12 Secret Tips to Save Money on Your Electronics & Gadgets

Gadgets and electronics are always popular, whether they’re for you or gifts for others. They aren’t cheap goods though, in fact they’re usually quite expensive. It’s why many people will choose to find a mobile iphone repair specialist to fix their existing phone, rather than splashing out on the latest, shiny device.

However, there are ways to be smart with how you shop, and in turn, make some great savings on a new phone. After all, who doesn’t want a cheap new iPad, mobile phone, or laptop? Get your next iPhone or whatever it is you want for less with our tips. Here’s 12 great ways to buy cheap electronics & gadgets:

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  • Do Your Research

Look into the item you want, and get a real understanding for its features, and what you want them for. Most people don’t need the latest gen iPhone or tablet, so you can save money by buying lower spec models or older versions. Decide on your needs and put the research in, the savings can be massive.

  • Buy Open Box/Ex-Display

Open box items can be those with damaged packaging, or store returns that have been checked as complete and working. There are great savings available when you purchase these, as stores find them harder to get rid of. Take advantage, you’re still covered by store guarantees.

  • Refurbished Goods Can Mean Big Savings!

If you’re looking for high value electronics, buying refurbished can save you loads. These are usually covered by a specific store guarantee just for refurbs, and are often quite close in quality and durability to a new version. The prices are usually much lower though, often 50% or even less at times.

  • Trading In/Selling

Got old gadgets or electronics lying around? Or are you intending to upgrade and won’t need the old one? You might as well trade it in when this is the case, it’ll give you cash towards the replacement. Some phones, tablets, and similar items still have high value when they’re 12-24 months old, so the potential to grab a nice chunk of cash does exist. As long as you’re buying from the same place, you can go for a trade option rather than selling for cash. This will get you more money, the catch is you have to spend it in that store – it’s in the form of store credit. So if you do want to sell it for the full amount you may want to use companies like Backflip to do this with to make sure you have the funds.

Also check sites like Craigslist, Gumtree, and eBay to see what you could sell the item for yourself if cash is what you’re after. If you do decide to sell your old electronics, it might be worth investing in some bulk anti-static bags to make sure the electrical components are protected from electrostatic discharge. This can cause the component to become faulty, so it’s important that people packing these electrical goods consider using those bags.

  • Cashback Sites

There are websites called Cashback sites. With these sites you sign up and have access to a bunch of deals that have cashback deals. Some sites you have to pay to sign up, others take a small, set fee out of your cashback, as long as you earn some. The cashback is given to you through the site itself, as they have their own deals in place with the sellers.

  • Store Cards, Credit Cards, and Loyalty Points

Using store & loyalty cards can get you cashback sometimes. Check the specifics of your card for this, because there’s all kinds of deals around. When you shop at the same place often, you should use their loyalty point system. Some put it on your store card, or on to a separate card, like a Nectar card. This doesn’t help you grab a cheaper item now like the cashback system, though it does build something gradually for the future. Every little helps, right?

  • Free Gifts/Contracts

Phone contracts sometimes give you the phone for free. There are also deals like this around for tablets as well. Keep in mind that you are still likely to pay for the item, the company usually makes their money on your monthly fee.

Sometimes subscription services or other contracts come with a free gift. An example would be signing up for 12 months with Sky TV and getting a free Android tablet, a deal they provided last year for a while. I personally got my PlayStation as a free gift with a phone contract (which also came with cashback).

  • Use Coupons

Sign up to a coupon site, or search for them online. All kinds of deals exist, so look around and see what you find. It varies how much you can save here too, sometimes its 5%, others it can be 50% or more.

  • Make Use of Any Special Discounts

Stores, whether online or not, put out some of the best electronics offers at times. Some shops offer a loyalty/membership system and give discounts to all members. They may even mail these to you for signing up for their loyalty card.

Other times there are discounts for armed service personnel, senior citizens, students, educational staff, or medical staff. Check around and see what discounts you can get!

  • Remove Options

Lots of purchases will come bundled with extra cover, insurance, and other kinds of upgrades or add-ons. Sometimes you can have these removed, and bring the cost down. It’s always worth asking.

  • Find the Best Time to Buy

A lot of electronic products are released and updated on a yearly cycle. Do some research and see what the cycle is for the product you’re interested in. The area towards the end of the cycle is when prices will usually drop. The savings can be significant.

If it’s mid-cycle you might also want to wait a bit longer, as the price drop could be right around the corner!

  • Shop Around

Whichever of the deals you find above, remember to shop around widely. Keep in mind what savings you’ll get with different deals, including cashback, and figure out what the overall cheapest deal is.

You might be able to get a free iPhone now, but the contract might end up costing you a lot more than buying it upfront with a cashback deal or trade-in. Figure your numbers out and make sure you’re picking the right deal.

That wraps up our list, I hope you enjoyed it and get some use out of it! For more great money saving tips, hints and secrets, check back soon!