Financing Options

[DudeMartin]

Hey everyone!

Recently, I decided that I want to get a MacBook Air, with 4GB RAM (so custom order). Usually, when I would buy tech, I would go to Best Buy and choose their no-interest financing, along with using their card to receive nice coupons down the road. Now I am confronted with a problem; since I need the 4GB RAM, as I will play some games, and have quite a few windows up simultaneously, I cannot go to a Best Buy and pick up the MacBook Air as they do not carry 4GB models. I am really dependent on their no-interest 6/12 month financing because it makes big sales seem almost unnoticeable. $1500 dollars just seems like quite a sum to just put on the table.

Are there any ways to have no-interest financing, and still order a custom model, without signing up for some credit card that Apple offers, or BillMeLater (because that company has awful reviews).

I really appreciate any responses, thanks!

 

[gimmi80]

Apple offers financing options during checkout.
These offers are interest free from 6 months to 1 year if you qualify

 

[DudeMartin]

Apple offers financing options during checkout.
These offers are interest free from 6 months to 1 year if you qualify

Yes, through some Barclaycard - which requires you to sign up for it. I don't want to sign up for another credit card to make a single purchase ...

 

[topmounter]

I say skip the credit rackets and pay cash.

 

[DudeMartin]

I say skip the credit rackets and pay cash.

It's just that I could afford to pay cash, but then I would be almost broke for that month, but with financing, I could still buy the computer, and pay in much smaller increments, so it doesn't seem like I spent $1500 (like you're out of money).

 

[Doc750]

Why buy at best buy? Get it online and save the tax.

 

[DudeMartin]

Why buy at best buy? Get it online and save the tax.

Don't you have to pay tax online as well?

 

[BENJMNS]

It's just that I could afford to pay cash, but then I would be almost broke for that month, but with financing, I could still buy the computer, and pay in much smaller increments, so it doesn't seem like I spent $1500 (like you're out of money).

no, you can't afford it.

i know you didn't come here for to buy or not to buy advice, but acquiring stuff on debt is just not a good habit my man. especially depreciating items like electronic goods.

debt is america's crack. save some cash and buy it outright v. racking up some more debt. apple products like the air are cool, but not worth making interest payments on. imho.

 

[DudeMartin]

no, you can't afford it.

i know you didn't come here for to buy or not to buy advice, but acquiring stuff on debt is just not a good habit my man. especially depreciating items like electronic goods.

debt is america's crack. save some cash and buy it outright v. racking up some more debt. apple products like the air are cool, but not worth making interest payments on. imho.

I can afford $100 per month easily, I cannot really afford $1500 at one time, though.

 

[Narkotiq]

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I bought my 4gb 11 inch MacBook air with apple finance, there was a special offer with no interest, it will be paid off by October.

Apple finance is through barclays bank, it does not require u to take out a barclaycard agreement.

I also got the educational discount so all in all I got quite a good deal.

 

[SR71]

Don't you have to pay tax online as well?

Well, if you order from MacMall, you can sign up for their Preferred Account program (same thing that Dell uses) and you don't have to make any payments for 6 months + no interest if paid in full in 6 months. Also, MacMall isn't currently applying tax to the MacBook Air's, or at least they aren't for me. It might depend on where you live, though. I'm in Massachusetts.

 

[dlamin517]

I can afford $100 per month easily, I cannot really afford $1500 at one time, though.

He understands that. However, what you really should do is save that $100 you would be spending per month and put it in the bank. Then when you reach $1,500 you will be able to afford the macbook.

Technically you cant afford a macbook, thats why you are financing. You are living beyond your means this way. Living beyond your means=debt=bad.

Whats gonna happen if you cant afford to pay the $100 one month? Say you lose your job or something. You are going to be in trouble.

 

[Doc750]

order off amazon .. they will give you 12 months 0.0% financing as well. No tax, plus they give you an additional $40 off for signing up for their credit card.

macmall
macconnections


there are a bunch of them out there.

 

[Doc750]

no, you can't afford it.

i know you didn't come here for to buy or not to buy advice, but acquiring stuff on debt is just not a good habit my man. especially depreciating items like electronic goods.

debt is america's crack. save some cash and buy it outright v. racking up some more debt. apple products like the air are cool, but not worth making interest payments on. imho.

He understands that. However, what you really should do is save that $100 you would be spending per month and put it in the bank. Then when you reach $1,500 you will be able to afford the macbook.

Technically you cant afford a macbook, thats why you are financing. You are living beyond your means this way. Living beyond your means=debt=bad.

Whats gonna happen if you cant afford to pay the $100 one month? Say you lose your job or something. You are going to be in trouble.

dont buy a house, dont buy a car .....

stop with your nay sayer comments. Let the man help stimulate our economy and learn to responsibly manage his debt.

 

[topmounter]

dont buy a house, dont buy a car .....

stop with your nay sayer comments. Let the man help stimulate our economy and learn to responsibly manage his debt.

I learned the hard way... stay away from unsecured debt and lenders just hoping a payment shows up a day late so they can charge you confiscatory interest rates.

Secured loans from a reputable lender for homes and cars are a somewhat different deal since most folks would be paying rent anyway if they weren't paying for a mortgage or lose their job if they don't have reliable transportation to and from work.

 

[dlamin517]

dont buy a house, dont buy a car .....

stop with your nay sayer comments. Let the man help stimulate our economy and learn to responsibly manage his debt.

Him spending money on a macbook doesnt stimulate the economy actually. If you understand how economics works you would understand that he would be stimulating the economy if he put his money in a bank. Savings=stimulus, not spending. FYI

House and cars are different circumstances like topmounter says. Laptops are luxury items.

 

[LurchNC]

I can afford $100 per month easily, I cannot really afford $1500 at one time, though.

Put $100 away a Month and buy the next version. I know it's tempting to buy stuff on a no-interset basis, but if you put away a little each month, you'll be able to get the next version and pay cash. Think about what would happen if you lost your job in the next few months. Would you be able to make the payments?

I have a friend that always buys everything on no-intrest for a year and it's almost bit him a few times. That year comes up quick.

 

[leftywamumonkey]

Him spending money on a macbook doesnt stimulate the economy actually. If you understand how economics works you would understand that he would be stimulating the economy if he put his money in a bank. Savings=stimulus, not spending. FYI

House and cars are different circumstances like topmounter says. Laptops are luxury items.

Spending money does actually stimulate the economy. Yes, putting money in the bank with regulation does stimulate the economy, but you also need to spend money. Remember the problems in the Great Depression, people weren't spending money and banks had no regulation which was what made them so vulnerable. I can't put my finger on it, but there was a president at the time who basically told the people, screw it go in debt and start buying something to invest in. He knew spending money now would help stimulate the economy. During WWII the U.S. began producing many things such as airplanes and boats, and young men were granted jobs by going to war. Everyone was affected, women were taking over in the workforce, men were off fighting, immigrants and minorities were able to find jobs easier. Spending money on the war helped get us out of the Great Depression, it wasn't that alone but was one of the key things. Other things such as the New Deals set the soil.

Just what I think.

 

[KPOM]

dont buy a house, dont buy a car .....

stop with your nay sayer comments. Let the man help stimulate our economy and learn to responsibly manage his debt.

One way to manage debt responsibly is not to take on more debt than necessary.

Housing and in many cases a car are necessities. While a computer can be a necessity in today's day and age, a MacBook Air is a luxury. If parting with $1500 at one time is too much of a stretch, then it is worth asking whether the money is better spent or saved elsewhere. If the OP has a working computer, and doesn't want to part with $1500, what he might really be saying to himself (and doesn't want to admit) is that he doesn't have the $1500. If he gets into the habit of putting an extra $100 aside each month, by the time he has the $1500 there will be a newer model out that he can easily pay cash for.

If he needs a computer but $1500 is a stretch, then it may be worthwhile to look at other options. The base MacBook offers similar computing power for $1000. It doesn't have an SSD and weighs a bit more, but those are the compromises for a lower price.

I have used zero interest offers (including the Barclay card) in the past, but only as a promotion. I always am prepared to pay cash and pay off my credit cards in full each month. Sure, if someone gives me an interest free offer, I'll take it and put the money aside until I need to pay off the card, however, with interest rates on savings accounts so low (even getting 1% is difficult), I am less tempted by those offers than before.

I have a friend that always buys everything on no-intrest for a year and it's almost bit him a few times. That year comes up quick.

True. A lot of "no interest" offers are really deferred interest plans that accrue a high rate of interest and whack you with penalties or lots of back interest if you don't pay everything off right on time.

Remember, they aren't giving you 0% out of the goodness of their heart. Either the merchant (e.g. Best Buy or Apple) are paying the lender the interest out of their marketing budget, or the bank is figuring from past experience that a a certain percentage won't pay off on time (or some combination of the two).

 

[DudeMartin]

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I understand you're trying to help, but whether I can afford it or not is not what I asked. I always buy big things with no interest financing. Anyways, someone mentioned MacMall, and I looked at the site - the prices seem the same as Apple's education price - sweet! They also do offer 6 month no interest financing. Has anyone went with that route? Like is there some nasty catch behind that offer? Thanks!

 

[KPOM]

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I understand you're trying to help, but whether I can afford it or not is not what I asked. I always buy big things with no interest financing. Anyways, someone mentioned MacMall, and I looked at the site - the prices seem the same as Apple's education price - sweet! They also do offer 6 month no interest financing. Has anyone went with that route? Like is there some nasty catch behind that offer? Thanks!

There's always a catch. With MacMall, the balance accrues interest at a whopping 26%, so if you don't pay off that MacBook Air by the end of the six months, you'll pay another $195 for it.

https://www.securecheckout.myprefer...content=/macmallweb/mmpanp6m500rollingiw.html

I'm not saying don't take it, but if you do, set a reminder in your calendar at month 5 to pay it off. Better yet, set multiple reminders.

 

[DudeMartin]

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I understand you're trying to help, but whether I can afford it or not is not what I asked. I always buy big things with no interest financing. Anyways, someone mentioned MacMall, and I looked at the site - the prices seem the same as Apple's education price - sweet! They also do offer 6 month no interest financing. Has anyone went with that route? Like is there some nasty catch behind that offer? Thanks!

There's always a catch. With MacMall, the balance accrues interest at a whopping 26%, so if you don't pay off that MacBook Air by the end of the six months, you'll pay another $195 for it.

https://www.securecheckout.myprefer...content=/macmallweb/mmpanp6m500rollingiw.html

I'm not saying don't take it, but if you do, set a reminder in your calendar at month 5 to pay it off. Better yet, set multiple reminders.

I CAN pay in increments, right? ($300 in feb, $300 in mar, etc)

 

[PeterKG]

Barclay's Bank that is connected to Apple's financing a purchase is one of the worst credit card issuers. Beware of them. Do a Google search and you will seen how hated they are.

 

[DudeMartin]

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Barclay's Bank that is connected to Apple's financing a purchase is one of the worst credit card issuers. Beware of them. Do a Google search and you will seen how hated they are.

Haha I did, that's why I'm trying to find alternatives. Also BillMeLater is just as awful.

 

[cleric]

I say skip the credit rackets and pay cash.

I got 5% off for using my credit card what kind of racket is that