Searching for the Perfect Computer

Posted by Michelle Yeager


This holiday season I've been in search for the perfect computer. While my full-time job provides me with a laptop, I also have a side hustle that is blossoming and needs a computer of its own. I know the cheapest and best prices are at this time of the year. If you can't find a computer during the holidays, you just aren't looking!

My search started on Thanksgiving morning and I anxiously flipped through the pages of all of the advertisements. Because my computer will travel with me daily, I really wanted to find a smaller screen that was less than 15 inches. The majority of the computers on sale were 15.4 inches. So this was my first dilemma. Do I go with the larger screen in order to save money or be patient and hope the smaller screens will also go on sale? I didn't have much time to think about it because Black Friday was right around the corner. I found a computer on sale Thanksgiving evening at CompUSA. It was a quality computer at a price I couldn't beat. So I got my game plan together and was ready to purchase it. As I drove up to the store, I saw a very lengthy line wrapping around the building. Although all of those people were probably not in line to get a laptop, there was a very good chance that by the time I made it all the way through, there wouldn't be any left.

At this point I had not only to think about the price of the computer, but also the value of my time. Was the money I would be saving equivalent to the hours upon hours I would be standing in the cold? Time is money and money is time. When I weighed my options, I came to the conclusion that although it was a good deal, it really wasn't worth my time. So I left.

Friday morning I'm up at the crack of dawn waiting for Apple's website to post their Black Friday prices. Apple computers rarely go on sale. I really wanted a MacBook, but struggled with whether I was willing to pay the extreme price. Apple said the sale would be posted at midnight Pacific Standard Time (PST). I assumed that's two hours behind Eastern Standard Time so I click on at 2:00am. Oops, I was wrong, PST is three hours behind so I have to wait another hour. Once I get through, I am highly disappointed to see the sale prices are same ones I receive as an educator. Just more wasted effort. By now I realize folks are starting to line up at the Best Buy and Circuit City stores. I flip through their advertisements one last time. I remind myself that I want a quality computer and not just a mediocre one that will only last a short time. I decide to sleep in.

It is now December 10 and I still have not purchased a laptop. Although I continue to look online at various prices and flip through newspaper advertisements, I haven't found a deal that's a steal. So, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to be a scrooge any longer and I'm going to purchase the Apple computer. It honestly is the one I want. Although I may not be saving the $100-400 off a random laptop, I know I'll be getting a quality product that has all of the features I desire. This holiday season, I learned that although a bargain is great, sometimes you have to spend a little more for peace of mind and quality that will last!