7 Tricks for Choosing the Best Value Gadgets For a Freshman

When getting ready for a freshman year in college, students have to do lots of planning and shopping for stuff they might need in college. Apart from basic things like clothing, personal care items, and books, there is one more category that you will likely have to cover in your shopping list – tech. 

Needless to say, this one will be expensive, so you have to be prepared to spend some bucks on it. Nevertheless, you can’t survive through college without technology¹. So, it’s vital that you shop for it right.

For all future students not sure how to shop for the right best-value gadgets for college², we have a few tips to help you handle this. Read on to learn how you can equip yourself for college without compromising anything and going over your budget.

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Set Aside Time for Research

Chances are that you will start shopping for college while still being in your grad class. That is, you will have plenty of pressing assignments and projects that will distract you from selecting the best gadgets. 

But, there is a way to change this! Find yourself a reputable write my research paper service that can take care of your high school tasks and save you enough time for shopping. This way, you will have enough time to hunt for the best deals. And, at the same time, you won’t compromise your grades at school.

Make a List

The next trick is a no-brainer. Still, many future first-year students tend to overlook it and start shopping, having no idea what exactly they are looking for. As a result, this can lead to overspending, buying stuff that you don’t need so much, and missing something important out of sight. So, we strongly recommend you make a list of gadgets you need for your first year in college.

Typically, your list will include basic things like a laptop, smartphone, tablet, alarm clock, etc. But, be sure to ponder about other devices that can come in handy for you in particular. Also, don’t forget to outline your preferences. For example, if it is a laptop, would you search for a Windows or macOS option? Knowing this in advance will save you plenty of time and help you choose the best gadgets with ease.

Use Price Comparison Sites

When you have a list of stuff you want to buy and are ready to start shopping, the first trick you should use is to find trusted price comparison sites and start your search there. Some of the best comparison sites include Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, Yahoo Shopping, BuyVia, Become, and Bizrate. These websites can become your smart shopping assistants and help you buy the needed devices at the best base price.

Check Out Tech Blogs for Amazon Deals

If you prefer to buy gadgets on Amazon to save time, that makes sense because Amazon’s prices are often much more competitive than those you will find in a physical store. But, you can do even better if you do some additional research! 

The majority of popular tech blogs tend to share the best Amazon deals with their readers. They also often share special affiliate links or promo codes for even better discounts. So, often, when you scan such blogs, you can get some basic items like laptops or smartphones significantly cheaper than if you just buy them at a regular price.

Hunt for the Best Student Deals

Apart from hunting for the best deals overall, you can also use your privileges of being a student. For example, major tech stores (both online and offline) often have pretty generous discounts for students that will help you get the best value devices without going over your budget. 

There are several ways to find such deals. First, you can always ask a specific store if they have any discounts for you. Also, you can use sites and apps meant for students, for example, MyUniDays, that share the best value for deals available in different stores.

Stay Updated on the Price Fluctuations

This is another Amazon-related tip. It shouldn’t be a secret to you that prices for different items on Amazon aren’t fixed. Instead, they frequently fluctuate as the goods go on sale and get back to regular prices. So, the best way to buy gadgets you need at the best price is to keep an eye on these fluctuations all the time.

Leverage services like Honey or CamelCamelCamel for this purpose. These services let you study the price history of anything you can find on Amazon, and they can even send you notifications when preferred items drop in price. By signing up for such alerts, you can really automate the shopping process and make your purchases right when there is the best discount. So, don’t neglect this tip if you want to get the best-value gadgets!

Leave Some Purchases for Later

Want to get a specific gadget that is quite expensive? If that’s true, you don’t have to compromise the quality to buy something cheaper right now. Remember that you can always leave some purchases for later, for example, until the Black Friday sales, to get exactly what you want at the best price possible. After all, you should be able to last with your old phone a few more months to buy something great a little later.

The Bottom Line

Going tech shopping³ before your first year in college is both exciting and challenging. It can be easy to go over your budget and spend too much on things you don’t need if you have lots of gadgets on your mind. But, if you approach it wisely and compile a list, you will be able to get the things you need at the best prices.

Hopefully, the tricks we shared with you here will help you choose the best value devices with ease. Use these hacks right now to get college-ready without going over your budget!

1. Lucas Jr, Henry C. Inside the future: Surviving the technology revolution. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2008. ↩︎
2. Agung, Antonius Setyawan Nur, Monika Widyastuti Surtikanti, and Charito A. Quinones. “Students’ perception of online learning during COVID-19 pandemic: A case study on the English students of STKIP Pamane Talino.” SOSHUM: Jurnal Sosial Dan Humaniora 10.2 (2020): 225-235. ↩︎
3. Salomon, Ilan, and Frank S. Koppelman. “Teleshopping or going shopping? An information acquisition perspective.” Behaviour & information technology 11.4 (1992): 189-198. ↩︎

Last Updated on February 14, 2024 by ayeshayusuf