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Is this a bad plan?

scem0

scem0

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 16, 2002
7,028
1
back in NYC!
Right now I have $600 for a computer - :eek: . My parents devote $600 a year to getting new computers. I have a 333 MHz iMac :)(), which broke about a month ago and I've been using my sister's 500 MHz iBook ever since. My sister is moving out in 3 days and when she moves out there will be no working computer in my house! :eek: . Here is my plan:

Step 1:
Get a computer off an online auction site that costs no more then $400 (that means a ~400 MHz g4 - or a 1 GHz athalon. Right now I am tilting towards the athalon, because I am in dire need of speed (You have no idea what using a 333 MHz g3 for 2 1/2 years does to you ;) ). I want VOSX (Virtual OS X) too bad it is impossible.

Step 2:
Wait 2 years
:( :eek: :eek: :( :mad:

Step 3:
Now I will have about $1500 to spend on computers. I could get the current low-end PMac.
--
Is that a good plan?


Or should I get the dual 1 GHz (with DDR) - and not be able to get a new computer for the next 4 years :( ?
 
What about getting a job (how old are you?), get another $400 and buy an emac. It will have OSX and be pretty damn fast.
 
Im 15. God I hate to work :D. I am getting a job next summer so I will have more money for a computer. I dont want to get a job because I have horrible work ethic. I will spend hours working on something if I want to, or if I know the outcome will please me. But I hate working for things I could care less about (such as mowing the lawn ;)) If only I could get a job teaching people how to play StarCraft.... I have 1,300 in the bank. I could take out $400 and get an eMac, but I dont like eMacs. I think they aren't that great looking, and I want more speed. The iMacs are too expensive for how fast they are, and I want my next computer to be fast . Faster then a 700 MHz iMac - and a lot faster then a 333 Mhz iMac :D.

It sounds like we are getting awesome computers in January (hopefully from IBM and not Motorola), I might just get a crap computer off an auction site to tide me over untill they come out. THen spend a whole bunch of money on one, and then not get a new computer for a long time. Life would be so much better without money! :D
 
Ok, time for a reality check. Work is work, you'll be lucky to ever get a job that you'll like to do all the time. Suck it up and mow the damn lawn, trim hedges, walk dogs, what ever it takes. Look not at what your doing and think about what you'll be getting - a new computer. Show some initiative and stop whining.

And realize after what you just posted, I'm being really nice. :rolleyes:

Good luck,

D
 
heh. yeah really. It's pretty easy to pick out the 15-16 year olds from the flock eh, Dukestreet?
If I were you scem0, I would lay off getting the computer for a year, add the $600 to the $400 you have now and just get a decent computer next year. There's more to life than computers, and at your age, you should be hanging out with your friends more and playing sports/studying to get better grades and stuff.
Trust me, after a year without a computer, you'll wonder why you were so obsessed with getting the latest and greatest computer in the first place.
 
If i were you I would pick up a bottom of the line G4 imac and not get a comp for the next 2 or 3 years.... (even though i know that wasnt one of the options you listed...)
 
at 15 you shouldn't be spending so much time on a computer....get a life and especially start looking for a job...seriously i would wait and get a job and by yourself something nice, otherwise you will regret it in the long run.
 
My suggestion is to start learning about investing. Seriously. At your age, you have time on your side and if you start now, you'll easily become a multimillionaire by the time you retire.

Remember, Warren Buffet, one of the most admired people in the business world truly got interested in investing when he was 19 and now, 50 some odd years later, he's worth 34 BILLION dollars, all from his investing.

I think 34 billion dollars is a pretty good incentive to spend some time learning about investing.
 
Save your money;) You have the rest of your life to work:D
At any rate, you can go to the library or school and use the computer for free ;) so save your change and have some fun:p
 
jesus, when i was 15 i was working every spare job i could find, for $3/hr or less, so i could put myself through college (which my parents couldn't afford to pay for).

and you're whining about your parents not giving you enough money for a fast computer? go to a soup kitchen and get some perspective, kid.
 
If you can swing the money for an eMac, get the eMac.

If you want more style for your next computer purchase, you're stuck with a job.

But the eMac should be a great computer, and less painful than getting stuck with a cheap used PC or Mac.

Should also last you quite awhile, or until you have enought money to spend on a computer of your choice.
 
Originally posted by topicolo
My suggestion is to start learning about investing. Seriously. At your age, you have time on your side and if you start now, you'll easily become a multimillionaire by the time you retire.

Remember, Warren Buffet, one of the most admired people in the business world truly got interested in investing when he was 19 and now, 50 some odd years later, he's worth 34 BILLION dollars, all from his investing.

I think 34 billion dollars is a pretty good incentive to spend some time learning about investing.
Click to expand...

The only question I would have for him is "What do you do with your money?"

Most of the millionaires I've met have nothing interesting. They have old, junky cars and very little technology. They save every dime they get.

They don't want anyone else to have the money, so why bother if they're not going to spend it anyway?

Oh well...we were talking about scem0. Hey secm0...spend the time outdoors, get some fresh air, ride your bike. You're gonna have to learn to work even if it's a job at 7-11 or McDonald's. Those are harder than most office jobs and they don't pay as well. Have some pride in yourself. :)
 
Re: Is this a bad plan?

Originally posted by scem0
(You have no idea what using a 333 MHz g3 for 2 1/2 years does to you ;) ).
Click to expand...

Yes I do. In my 2 1/2 years of running a G3/300 I've scored music for a number of tv commericals and local tv shows, arranged and produced music for a few local bands, arranged big band charts, released 5 CDs, mastered a number of club mixes, and earned enough money to support a digital recording studio and family of 3 (soon to be 4).

So what's your problem?

Paul
 
I agree the emac sounds like the perfect computer for you. You can even find refurbished emacs for 950
700mhz with CDRW on it and Mac os X

you should ask your parent to cover for you and then work and pay them back. but do not get a PC!!! :D
 
Investing

I am 18 and have had a job since i was 12 usually at minimum wage. I invest most all of my money and have made over 20,000 so far (but i lost some after the bubble burst in late 98' and early 99'). I bought a 933 mhz g4 at the end of January when i sold some of my stock.

I also use a Wallstreet Powerbook g3 at 233mhz, and even running osx it is great to use when i am out just as long as i am not trying to play graphically intensive games. I use photoshop, freehand, and indesign on it and it works fine for the most part, although some filters take too long.
 
Man, I remember my first job. Worked at Hardee's for 3.15 per hour. That is amazing to me that minimum wage now is like really 20 k per year. Unreal. Dude, get a job. You live at home. Work after school for a couple of months, and boom, you would have the money for a Mac. Get Mom and Dad to finance it, and pay them back. That is all you have to do.

But, hey at least he isn't Travis right :)
 
If you only worked for minimum wage for 40 hours a week no overtime for 52 weeks you would only get around 12k per year.
 
Originally posted by topicolo
heh. yeah really. It's pretty easy to pick out the 15-16 year olds from the flock eh, Dukestreet?
If I were you scem0, I would lay off getting the computer for a year, add the $600 to the $400 you have now and just get a decent computer next year. There's more to life than computers, and at your age, you should be hanging out with your friends more and playing sports/studying to get better grades and stuff.
Trust me, after a year without a computer, you'll wonder why you were so obsessed with getting the latest and greatest computer in the first place.
Click to expand...

glad im still fourteen :D :D :D :D
 
I'm 14 and working at a high school so I don't have to spend my savings on a new PowerMac in January. My advice: If you can't live without a computer (like me) buy some cheap machine (doesn't really matter what it is). If you can live without a computer, however, save your money until you can buy something nice without totally blowing your savings. Having money in the bank is good.
 
Originally posted by bousozoku


The only question I would have for him is "What do you do with your money?"

Most of the millionaires I've met have nothing interesting. They have old, junky cars and very little technology. They save every dime they get.

They don't want anyone else to have the money, so why bother if they're not going to spend it anyway?

Oh well...we were talking about scem0. Hey secm0...spend the time outdoors, get some fresh air, ride your bike. You're gonna have to learn to work even if it's a job at 7-11 or McDonald's. Those are harder than most office jobs and they don't pay as well. Have some pride in yourself. :)
Click to expand...

That's the opinion most people have of wealthy people and it's wrong. Wealthy people don't have millions because they spent more than they could afford, getting themselves into credit card debt and becoming a slave to a financial institution; they make their money work for them by investing in real estate and stocks, where they get taxed less than if they had normal income. They don't need to show off like the "nouveau riche" because they have nothing to prove, and don't feel the need to show everybody that they're rich. That's why a lot of lottery winners end up in greater debt than they used to be in. The money buys the freedom from worrying about their finances. In my opinion, it's worth more than a bunch of fancy toys, even if they're macs.
 
Re: Investing

Originally posted by Vector
I am 18 and have had a job since i was 12 usually at minimum wage. I invest most all of my money and have made over 20,000 so far (but i lost some after the bubble burst in late 98' and early 99'). I bought a 933 mhz g4 at the end of January when i sold some of my stock.

I also use a Wallstreet Powerbook g3 at 233mhz, and even running osx it is great to use when i am out just as long as i am not trying to play graphically intensive games. I use photoshop, freehand, and indesign on it and it works fine for the most part, although some filters take too long.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's awesome Vector. I've rarely met people like you at your age, who actually invest their money in the market. Most of my friends just spend their money as soon as they get it or they just let it sit in the bank collecting 0.5% a year. So tell me, what investing styles do you use?
 
Guess he never will as his sister has now left home!!!

Oh, 333MHz G3 isn't that bad I use a 300MHz B+W for design and it works perfectly well sometimes it is just not worth buying a fast machine that you can't afford.

I am amazed by the people on MacRumors, the young people are either lying or have way too much money as they all seem to have the most expensive macs out there, all they use them for is crunching SETI@Home units, and speed tests. Why don't you start using your computer and in turn make it work for you!! A 166MHz machine can surf the internet!! Get a life and get out more, or stay at home and stop complaining that you only have a G3 and can't afford a Dual 1.25 with .48TB with 2GB of ram and a 24" Cinema Screen!!!
 
Originally posted by boom-boom
Guess he never will as his sister has now left home!!!

Oh, 333MHz G3 isn't that bad I use a 300MHz B+W for design and it works perfectly well sometimes it is just not worth buying a fast machine that you can't afford.

I am amazed by the people on MacRumors, the young people are either lying or have way too much money as they all seem to have the most expensive macs out there, all they use them for is crunching SETI@Home units, and speed tests. Why don't you start using your computer and in turn make it work for you!! A 166MHz machine can surf the internet!! Get a life and get out more, or stay at home and stop complaining that you only have a G3 and can't afford a Dual 1.25 with .48TB with 2GB of ram and a 24" Cinema Screen!!!
Click to expand...

Hehe...too true, too true. I can still surf the net with my 200 MHz PII :eek: running windows 95 :eek:...yup, you can surf the net and type documents on a crappy 5+ year old pc.

Oh why am I on MacRumors then...i need a new comp :eek: to do digi work on;)

Oh yeah...top-of-the-line specs are a bit off eh? Why not Quad 10 GHz, 10 TB holographic storage, 10 GB ram running on a FSB of 2 GHz, and a 50" display?!?!?:D
 
Re: Re: Investing

Originally posted by topicolo


Wow, that's awesome Vector. I've rarely met people like you at your age, who actually invest their money in the market. Most of my friends just spend their money as soon as they get it or they just let it sit in the bank collecting 0.5% a year. So tell me, what investing styles do you use?
Click to expand...

I have been mostly investing in tech. I began with some safe stocks Southern Company (SO) and Energen (EGN) to help balance out tehc declines. I bought 50 shares of Doubleclick at around 28 it split twice, once after it got to about 200 and then again when it reached 300. So i had 200 shares and it stayed around 100 for a while. I sold half and kept half making around 10,000 in the sale. Then tech started going down i sold a little more. I also made some off of Corning (GLW) when it was aroung 300 but it has gone way down since then. I have stock in about 15 companies currently. Recently I have made a few thousand on Smith & Wesson Holdings Corp. (SMWS.ob) i bought a few thousand shares below a dollar and it has since gone to 3 and back down a little. The reason I bought it is that they used to be known a Safety Hammer and then bought the rights to Smith & Wesson Arms. After this news came out nothing happened but a few months ago they changed their name to Smmith and Wesson Holdings Corp. and went up 200% and I sold half. If you want me to elaborate further just ask.

I also opened a Roth IRA when I was 14.
 
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