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How to convince my dad to buy me a macbook

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ankit3000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 2, 2007
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Well, the title says it all.

I tried asking my dad once to buy me a macbook. Next year, I need to use a laptop in school, so I asked him about macbook. When I told him the price (I told about the white, black he would have flat out refused), he told me that I can get laptops at a much cheaper price then that. So now, can you guys help me out and tell me ways to convince my dad.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
ankit3000 said:
Well, the title says it all.

I tried asking my dad once to buy me a macbook. Next year, I need to use a laptop in school, so I asked him about macbook. When I told him the price (I told about the white, black he would have flat out refused), he told me that I can get laptops at a much cheaper price then that. So now, can you guys help me out and tell me ways to convince my dad.

Any help would be appreciated.
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You should stop acting like a spoiled brat and listen to your dad. Father knows best!
 
Why not goggle the benefits of mac over pc? You'll find TONS of stuff and you'll actually be working for your mac. :)
 
Option 1: Buy second hand :D
Option 2: Promise him better grades :p
Option 3: Go out and work :eek:
 
Go with a refurbished unit. It will offer you a significant discount. I found that when buying a refurb, the price was the same if not better than a comparable PC.
 
I doubt you can find any legit academic reason to substantiate a Macbook. There's almost not a single peice of academic software that can't be run on Windows in one form or another. So by just asking, you're not going to get anywhere.

However, you could always work out a deal. Better grades after a semester, maybe going out less, studying more, joining an athletic team. It's up to you to find something to cater to his interest in your development. Or, like the other posters said, take out the academic side altogether and work for the $ difference.
 
if it was your dad who will use the computer, many ppl would suggest just ask him to try. but in your situation... I don't know, maybe used one?
 
Summer job is a good option. You could save up enough or even if it's just half of price, I'm sure your father wouldn't mind paying the other half. Also, like the others mentioned, get better grades (if currently they aren't very good). Things like going out less though I find a bit silly...I mean my father wouldn't pay me something because I would go out less. I suppose it depends what's your definition of "going out". Anyways, maybe a bit more studying each night, that could help. But your best bet would be saving up the money on your own with a summer job.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I'll try them out and hopefully I can get a macbook. Actually the problem where I live is that kids don't get things like summer jobs. I might try out the refurbished macbook idea, sounds like a good one, the discount might help.
 
lamina said:
Kids don't work where you're from?
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Yea... How can you say kids where you're from don't get "things like summer jobs." That's ridiculous... Are they just too hard to find? That can be the only reason in my mind, considering you want to purchase a $1000 computer, and I'm sure that given the opportunity, you'd raise the money yourself? :confused:
 
Does he realise that the laptops that he is suggesting at the much lower price points will last nowhere near as long?
Surely purchasing one that will last much longer is more cost effective?
 
Vidd said:
Surely purchasing one that will last much longer is more cost effective?
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I agree...

And about the summer job thing. I don't get it either. I mean, unless it's THAT hard finding job wherever it is you live, it shouldn't be that difficult. And it could be pretty much anything. Like mowing lawns or whatever.
 
Skim out the Cheapest Core Duo model from the refurbished section, get a part time summer job to get like $200 out of the $800, and then we'll see him find a cheaper PC.

I got mine without even going to college yet because my brother hogs up our desktop shoving me with the broken laptop with a slow processor and dead LCD. Has to be connected to a monitor. Half the RAM is no longer recognized.
 
ankit3000 said:
I tried asking my dad once to buy me a macbook. Next year, I need to use a laptop in school, so I asked him about macbook. When I told him the price (I told about the white, black he would have flat out refused), he told me that I can get laptops at a much cheaper price then that. So now, can you guys help me out and tell me ways to convince my dad.
Click to expand...

Every single Macintosh, including the MacBook, comes with XCode. That is the software development system that is used by Apple itself to create all of MacOS X and all the Macintosh applications. It is also used by Adobe and all other big companies making Macintosh software. So you can come out of school not only knowing how to use Word (every Dick, Tom and Harry can do that), but knowing everything there is to know about professional software development.
 
your dad probably would be happy to learn about Apple's educational discount. also, try and bring your dad to an Apple store so he can see your excitement (worked for me).
tell your dad about how Apple care is the best in the industry, and they have actual physical stores where u can repair or return your macbook, unlike Dell or other manufacturers.
 
I have to go along with what others have said, but with a slightly different twist. Ask him to partner with you; do a funds matching deal. Every dollar you earn, he contributes a dollar. With a student discount, that should not be a difficult amount of money for you to raise.

It is never to early to learn that we all must pay our way in life. Besides, you just might appreciate your Mac more, if you earned it through your own efforts. If you are a rich kid, used to getting everything given to you, I suppose little of this will apply, and I cannot offer any advise. Manipulating 'dad' was never an option where I grew up. Good luck!
 
Richard Flynn said:
Sorry, but Adobe et al. don’t use XCode to develop their software. Ditto for Microsoft and Office for the Mac.
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That's link is a little out of date. With CS3 around the corner and MS hard at work on the next Office, they must be using XCode, right? What else supports Intel-native code for MacOS? CodeWarrior doesn't.

Edit: Oh yeah, to the OP: Like many others said, offer to pay a portion to get the MB you want. It may not even have to be half. Your dad is going to be most interested to see that you are willing to do something to earn what you want. So, regardless of the amount you end up paying, you'll want to get a summer job.

I don't know where you live that you can't get a summer job, but hopefully you can come up with something. I'd hate for you to get stuck with some kind of Dell or something.
 
Littleodie914 said:
Yea... How can you say kids where you're from don't get "things like summer jobs." That's ridiculous... Are they just too hard to find? That can be the only reason in my mind, considering you want to purchase a $1000 computer, and I'm sure that given the opportunity, you'd raise the money yourself? :confused:
Click to expand...

actually, it is very uncommon in spanish-speaking countries for teens (15-17 I believe) to have summer jobs...I don't know about other countries however. You have to take into consideration that not every country is the same and there might be an age difference in some things. I would say show him the apple site info about the Macbook. I definitely sold the iMac to my parents in about.....15 min of explaining things to them : ). (Mention 0 viruses, stable OS, nice form factor, won't need to be replaced in a year from it being junk....REFURB REFURB REFURB is a pretty good way to get that across- tried the refurb thing with my parents, but they actually refused, thinking it was going to be bad :rolleyes:
 
ankit3000 said:
Thanks for the help guys. I'll try them out and hopefully I can get a macbook. Actually the problem where I live is that kids don't get things like summer jobs. I might try out the refurbished macbook idea, sounds like a good one, the discount might help.
Click to expand...

I'll just come right out and ask:

Is this a "it's kind of bad looking on the family to have a kid actually working to make money" type of thing, or is it a "there aren't any jobs in the area, much less for a teenager" type thing?

Of course, based on the fact that you're pulling for a Macbook of your own, you're still living with your parents (who are willing to buy you a laptop), and you need it for school, I'm gonna just take a guess that it's a rich neighborhood where it's not popular or proper for a child to work.

Sorry if I'm wrong...

In any event, learn what it means to take ownership for your own possesions, and earn the money to buy something that you *want, but don't need*. It'll feel better in the end, and it's always better when kids learn not to just take handouts from their parents (or beg for handouts from their parents).
 
mkaake said:
...I'm gonna just take a guess that it's a rich neighborhood where it's not popular or proper for a child to work.
Click to expand...
Even if that is the case, tough poo-poo! Work!

Where I grew up, a kid threw a temper tantrum for days because his parents got him a brand new Lexus IS300 instead of the new M3 he wanted. :rolleyes: Do kids in my area have a ton of money? Probably. Did that stop me from working every summer? Nope. I saved up and bought myself my own Mac, a 12" PB. :D Which isn't to say I'm not spoiled in other ways, but there is almost always another way, OP.
 
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