There are thousands of laptops to choose from, each with its own set of pros and cons and each with its own price tag. If you're wondering how you can grab a laptop that suits you without spending more than you planned, we put together five ways you can save money and still get the laptop you want.
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Laptops traditionally come in one of three different forms. Standard notebooks are your usual clamshell design with a lid that doesn't rotate. Fine examples of standard notebooks are Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Dell's XPS 13.
Convertible laptops look similar to standard notebooks, but they have a lid that rotates 360 degrees to allow for stand, tent, and tablet modes. Examples of convertible laptops are Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Yoga and HP's Spectre x360.
Finally, 2-in-1 devices, sometimes referred to as "convertibles" (it can be confusing), have a keyboard and touchpad that detach from the tablet portion. Microsoft sets the 2-in-1 bar high with the Surface Pro.
Different types of laptop often have a different level of price. Standard notebooks can usually be found cheapest, whereas convertible and 2-in-1s usually vie for priciest. If you don't think you'll need the added versatility of a convertible or 2-in-1, you can often save some money by going with a standard notebook.
See the best Ultrabooks of
Deciding on the type of laptop you need is a good starting point, but now you must decide which features are required and which ones aren't.
If you are going with a standard notebook, think whether a touch display really makes sense. Will you enjoy reaching over a keyboard and working on a touchpad? Do you hate smudges on your display? Foregoing a touchscreen can often save you hundreds of dollars. Likewise, keep an eye out for the resolution of a display. Unless you plan on tackling specialized tasks, p is a great starting point for most people.
On the dedicated tasks topic, if you don't plan on any heavy gaming or multimedia editing, don't buy a laptop with a dedicated graphics card (GPU). Your processor (CPU) and RAM should also match your workload. Only performing standard, everyday tasks like word processing and web browsing? An Intel Core i5 is more than enough power, and either 4GB or 8GB of RAM is enough.
Finally, the hard drive. If you don't mind a bit of a dip in performance, go with a hard-disk drive (HDD). You can get more storage for cheaper when compared to a solid-state drive (SSD). Check out our article explaining HDDs and SSDs for more information about the storage in your laptop.
Dealing with RPM: Why laptops are still using slow hard drives
Continuing the hard drive discussion, you can potentially buy a laptop with a small or slow drive and upgrade it yourself later. This depends on the laptop and whether or not it is upgradeable. Other than the hard drive, the RAM in your laptop is also often easy to upgrade. Again, it depends on the manufacturer. We put together a handy guide to help you figure out whether or not your laptop is upgradeable.
Also, be sure to check out the links below for more helpful resources on upgrading your laptop.
There are a few set times over the course of a year when you might be able to find the laptop of your dreams at a reduced price. The back-to-school season will often see prices drop at the end of July and start of August, while holiday deals occur at the end of November and start of December.
If you don't find a deal during those times, you can always wait for a newer version of the laptop in question to be released. Manufacturers often slash prices on the older models, which have nothing wrong with them other than slightly outdated hardware. Watch for announcements at the big tech conferences ' including IFA, Microsoft Build, and CES ' and wait for new models to hit the market before you start shopping.
How to buy a laptop at the right time (and be much happier with your purchase)
Most of us have a friend who likes to always have the latest piece of technology. That means that there are plenty of used laptops out there waiting for a new home. These laptops often have nothing wrong with them, other than being slightly outdated. You can always check out local marketplaces, but Windows Central has its own marketplace full of great devices.
If you'd rather put your trust in a refurbished laptop ' basically one that has been re-guaranteed to work ' you can check out Amazon (add "refurb" to your search term) or Refurb.io. The latter market is a great place to find all sorts of laptops, but especially ThinkPads and Dell devices.
Not sure if a refurbished laptop is the right fit? Check out our guide on whether or not you should buy a new, used, or refurbished laptop.
Should you buy a new, used, or refurbished laptop?
Check out these guides for further help when buying a new laptop.
The best way to save money is to have a plan. These steps can help you create one.
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Sometimes the hardest thing about saving is just getting started. This guide on how to budget and save money can help you develop a simple and realistic strategy that meets your needs.
Begin with expense tracking. The first step to start saving money is figuring out how much you spend. Keep track of all your expenses'that means every coffee, household item and cash tip, as well as regular monthly bills. Record your expenses however is easiest for you'a simple spreadsheet, free online spending tracker or app, or even pencil and paper. Once you have your data, organize the numbers by categories, such as gas, groceries and mortgage, and total each amount. Use your credit card and bank statements to make sure you've included everything.
Bank of America clients can access the Spending & Budgeting tool in Online and Mobile Banking to automatically categorize transactions for easier budgeting.
Make savings a monthly expense. Now that you know what you spend in a month, you can begin to create a budget. Your budget should show what your expenses are relative to your income, so that you can plan your spending and limit overspending. Be sure to factor in expenses that occur regularly but not every month, such as car maintenance. Include a savings category in your budget and aim to save an amount that feels comfortable to you. Plan on eventually increasing your savings amount to up to 20 percent of your income.
Economize on wants. If you can't save as much as you'd like, it might be time to cut back on expenses. You can get ideas on where to cut by seeing how your spending compares with everyone else's.
First identify nonessentials, such as entertainment and dining out, that you can spend less on. Then look for ways to reduce your fixed monthly expenses, such as your car insurance or cell plan. Other ways to save money every day include:
Use resources, such as community event listings, to find free or low-cost entertainment.
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Cancel subscriptions and memberships you don't use'especially if they renew automatically.
Plan to eat most of your meals at home, and research local restaurant deals for nights that you want to treat yourself.
When tempted by a nonessential purchase, wait a few days. You may realize the item was something you wanted rather than needed'and you can develop a plan to save for it.
Use goals to make saving meaningful. Working toward specific goals can be one of the most effective ways to save money because it puts a reward or accomplishment in sight. Start by thinking about what you might want to save for'both in the short term (one to three years) and the long term (four or more years). Then estimate how much money you'll need and how long it might take you to save it.
Common short-term goals: Emergency fund (three to nine months of living expenses), vacation or down payment for a car
Common long-term goals: Down payment on a home or a remodeling project, your child's education or retirement
An if/then plan is an exercise that can help you reach your savings goals. It helps you anticipate potential obstacles and then plan specific actions to address them. Here's how put one together.
Set a small, achievable short-term goal for something that's fun and goes beyond your monthly budget, such as a new smartphone or holiday gifts. Reaching smaller goals'and enjoying the reward you've saved for'can give you a psychological boost, making the payoff of saving more immediate and reinforcing the habit.
Learn how to prioritize your savings goals to gain a clear idea of how to allocate your savings. After your expenses and income, your goals are likely to have the biggest impact on how you allocate your savings. For example, a common budgeting question is whether to pay down debt, save or invest. This interactive tool can help you decide.
Or let's say you know you're going to need to replace your car in the near future. You could start putting away money for a new vehicle now. Just be sure to incorporate long-term goals, too. It's important that planning for retirement doesn't take a back seat to shorter-term needs.
Put your savings to work. There are many savings and investment accounts suitable for short- and long-term goals. And you don't have to pick just one. Look carefully at all the options and consider balance minimums, fees, interest rates, risk and how soon you'll need the money. This information will help you choose the mix that works best for your goals.
If you'll need the money soon or need to be able to access it quickly, consider using these FDIC-insured deposit accounts:
A savings account
If you're saving for retirement or your child's education, consider:
Many employers offer a number of benefits that can save you money and help you save. Chief among them are 401(k) plans, which allow you to make automatic contributions from each paycheck to a retirement plan. The contributions come out of your paycheck before taxes are withheld, and any investment earnings are not taxed until you withdraw them. A portion of each contribution is often matched by the employer. Other pre-tax benefits include Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts, which help you to set aside money for medical and child-care expenses.
Almost all banks offer automated transfers between your checking and savings accounts. You can choose when, how much and where to transfer money or even split your direct deposit so that a portion of every paycheck goes directly into your savings account. The advantage: You don't have to think about it, and you're less likely to spend the money instead. Other easy savings tools include credit card rewards and spare change programs, which round up transactions to the nearest dollar and transfer the difference into a savings or investment account.
With Mobile & Online Banking, Bank of America clients can easily set up automatic transfers between accounts.
Review your budget and check your progress every month. That will help you not only stick to your personal savings plan, but also identify and fix problems quickly. Understanding how to save money may even inspire you to find more ways to save and hit your goals faster.
It's worth a try, especially if you live in a state that lets you choose your electricity or natural gas provider. Other factors that could help you get a lower bill include:
Do some research before calling to learn if the utility has any special promotions or customer loyalty plans that could save you money. Be polite and direct with the customer service representative. If you're considering changing providers, let them know. They may connect you with a customer retention specialist who has more authority to make changes.
Money-saving challenges are quirky ways to encourage you to save. They turn savings into a game or competition, making it fun and providing motivation to stick with it. They can also help you break large goals into smaller pieces that are easier to achieve. You can find lots of money-saving challenges on social media. Examples include:
52-week money challenge: This is a year-long challenge that has you transfer steadily increasing amounts into your savings account every week: $1 in week one, $2 in week two, $3 in week three and so on until you get to $52 in week 52. By then, you will have saved $1,378.
No-spend money challenge: For a set period of time'a month, for example'you stop all spending on nonessentials. At the end of the month, add up what you didn't spend on lattes, trendy clothes or nights out and put that money in your savings account.
Weather Wednesday money challenge: Put an amount of money equal to the high temperature on Wednesdays into your savings account.
You'll be surprised how fast your savings add up if you take a few basic steps:
The material provided on this website is for informational use only and is not intended for financial or investment advice. Bank of America Corporation and/or its affiliates assume no liability for any loss or damage resulting from one's reliance on the material provided. Please also note that such material is not updated regularly and that some of the information may not therefore be current. Consult with your own financial professional when making decisions regarding your financial or investment management. © Bank of America Corporation.
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The Spending & Budgeting tool is currently available to clients with a personal checking or savings account, credit card, a linked Merrill investment account, as well as a Small Business checking or savings account.
Fees apply to wires and certain transfers. See the Online Banking Service Agreement for details. Data connection required. Carrier fees may apply.
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