It’s vital to keep your home office up to the pace of technology. Whether you’re a freelancer, contractor, or business owner, your livelihood requires you to invest in quality gadgets in a market with constantly shifting demands and tech trends. So how do you stay up to date without having to find three extra jobs to compensate for the cost?
Believe it or not, you can save money without missing out on quality. By digging a little deeper, you will often find a great product at a reasonable price. You can find the best deals, save money, and grow your home business by investing in affordable tech that gets the job done. Here’s how.
Buy Refurbished Equipment
Refurbished equals rejected in the minds of many, but pre-owned tech is thoroughly tested to perform as well as new equipment. Refurbished equipment is used for only a short time before being resold to customers at 60 to 90 percent less than its original price. And these products often come with extended warranties of a similar length to those included with new equipment.
If you buy a refurbished product, make your purchase from a recommended vendor or the original manufacturer. The equipment should have a label that reads “factory certified.”
Look for Deals With Resellers and Authorized Dealers
Resellers and authorized dealers are certified vendors that find the best deals on technology and sell it to you for a reasonable price; sometimes that includes refurbished equipment. For cellular and internet services, these companies work off the bigger networks as secondary carriers. They are also certified to resell for brand name providers such as Sprint and Verizon — where you can get the same product for less and often with the same perks.
For example, the freelancer on the go needs a portable hotspot and a good deal of data. Front-line carriers can be pricey, but if you check out a secondary market, such as Boost, you’ll likely find better prices on plans that include more data — and often require no contract.
Read the Reviews
Read reviews from bloggers and on marketplaces like Amazon. These reviews can help you find exactly what you need and save you from paying more for excessive features. Avoid being overwhelmed by brand names and features by quickly jotting down the name of the product, scanning the features for your basic needs and heading straight to the reviews. Lesser-known brands aren’t necessarily any less capable than the major players when it comes to producing high-quality home office tech.
Make a list of pros and cons based on reviewer experiences, reading the full spectrum of five-star to one-star opinions. Read reviews from multiple sources. Gather enough information to make a fair judgment on a tech deal.
Do Your Research
Check under the hood of the tech market, and delve deep into reviews and secondary markets. Consider buying refurbished products. Score deals from resellers, authorized dealers, and lesser-known brands. Follow these tips and you’ll find great tech for less without sacrificing quality.
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