iMac funds - Suggestions Please

[xSeanZx]

Ok, well yesterday I went to the Apple Store to look for anything I might want to get with my 100 dollar iPhone rebate.

While I was there, I basically fell in love with the iMac. I loved the design, the glossy and beautiful display, and the AIO setup.

However, I dont really have the money right now to buy one. I am only 15 years old, and unfortunately my mom could not get approved for credit with Apple. Now I need some help with what I could do to get money for this thing. (Aside from a job, I already do work on an eBay business with my mom and get 100 dollars a week)

I currently own a very good PC with a good graphics card, a neon and see through case, 4G of RAM, and 21 inch LCD monitor. Those are just the basics, if you needed more info I could tell you. It has a dual boot of XP and Vista on it.

My question is , where could I sell this system as a whole for good money? Of course there is eBay, but I am wondering if there are other places that might be good for selling computers/parts. I also have my 60G iPod video that I do not need any more because I have my iphone. The new iMacs are making me want to switch to them now more than ever, and I am ready to do so.

Please help me if you have any ideas.

 

[casjohnr]

There is no magic way to afford an iMac - Just sell your unneeded items and don't be tempted to spend the earnings on other things! (But on the other hand, don't be letting the iMac take over your life. It'll still be there tomorrow...)

Also remember you may be eligible for an educational discount but I can't help out much with that as I'm a UK resident.

 

[HLdan]

Craigslist is the best way to sell your computer set up. I sold my PowerMac dual G5 and cinema display on Craigslist and bought the 2.8 iMac. Craigslist is the best because it's free and someone local will pick up your machine and pay cash, at least that's the case with most Craigslist deals.

The GPU on the iMac 24" is actually pretty good but judging from your current setup it sounds like you have a gaming PC and while the iMac will play games great especially since it has a DX10 card it ain't no Alienware gaming PC. But if you are looking for an AIO then nothing in the AIO computing world comes close to the iMac.

 

[Nabooly]

There is no magic way to afford an iMac - Just sell your unneeded items and don't be tempted to spend the earnings on other things! (But on the other hand, don't be letting the iMac take over your life. It'll still be there tomorrow...)

Also remember you may be eligible for an educational discount but I can't help out much with that as I'm a UK resident.

Educational discount doesn't apply for highschool or less, which i think doesn't really make sense.

 

[HLdan]

Educational discount doesn't apply for highschool or less, which i think doesn't really make sense.

Apple doesn't check which school you attend.

 

[xSeanZx]

Craigslist is the best way to sell your computer set up. I sold my PowerMac dual G5 and cinema display on Craigslist and bought the 2.8 iMac. Craigslist is the best because it's free and someone local will pick up your machine and pay cash, at least that's the case with most Craigslist deals.

The GPU on the iMac 24" is actually pretty good but judging from your current setup it sounds like you have a gaming PC and while the iMac will play games great especially since it has a DX10 card it ain't no Alienware gaming PC. But if you are looking for an AIO then nothing in the AIO computing world comes close to the iMac.

Yeah my PC right now is a gaming setup, however I am at the point where I have no time for PC games any more. I barely have time to hop on a console every now and then.

I really want to ditch my tower, because I no longer care about PC games and I really love the iMac.

 

[nissan.gtp]

I'd recommend you start with a used system that can run 10.5.

that way, you get the mac experience (mainly the os) and save some $ for girls and other important stuff

 

[xSeanZx]

Well If I spend the money, I am going to get what I want. Not to sound spoiled, but I don't want to settle for less and not be happy you know?

Getting the little money for that other stuff is a bit easier

 

[HLdan]

Well If I spend the money, I am going to get what I want. Not to sound spoiled, but I don't want to settle for less and not be happy you know?

Getting the little money for that other stuff is a bit easier

Well there ya go. Try Craigslist. When I put my G5 up on Craigstlist I asked for a higher price than what I expected to get for it and I got it. The good thing about Craigslist is that it won't cost you for placing the ad and if it doesn't sell the first time there's no money out of your pocket unlike Ebay.

I agree, you should buy what you will be happy with.

 

[xSeanZx]

If you dont mind me asking, how much did yours sell for?

And what do you think I could get for mine?

 

[taylorwilsdon]

If you dont mind me asking, how much did yours sell for?

And what do you think I could get for mine?

A g5 is worlds of difference from a home built PC. How can we guess what yours is worth if you didn't even tell us the graphics card, processor, motherboard, etc?

How in the world did you get turned down for Apple credit if you passed AT&T's check? Cell phone companies are much less lenient then in-store cards.

 

[xSeanZx]

A g5 is worlds of difference from a home built PC. How can we guess what yours is worth if you didn't even tell us the graphics card, processor, motherboard, etc?

How in the world did you get turned down for Apple credit if you passed AT&T's check? Cell phone companies are much less lenient then in-store cards.

Ill get you the details in a little bit.

Oh and the problem is that my mom has tons of credit cards already, and im sure you know the more credit heavy you are, then the less you will be approved in the future. We didnt have any problem with AT&T because she had been with them for like two years.

it truly sucks, because honestly she has NEVER missed a payment on any credit card. Not one.

 

[xSeanZx]

Here are some specifics on my computer.

Dual Boot Windows XP/Vista
AMD Athlon 64 processor
4000+
2.40 GHz, 4.00 GB of RAM
ASUS Motherboard
Plug and Play Monitor on Nvidia GeForce 6800
21 Inch Samsung LCD TV Monitor
Black Case, with see through side and neon lights.
CD/DVD Burner
CD/DVD Player
Microlab speakers (crappy) lol

I would be selling this all together

 

[HLdan]

A g5 is worlds of difference from a home built PC. How can we guess what yours is worth if you didn't even tell us the graphics card, processor, motherboard, etc?

How in the world did you get turned down for Apple credit if you passed AT&T's check? Cell phone companies are much less lenient then in-store cards.

Actually I worked for Sprint for 7 years and anyone with bad credit can get a cell phone. Sometimes they had to pay a deposit but no one gets turned down unless they don't have proper I.D. and even then we made exceptions.

 

[RubberShoes]

I'd recommend you start with a used system that can run 10.5.

that way, you get the mac experience (mainly the os) and save some $ for girls and other important stuff

Lol I'm in the same position as u, and yea girls def. do that to ya (365 bucks in txting, 76 bucks in flowers, and god knows what in dinners)

but as for a used system, i wouldn't recommend that if you're going to wanna dual boot back into XP world once in a while

Sell ur stuff, and if you get good at it you can make some money by selling stuff from ur friends online for them, just take a certain percentage off after u get the money.

Other than that, don't get involved with the girls until after u buy the mac --first hand experience

 

[RichardJohn]

Save for 20 weeks? It's not a long time, really.

 

[suneohair]

Just a note about credit. The number of accounts you have is irrelevant. At least when compared to the amount of that credit being used. For example:

If you have say, $5000 in credit cards and are at 50% or more of that amount charged to them, you are much less likely to get approved. Paying your cards on time is one thing, but paying the minimum payment on those cards gets your nowhere and makes it harder to get new credit. Since you have most of the credit typed up and not paying it down very fast. Or if you pay more than the minimum but keep dumping more onto it keeping it above 50% used.

Also, the interest on the Juniper card is insane. I would recommend looking elsewhere if you really need to charge it.

 

[RobMccormack]

Im In The Same Situation As You.

I Turnt 16 Last Week And Have Been Saving For My iMac Since July. Only About 300 Pound Off Now.

But Yeah, Its Been Difficult Getting The Money As Before My Birthday I Was Too Young To Work And Stufff. But Should All Be Worth It In The End.

Looking To Use Mine At The Center Of A Home Recording Studio.

Gonna Get The 2.4ghz, 20inch iMac With 2gb Memory.

Cant Wait.

 

[BlakTornado]

There is no magic way to afford an iMac - Just sell your unneeded items and don't be tempted to spend the earnings on other things! (But on the other hand, don't be letting the iMac take over your life. It'll still be there tomorrow...)

That's what I did and now I'm sat here with my new 20" iMac I'm 15 (was 14 when I started saving), got no job, have no money coming in, and so on. I just sold old lego sets on ebay. Got about £800. Used both birthday and Christmas money as well... tah-dah. New iMac is mine

You (The OP) have an advantage to me in the fact you are getting 100.

Now, my problem is software xD

(current shopping list: Final Cut Express, iStopmotion, iWork, Leopard, iPod Touch, Adobe Design Premium CS3, External Hard Drive, more RAM and a New Camera It's a big and expensive list)

 

[Tom Sawyer]

When it comes to PC's, often times the parts are worth more than the whole. If you find you are not able to get what you need for it locally via CL, consider parting it out. It's a bit more work and that many more auctions you have to run, but it (in my experience) has yielded more $ than a "full gaming rig" auction so to speak. You could also consider retaining the HD and popping it into an external enclosure for that much more storage space for the iMac.

Best of luck! The iMac is TOTALLY worth it!!