PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Back to school is fast approaching, and some of the most expensive back-to-school purchases are all kinds of tech products, from laptops to tablets to headphones.
This expense is a major headache and source of stress for many families.
Dasia Milden is a mom of two and CNet's Money Editor, and she shared her money-saving tips with us.
Milden said her biggest tip when shopping for back-to-school items is to buy used instead of new, because kids don't need the latest and greatest.
“Recycled products are fine, there's absolutely nothing wrong with using them,” she said.
However, it is important to look for refurbished products that come with a warranty and return policy.
And Milden recommends buying direct from manufacturers when possible — check out refurbished inventory from Apple and Samsung, for example.
If you can't find what you're looking for, head to the web and compare second-hand sections at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.
Other marketplaces like Decluttr and BackMarket are also good choices for older items, and if price is your biggest concern, Milden's advice is this: Consider an old-fashioned layaway service.
“If you use Amazon's layaway service, make sure you know when your payment is due and when you can expect your items to arrive,” she says. “If it takes a while, you can usually make four installments. I live close to a school, so this might not be an option for me, but if school starts in September, you might have more time.”
Milden also offers this advice: “If you use buy now, pay later or credit cards, be prepared to pay off your debt so you don't get into a debt hole that you can't get out of.”
“The most important thing is to make sure you know what your payments are, make a schedule and have the funds set aside to make them,” she said.
Also, keep an eye out for bargains: Set up a Google price alert to notify you when the price of something you want to buy drops.
Also, consider using a browser add-on that will scan the internet for all available coupons and free shipping codes and apply them all automatically.
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