© 2008-
SavingsNut.com™ – The Best Site On The Internet For Money Saving Tips & Frugal Living Ideas
Also Visit
“A Detailed Guide of Money Saving Advice & Budgeting Know-
“The best resource on the Internet to teach both young and old how to reduce everyday household expenses. Simply the best.” TSN
ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES -
Computers & Accessories (continued)
own cartridges. Sometimes these work fine and the additional savings are worth the effort, and sometimes it causes more problems than it solves. But, some people have been successful filling their own cartridges and have saved even more.
d. There are also off-
e. Take some steps to use your ink cartridges more efficiently. Most printers allow you to set a preference for “economy or draft” printing for everyday use. While the quality may not be great, it is usually good enough for most purposes, and uses a lot less ink. When you need a good quality print, just set the printing preference to “normal” quality. These settings are usually accessed on the print screen on your computer, or in printer settings on your computer. Also consider setting your printer preferences to print in grayscale and use the black cartridge only. It is a little known fact that when most printers print out black images (like type) the color cartridge is also being used to form the color. By setting the printer to print with only the black cartridge, you will save on color ink, which is much more expensive than black ink. When you need a color print just reset the preferences to color printing.
8. Sometimes, you will need some software that does not come installed on your computer. But do not fall into the trap of thinking you need to upgrade your existing software just because a new version has been released. Most of the time, the old version will serve you fine for several more years to come.
a. For the most part, software manufacturers have done a good job at making sure their new software does not get marked down significantly in price. But there can be some good buys of legitimate (not pirated) software out there. Check for sales at stores that also sell computers. Of course, there are many Internet sellers of software.
b. You might also be able to buy used software, or software that is still new but has been severely discounted because an updated version has since gone on sale. Since most people do not need the latest bells and whistles when it comes to software, buying an older discounted version or even used software (assuming it’s permissible to sell it used) can be a great way to go. Just think, how much software do you already have on your computer that is not the latest release and works just fine?
c. Some software is even free. Many types of software can be downloaded free on the Internet. Just do a search for what you want. A growing trend is free software that is also available for use on the Internet that does not get downloaded on your computer. Google has recently provided some word processing and spreadsheet programs that you can use for free. There are also many other sources. Look around to see if free software can meet your needs.
9. Other computer accessories like a mouse, memory sticks, wireless modems, etc. are often necessary to get maximum use out of your computer. These are available from a variety of sources and are usually priced very competitively. Make sure you do a bit of research before making a purchase to be sure you know what you want and need. Like computers, most of the time you do not need the latest “bells and whistles” on these accessories for them to work well. The lower priced accessories are usually just fine. In any case, be sure to always purchase these items on sale. An item that will meet your needs is almost always on sale from several different sources.
Home electronics covers a myriad of items including TV’s, stereo and surround sound systems, DVD players, cameras, iPods, video games, etc. There are many sources for these devices, including many traditional retail outlets, as well as Internet sites. Consider the following to get what you need and maximize savings.
1. Do not buy what you do not need. All these electronic gadgets are great and make life more enjoyable, but often it is just not necessary to have them all, as well as always having the latest and greatest. Try to make do with what you have and resist the temptation to buy something else.
2. If you do need some home electronics, try to buy a model that does not have all the expensive “bells and whistles.” Let’s face it, most people do not use or need most of the extra features on electronic gadgets. Do you really need a 1080P HDTV versus a less expensive 720P model? Most people can’t tell the difference. Does your surround sound system need twenty different settings when you will only use two or three? How many megapixels does your digital camera really need? How many songs does your iPod need to store? Etc., etc. Buy the less expensive model and save.
3. Try buying yesterday’s technology at significantly reduced prices. There
are always some older models of electronics available at reduced prices. Try finding
some “leftovers” and save. Most of the time, the performance will not be much different
. Keep in mind, unless you are planning on upgrading all your home electronics every
year, you will be using less than state-
4. Since there are a lot of people that do feel the necessity to have the latest
and greatest, state-
Next Page
