Should You Buy a New Device? Questions to Ask

You hardly need to look far today in order to find all sorts of tantalising gadgets, gizmos and devices, complete with great advertising campaigns that make you feel more or less convinced that you need those devices in your life as soon as possible.

Plenty of the different devices and gadgets out there today can be not only very fun and enjoyable to use, but can also have a significant impact on your ability to manage your routine, and to consistently get the most out of everyday life.

At the same time, though, plenty of the gadgets and devices out there are going to be pretty gratuitous potential purchases — and likely won’t do much for you other than lightening your wallet.

Should you buy a new device? Here are some questions to ask yourself before making a decision.

Is it something that falls within your budget allowance?

This point should be pretty obvious — but, unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to end up buying expensive gadgets that they don’t really need, on credit, only to then end up having to deal with interest and long term repayments.

While taking steps to compare credit options may be appropriate for certain happenings in your financial life as a whole, it’s generally a good rule of thumb to refrain from buying gadgets that fall outside of your budget allowance for such things, unless you really need them.

Of course, if you have been setting aside a portion of your income for a budget category such as “electronics,” and have enough set aside in that category to make the purchase you’re thinking of up front, then by all means indulge yourself.

Is the device likely to benefit you for a reasonable length of time?

Plenty of different gadgets out there may be somewhat useful in the moment, or over a short time horizon, but are unlikely to age very well or to remain particularly useful for a reasonable length of time.

One of the key selling points used to justify the high price point of Apple computers if — for example — the fact that they are known for having good longevity, and being supported with new OS updates for a good number of years at a stretch.

Whenever you’re thinking of buying a new gadget, it’s worth considering if it’s likely to benefit you for a reasonable length of time.

Would you be able to easily return, resell, or repair it if needed?

Thanks in large part to various popular eCommerce sites today, as well as various Crowdfunding sites, many small businesses are now able to sell their digital devices on the market — ranging from things like tablets, to minimalist phones, and eInk writing tablets.

While the idea of supporting startups is great, one potential issue with buying from these small companies is the fact that those companies might not be around to repair or replace the gadget in question after a few years.

If you’re interested in buying a new gadget that costs a fair bit, it’s always a good idea to be aware whether or not you’d be able to easily return, resell, or repair that gadget if required.