and the wages aren't exactly great.

Secondly, just because you have enough money doesn't mean your parents will automatically be ok with your purchase. Parents could see it as "defying an adult's authority" or an attempt to ruin the status quo; say the parents say "no" to purchasing a mac and then you go out and buy it on your own. it's like stickin the middle finger right in their face when you come home with a brand new mac, not to mention the times you'd use it over and over again. pretty soon they'll be like "pay up your share of the rent if you think you're all high and mighty"

Third, most mac purchases are online. How do you get a credit card if you're under 18? Assuming your parents are against the purchase of a mac, why would they want to open a checking account for you? Adults could think "can't debit cards be used online for ...."

My point is, it's annoying to always open up a "help me talk to my parents" advice threads with "OMG GET A JOB YOU SPOILED TEENAGER". sometimes people are just askin for advice to sway parents that macs are reasonable purchases (as opposed to purchasing a new pc). a simple "prove to them that you're a responsible person around the house and brown nose em enough for them to earn your respect. getting a job would likely increase those odds, by winning your parents' respect and earning money closer to that mac purchase."

I, for one, had enough money but my parents wouldn't let me purchase one. I just started helping around the house more (in front of their faces/make sure they know it) and brought my grades up to show my responsibility (didn't really help my cause by bringin em down after the purchase..). Eventually they let me open up my checking account and the rest is history. Paid in full for all i have. Getting that job was not easy for a 16 year old during the school year.
 
Jobs might not be easy to come by if you live in the middle of no where, but if you live in the city or the suburbs, it pretty much is. You probably wont be finding a salary, and be working for the clock, but if you need money, there is always a job out there. It just depends on how hard you want the money.

And sure, you might not be able to get your computer in like the next week or even month, but atleast you worked for it. You understand that money isnt as easy as "Hey mom, I need a couple hundred so I can buy a computer." And hopefully through the experience of working, the person will come to realize they dont need everything they want. That is the first lesson I learned when I got a job.

True, you might be disobeying the parents authority if you go out and buy it IF they tell you not to. But that is a total different situation if you are trying to persuade your parents to buy the whole bulk. I doubt any parents would object if their kids decided to go buy themself something with their own money that they worked for. If they do, then obviously this is much more than just money, and telling them how good Apple products are probably wont be changing their minds either.

As for credit card, that isnt much of a problem because you dont need a credit card. You actually should probably NEVER purchase anything on credit. If you do, you are going to learn one hard lesson. The easy way to deal with this is to simply goto a bank and open an account, and use your debit card to pay for the purchase. You dont need to be 18 to have a debit card. And if the kid actually worked off to be able to purchase a computer, he could always pay by a check.

Although people say "get a job" alot in these type of threads, it is a valid reply/advise. Why should your parents pay for a brand new computer that you want, when it is unnecessary? The person after all must be on a computer that is working right? Many of the people that post these kind of things are also in high school. I never see the reason why someone in high school would EVER need a laptop or even a new computer, unless their school actually requires them to purchase one. Most high school students would never need anything more than a computer that does the basics of, word processing, chatting, and surfing. Computer that run atleast a Pentium III should be able to do that already.

And as for working during the school year, I had absolutely no problem with that. Taking all AP and honor classes, I always managed to have the time. If you found an internship that accomodates for the school year even better. If your school had a program where you could go out to work for credits, that made it even easier.
 
Clarification

Hey guys,

(1) I'm in university, and it's time to change a computer that's 5 years old.
(2) I'm working too, freelance web design.
(3) Philberttheduck said it right, I'm not talking about getting my mom to buy me a com, I'm asking for advice on convincing people about the Mac advantage.
 
ericmjl said:
Hey guys,

(1) I'm in university, and it's time to change a computer that's 5 years old.
(2) I'm working too, freelance web design.
(3) Philberttheduck said it right, I'm not talking about getting my mom to buy me a com, I'm asking for advice on convincing people about the Mac advantage.
Click to expand...

Hey, I'm going to UBC 1st year comp sci, and I've convinced my parents to pay almost entirely for a powermac. They've agreed to do so mainly because I've told them it would last me quite a while, AND I'm buying it from the education store online. But, seeing as your mom isn't the one to be using it, tell her that you know what's best for you and that it'll benefit your job. Luckily I had the help of one of my uncles, who uses a mac and is in the animation industry, to convince my parents.
 
OK, in my experience, here are two simple rules for parents, although I'm going to be very stereotypical here... but who cares :D

For Mums: Mum's do in fact love gadgets but practicalities rule the roost. They hate gadgets which are time consuming, don't aid efficiency or which crash. Luckily the mac is quite good at avoiding the latter. Show your mum Front Row and show her how easy iPhoto is. Organising media on a PC is difficult and very untidy, iPhoto is sleek and lets you (click slideshow, click order book/postcard) do common tasks quickly and easily. Show her she can use her word documents on the mac AND on top of that make them look and operate much better (add a good looking chart). With mum's it's all about looks and practicalities, my mum loves Dashboard for weather and horoscope, she loves how simple Mail.app is compared to Outlook, she wants things to just work and that is what macs fortunately allow her to do.

Dads: Dads are only interested in one thing: How can I make money from this machine? The mac has to pay its way - show him iWeb and how easy it is to make a website. Flush him with ideas of how you'll "add a paypal cart and sell ideas to people". Show him how all the apps work together to make the machine a production warehouse - everything integrated, quick, etc. Then show him dashboard widgets, like NFL scores or other sports, or webcams (it seems to me dads are very interested in having live webcams as dashboard widgets... :rolleyes: :p i don't wonder for a second why.) He also needs to see office and that all his documents work.

For both: Closing arguments always include "AND they can't get viruses (what that happened to you mum cannot happen on this)", "apple's market share is right up now, anyone who thinks it isn't is a fool" and then of course the final statement, "MacBooks allow you to run OS X and Windows simultaneously without a hitch, so if you cannot get used to the Mac we'll just use it for windows, as though it were a dell." (Naturally, this wont happen. :D )

Hope this helps, just so you know I bought my own Mac when I was 17. Maybe you should contribute a little too?
 
ericmjl said:
Hey guys,

(1) I'm in university, and it's time to change a computer that's 5 years old.
(2) I'm working too, freelance web design.
(3) Philberttheduck said it right, I'm not talking about getting my mom to buy me a com, I'm asking for advice on convincing people about the Mac advantage.
Click to expand...

the easiest way i can think of, is to sit with her and show her how easy and powerful the mac is. maybe you can borrow a mac from one of your friends and have him/her sit in with you too to help you in your 'show and tell'. :)

my mom had little trouble converting cos she didn't have that much experience with a pc... that fact really helped a lot. it also helps when she hears people 'ooh' and 'ahhh' over the capabilities of the mac. try finding a person whose opinion she trusts who can vouch for the mac (one who really believes in the mac).
 
Mom... look at the logical points...

1. Macs are NOT made for gaming. I'd be better off with a PC if I ever got into gaming (ie. WofW)

2. The initial cost may be higher up front, but we'll be saving ourselves both money and grief down the road.
 
Mom... look at the logical points...

1. The initial cost may be higher up front, but we'll be saving ourselves both money and grief down the road. Like buying a better more reliable car for $4,000 more and not paying $8,500 down the road to mechanics while using a less reliable vehicle.

a. We don't have to pay a load of money for anti-virus, spyware, and firewall software
b. Macs tend to last longer than PCs as far as usability goes
c. 10% student discount
d. currently get a free iPod & printer with purchase (offer to give her the iPod, but keep the printer because it's useful)
e. Macs are NOT made for gaming. I'd be better off with a PC if I ever got into gaming (ie. WofW).
f. peace of mind knowing that there are few if any current viruses for Mac, having a reliable computer instead of worrying about it not working all the time
g. OS X has UNIX as a foundation, how often do you hear about Macs & horrific crashes. If not from an internet forum, I'll bet less than 3. How does that compare with PCs?
h. most of the headaches associated with PCs do not apply to Macs. Great integration and crossover with software apps.

If she asks where the $4,000 will come from, ask her, "How exactly will the $8,500 in repairs down the road cost us less than the higher initial purchase for a more reliable product?"

Don't tell her this:
Your cars, fire extinguishers, guns, and phone should be as reliable as possible. If not, you WILL regret it.

Good luck.

Oh, & get a job my friend...
 
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