I would keep the cash and gf and not get the macbook.bigrell486 said:I'm sort of in the same situation as you. If I buy a new Macbook which I really want then I'll end up with no cash and I have to start college on the 27th of this month. I barely have enough to afford a refurbished 1.83 MacBook but I really want it for school and taking my girlfriend out really doesn't help me much. But I look at it this way, I'd rather have a new Macbook and be broke than a 1 year-old Gateway Notebook with Windows XP and $1200
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Should I get a Macbook? (Or whatever happens at WWDC)
- Thread starter Mammoth
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Mammoth, did you ever discuss buying a machine of your own with your MOM?
Chances are if you do go out and purchase a MB and she finds out you will probably lose both your new MB and what ever privileges you now have on her iMac!(and be broke)
I don't know where ya from, but most debit cards have a maximum that you are allowed to draw off per day. in most places it's either
$500 or $1000. w/MB costing more than that how will you make the purchase.
Why don't you sit down w/her and discuss your problems and see what she suggests for an amicable solution?......maybe a good solution might be a refreshed iMM DC @ 1/2 of the MB price.
Serpent
Chances are if you do go out and purchase a MB and she finds out you will probably lose both your new MB and what ever privileges you now have on her iMac!(and be broke)
I don't know where ya from, but most debit cards have a maximum that you are allowed to draw off per day. in most places it's either
$500 or $1000. w/MB costing more than that how will you make the purchase.
Why don't you sit down w/her and discuss your problems and see what she suggests for an amicable solution?......maybe a good solution might be a refreshed iMM DC @ 1/2 of the MB price.
Serpent
Well how i always got my mom to crack was work my ass off. i was 12 when i got my ibook, (now upgraded to a powerbook). but i did all the chores that i never did but she kept bugging me about i.e. gardening.
But then i had my bar-mitzvah and all my purchases are up to me now. usually parents are happy when you will have AT LEAST 250, maybe 500 for some of the crazy parents, which it sounds like you have. Whatever you do, do not hack the imac, this will make you lose all of your mom's trust. usually with parents, it takes a long time before you will get that yes.
My boss told me of his job as a software salesman to big corporations. the first 99 times you will get a no, but the next time the yes will come. so don't look down at failures, think of them as a step closer to that yes. each time you get a no, you will learn new "persuasive" techniques. or if that doesn't work you will have to make a lot of compromises. but even if there are restrictions on your mb, your mom will soon start loosening it up, after all she can't keep all the restrictions on until you are 18.
Edit: WARNING, if you get the mb, (or any apple computer) you will feel compelled to own whatever new is coming out. this is what is known as the apple effect. avoid it's call as best you can... of course occasionally you have to indulge. but take apple's new specs with a grain of salt. operating systems, best to get them every other major upgrade. Hardware, space them out at least two years, unless there is a huge calling, (video ipod for me from my 3g ipod). always watch your money. with apple they have a way of sucking it out of you very quickly without you noticing, it is almost like crack. beware.
But then i had my bar-mitzvah and all my purchases are up to me now. usually parents are happy when you will have AT LEAST 250, maybe 500 for some of the crazy parents, which it sounds like you have. Whatever you do, do not hack the imac, this will make you lose all of your mom's trust. usually with parents, it takes a long time before you will get that yes.
My boss told me of his job as a software salesman to big corporations. the first 99 times you will get a no, but the next time the yes will come. so don't look down at failures, think of them as a step closer to that yes. each time you get a no, you will learn new "persuasive" techniques. or if that doesn't work you will have to make a lot of compromises. but even if there are restrictions on your mb, your mom will soon start loosening it up, after all she can't keep all the restrictions on until you are 18.
Edit: WARNING, if you get the mb, (or any apple computer) you will feel compelled to own whatever new is coming out. this is what is known as the apple effect. avoid it's call as best you can... of course occasionally you have to indulge. but take apple's new specs with a grain of salt. operating systems, best to get them every other major upgrade. Hardware, space them out at least two years, unless there is a huge calling, (video ipod for me from my 3g ipod). always watch your money. with apple they have a way of sucking it out of you very quickly without you noticing, it is almost like crack. beware.
Lucky you, my parents are pretty much atheist.kev0476 said:
I think I have about $1300.kev0476 said:
...Like not being able to use it?kev0476 said:
I bet you she can.kev0476 said:
The beauty of this is that I'll be broke so I won't have any more money to blow on Apple stuff. (Which kind of proves this Apple effect)kev0476 said:
First, how old are you? That could make a huge difference.
Edit: Nevermind, I saw you were 13. I think you're old enough.
Second, it's your mom's iMac, right?? If she put restrictions on this, what's going to stop her from taking your MacBook and putting restrictions on it while you're sleeping??
Third, make sure that she knows that you'd pay 100% for it and you wouldn't need any of her money for it.
And, finally, if nothing works, and you think that you're still right in wanting a MacBook, then use the iMac as often as you can. Do all of your homework on it. Do all of your chores (and possibly extras). Just make sure that your parents know that you're doing chores to help out. Maybe then they'll realize that you're responsible enough for a MacBook. But wait until the next revision, no matter what.
Edit: Nevermind, I saw you were 13. I think you're old enough.
Second, it's your mom's iMac, right?? If she put restrictions on this, what's going to stop her from taking your MacBook and putting restrictions on it while you're sleeping??
Third, make sure that she knows that you'd pay 100% for it and you wouldn't need any of her money for it.
And, finally, if nothing works, and you think that you're still right in wanting a MacBook, then use the iMac as often as you can. Do all of your homework on it. Do all of your chores (and possibly extras). Just make sure that your parents know that you're doing chores to help out. Maybe then they'll realize that you're responsible enough for a MacBook. But wait until the next revision, no matter what.
I sill haven't heard what you are NOT allowed to do on the iMac. The restrictions that are in place only prevent you from installing new programs. What do you need to do that you can't do now?
(As a parent of 2 pre-teen daughters, that is the question I would want to know.)
(As a parent of 2 pre-teen daughters, that is the question I would want to know.)
Mammoth said:
Wow. I cant fill a 250 GB HDD with JUNK.
Just talk to your mom. Thats the only way out. If she can restrict your access to the iMac, I bet she`ll never approve of the MB. Atleast not if you buy it without her even knowing. You know you dont really need it. You can easily get the job done with the iMac.
mikes63737 said:.. if nothing works, and you think that you're still right in wanting a MacBook, then use the iMac as often as you can. Do all of your homework on it. Do all of your chores (and possibly extras). Just make sure that your parents know that you're doing chores to help out. Maybe then they'll realize that you're responsible enough for a MacBook. But wait until the next revision, no matter what.
A very good idea IMO. Might take some time but will definitely work.
kev0476 said:
Keep trying. thats the only way to succeed.
Just make sure you dont buy the MB on your parents back.
buffalo said:
I tried that, when I got my first laptop
I was just starting my first full time job after graduating from university, and still living at home at that point. Of course it wasn't a parental permission thing, but I thought I'd just not say anything about it and see how long it would take for someone to notice.... It took not even a day. The following day after I placed the order from work, I got home and my mother said I had a message on the answering machine. "Hello, this is Dell Canada calling to confirm your purchase ...."
As for Mammoth, I know how you feel. When I first started working and suddenly had disposable income, I felt like I "just had to have" everything. That Dell laptop was just the first drop in the bucket. When 2 years later I got laid off from that job, I found myself having to sell off all my toys... and by then I had gone through 3 laptops, 3 camcorders, 3 digital cameras, 2 tablet PC's, 3 different PDA's, a box of home automation gear, 2 older Macs, .... I've since learned to be more realistic about what I buy, as tempting as some of those toys are. You really need to learn to step back and REALLY think about whether you REALLY need something. There will always be new toys.
I teach and mentor young guys your age, but feel free to ignore me.
However, based on what I read in this thread, I think your best option to "proving yourself" is to NOT keep asking. Drop the subject for a while (by this I mean months, not just days..) Use the iMac. If you really want to make a statement about your lack of admin privileges, then find a number of legitimate things to do with the iMac, then ask (politely) for your mom to enter her admin password whenever she needs to. Don't hint, don't nudge, don't say it in an annoyed tone of voice, just ask her to come and enter her password, politely and casually, each and every time. This is the bed she made, so she gets to sleep in it. You can find software to help you with school, or take up a hobby (buy a GPS unit and start geocaching, or learn guitar or piano). Get some good software or tools to support the interest. Do NOT fill up the hard drive with junk. And get your software legally. Your mom will see, over the coming months, that you are excited about using your iMac for enriching and educational purposes (and willing to spend money for good software or tools).
You're counting on her soon tiring of always entering her admin password. DON'T ASK OR HINT... not immediately... let her get the message. She will. If she feels you are ready for an admin account, she may bring it up, or you could casually ask about it at some point, months down the road.
Demonstrating you are responsible enough for your own admin account on your iMac is a first step toward being responsible enough to own your own computer. At the same time you are also demonstrating your maturity in being able to set long-term goals and being willing to work with your mom's restrictions (and eventually compromise with her when she feels you are ready) without pestering her and being annoying
However, you do have to look at things from her perspective too. I really think parents do need to know what their kids are doing on their computers, especially online. This may just be her way of keeping tabs on you and seeing what you're up to. The best way to counter that, I think, is not to make it an "us versus them" thing, but involve her in a positive way. Be very open about what you do, what files you're creating, who you're talking to. "Mom, come check this out!" and so on.
If you can learn to be very open and non-confrontational about your use of the iMac, this is the best way to prove to her that you are mature, trustworthy, and capable of doing more than she's currently letting you do.
Besides, if you wait a few more months, something even better than a MacBook is sure to come soon.
Mammoth said:Agh, I asked my mom again, saying things like "What will it take?" and "What do I have to to?". And all she could say was "No". I HATE HER. She doesn't let me do anything with my money and it's starting to get to my head.
Comments like that only serve to show that your mom was right and that you aren't mature or responsible enough to buy your own computer.
You hate her? You want to smack her up? Because she won't let you spend your money as you want? On a computer? Grow up.
Presumably if you buy your MacBook and it gets stolen, you'd be expecting your mom to claim on her insurance and buy you a new one?
Look, why do you really need this computer at this stage in your life? As you said earlier in this thread, spending all of your cash is a big deal, no matter what age you are.
Your Mom probably doesn't see why you need this laptop, and saying that you'll blow all your money to pay for it 100% doesn't help her think that you're managing your money well. Parents want their kids to be frugal with their money, not be big spenders, and so with the knowledge that you'll be broke following the purchase, this isn't proving that you're responsible with money.
Again, I ask why do you need your own laptop at this point in time that your mom's iMac won't suffice? If you have a genuine need for it, show her that need, but if you just want it I'm afraid you're going to be out of luck.
Your Mom probably doesn't see why you need this laptop, and saying that you'll blow all your money to pay for it 100% doesn't help her think that you're managing your money well. Parents want their kids to be frugal with their money, not be big spenders, and so with the knowledge that you'll be broke following the purchase, this isn't proving that you're responsible with money.
Again, I ask why do you need your own laptop at this point in time that your mom's iMac won't suffice? If you have a genuine need for it, show her that need, but if you just want it I'm afraid you're going to be out of luck.