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Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
35,576
52,315
In a van down by the river
Of the many lessons my late dad taught me, one of them was 'it's never your business how other people spend their money.'

If people want to spend their money on phones, clothes, investing, a cult or anything else. Unless they ask my opinion, it's not my place to give it.

Heck, I sometimes don't even question it in my own house, lol. My wife has to owns countless pairs of shoes....yet somehow always finds a pair 'she just had to buy.'
I didn't realize investing in a cult was one of the options. I am up for causing havoc in a cult. I could introduce myself as Steve Jobs and hand out Android phones. :D
 

1rottenapple

macrumors 601
Apr 21, 2004
4,754
2,774
Ok so spending money on phones is not worth it to you. It is to me though. I shouldn’t have to defend it because it’s seen as the “wrong way” or “un-enlightened way” to spend my money. There is no wrong way to spend your disposable income. I’m not going to say you’re wasting your money on a home gym. People spend money on things they deem worth it and benefit them. For me phones are worth it. To you something else is.
Why do feel you have to defend it?
 

1rottenapple

macrumors 601
Apr 21, 2004
4,754
2,774
I didn't realize investing in a cult was one of the options. I am up for causing havoc in a cult. I could introduce myself as Steve Jobs and hand out Android phones. :D
It would be interesting if you time traveled in 2005 and gave Steve a Samsung s20 lol wonder what would he say then?
 
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Barbareren

macrumors 6502a
Dec 10, 2020
662
612
Norway & Mexico
Say ten years ago, I’d upgrade at least once a year, but the tech isn’t changing nowhere near as much these days. I’d still be using my iPhone X if it wasn’t for the release of the iPhone 12 mini. The 11-series never interested me one bit as I didn’t see them as a significant upgrade from my X. I would also have skipped the 12-series if it wasn’t for the Mini. The 12 mini is perfect for my use. Finally a smaller sized high end phone! It’s all about personal preferences of course.
 
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The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,294
25,434
Wales, United Kingdom
I certainly don’t spend that much on a phone every year and I don’t even spend that when I do upgrade anyway. The only people who seem to upgrade every year in my experience are people here as I don’t personally know anybody who does away from the internet. I find if anything people are keeping iPhones longer than 2 years and the non Pro models are far more popular.

For those who do it as a hobby and don’t spend much on other types of enjoyment, it’s fine and their money. For me, it’s a ridiculous waste of money that doesn’t return any benefit .
 

Oblivion1337

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2018
532
835
UK
I certainly don’t spend that much on a phone every year and I don’t even spend that when I do upgrade anyway. The only people who seem to upgrade every year in my experience are people here as I don’t personally know anybody who does away from the internet. I find if anything people are keeping iPhones longer than 2 years and the non Pro models are far more popular.

For those who do it as a hobby and don’t spend much on other types of enjoyment, it’s fine and their money. For me, it’s a ridiculous waste of money that doesn’t return any benefit .

I am too poor to do this yearly upgrade of phone.
Temporarily shut the door on Apple hardware, mechanical Watches and car hobbies to funnelling fund into Hi-fi system, cycling and gaming.

Covid do change our behaviour and values a lot.
 
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Stephen.R

Suspended
Nov 2, 2018
4,356
4,747
Thailand
Because of statements like this


Which frames spending money on phones as bad.
TIL someone stating how they spend their own money, is classed as an "attack" that needs to be "defended".

Coincidentally, the defence is to claim that the person is free to spend their own money, how they see fit.
 

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,481
3,493
NJ
For fun (my idea of fun is probably different than the average person...) I looked into what an iPhone 11 Pro Max goes for on eBay and was surprised to see 64GB models selling for $700+. In theory a consumer could upgrade annually and only have it cost them $400 + tax on the new device since Apple products still characteristically hold their value well.

I even sold my iPhone 7 Plus for around $550 before I upgraded to iPhone X then 8+ and was pushed off of annual upgrades, which is a story for another thread. Admittedly eBay is stressful and while I haven’t had any major issues in the past buyers and shipping are generally unpredictable. Recently I did have to contact a buyer for leaving negative feedback because the Apple Watch Series 3 I sold looked like more of a rose gold tone than they were expecting, and maintaining a perfect seller feedback score is critical.

However, that’s a best case scenario since eBay charges a 10% fee (unless there’s an active promotion) putting the actual net at only about $80 more than trading it in to Apple, which is a lot more convenient.
 
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TechLord

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2020
692
911
If you resell it privately, it won't be anywhere near 1k; you'll get most of your cash back to the point in which its just a few hundred you're losing per year. I feel like most people have their little expensive hobbies; for some its buying dozens of pairs of shoes, expensive clothes, buying luxury watches, drinking, whatever. If someone wants their expensive hobby to be upgrading an important device which they do use multiple hours a day on an annual basis and it gives them a bit of happiness and enjoyment in their life, well I don't see anything wrong with that. I also don't really care what other people do with their money and I think some people spend way too much time getting triggered at what strangers spend their cash on.
 

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,481
3,493
NJ
If you resell it privately, it won't be anywhere near 1k; you'll get most of your cash back to the point in which its just a few hundred you're losing per year. I feel like most people have their little expensive hobbies; for some its buying dozens of pairs of shoes, expensive clothes, buying luxury watches, drinking, whatever. If someone wants their expensive hobby to be upgrading an important device which they do use multiple hours a day on an annual basis and it gives them a bit of happiness and enjoyment in their life, well I don't see anything wrong with that. I also don't really care what other people do with their money and I think some people spend way too much time getting triggered at what strangers spend their cash on.
It’s possible to stack carrier offers and even upgrade at minimal or no cost. It’s just a lot more effort reselling privately then ensuring eligibility for carrier discounts.
 

andyw715

macrumors 68000
Oct 25, 2013
1,844
1,404
Because it's shiny and new. It's an investment in my short term happiness. You can do both.
 

biracialfamily91

macrumors 6502
Aug 24, 2015
309
344
Queens, NY
I upgrade yearly unless there is financial strain. The exception to this rule was last year when everything in my house decided to break.
So I kept my XS Max for 2 two years rather than 1 and it was torture seeing everyone else at work with their shiny new 11’s when I was still on my previous phone (again my opinion)
I know I’m in the minority, but my husband and I are homebodies meaning we don’t really leave the house much unless it for work, groceries, doctors’s visits and that really is it. We rarely go on vacation (don’t really enjoy it unless we seeing family members) So, for us having a new phone is more fun then having new experiences in my opinion.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,906
13,232
So I kept my XS Max for 2 two years rather than 1 and it was torture seeing everyone else at work with their shiny new 11’s when I was still on my previous phone (again my opinion)

I must work with cheapskates. I don't know of anyone at my work that upgrades their phones yearly. Honestly, I've yet to see a single iPhone 12 series here but I do see a handful that still have home button. 😂

Or perhaps they're just more car people. Plenty of Lexus and BMW in the parking lot. Even a couple of Teslas. Now those are expensive. Only reason I'm able to indulge my tech hobby is because the cars are paid off.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,294
25,434
Wales, United Kingdom
I must work with cheapskates. I don't know of anyone at my work that upgrades their phones yearly. Honestly, I've yet to see a single iPhone 12 series here but I do see a handful that still have home button.

Or perhaps they're just more car people. Plenty of Lexus and BMW in the parking lot. Even a couple of Teslas. Now those are expensive. Only reason I'm able to indulge my tech hobby is because the cars are paid off.
I think I own the most modern phone in the offices at my work. I’ve got an iPhone 12 and the rest seem to have 8’s, XS’s, XR’s, 11’s etc. All on good salaries too and some drive nice cars, so I think where I am it’s more about people not really being into phones maybe. I tend to upgrade every two years and that’s by choice, I could really go longer.
 

1rottenapple

macrumors 601
Apr 21, 2004
4,754
2,774
I upgrade yearly unless there is financial strain. The exception to this rule was last year when everything in my house decided to break.
So I kept my XS Max for 2 two years rather than 1 and it was torture seeing everyone else at work with their shiny new 11’s when I was still on my previous phone (again my opinion)
I know I’m in the minority, but my husband and I are homebodies meaning we don’t really leave the house much unless it for work, groceries, doctors’s visits and that really is it. We rarely go on vacation (don’t really enjoy it unless we seeing family members) So, for us having a new phone is more fun then having new experiences in my opinion.
I absolutely respect this point of view.
 
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1rottenapple

macrumors 601
Apr 21, 2004
4,754
2,774
I think I own the most modern phone in the offices at my work. I’ve got an iPhone 12 and the rest seem to have 8’s, XS’s, XR’s, 11’s etc. All on good salaries too and some drive nice cars, so I think where I am it’s more about people not really being into phones maybe. I tend to upgrade every two years and that’s by choice, I could really go longer.
Agreed. Us apple heads are a minority that feels amplified when participating in this forum. Non of my coworkers know how much my laptop cost lol they would never buy a 16 in MacBook. Most had 6, 7, 8. Few had the x and few had xs. Don’t recall seeing 11 before the pandemic.
 

Barbareren

macrumors 6502a
Dec 10, 2020
662
612
Norway & Mexico
so I think where I am it’s more about people not really being into phones maybe.
Yeah, I think it’s like that everywhere except maybe some big tech/social media companies... I’m the only one I know with a 12, all of my colleagues, acquaintances and friends have older phones, even though many of them make way more money than I do.
 

svanstrom

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2002
787
1,745
🇸🇪
It's not just you. This whole thread is full of this kind of sentiment.
And as a new arrival in the thread, my reaction to your reaction was that you did seem to take it too personally that many others have a different perspective on things. 🤷

I have very recently completely changed my mind regarding getting a new phone. For the first time in my life I don't always have that when/where/how of constantly trying to calculate the best [whatever] when it comes to the next phone.

And… honestly… it's like waking up from having been in some kind of cult or something. Once that base (self-) conditioning broke I look back at it like I was crazy.

For work I did need the hardware in my current (XS Max) iPhone, so I don't regret it; and when the work requirements catches up with me the next time I will get a new one. But outside of that I simply don't need a new iPhone.

Not going all 1800s' frugal, though; still getting the AirPods Max, because those will actually add something to my life. And I'll always be up for getting the latest AW, if it contains some sort of feature that literally could add (time) to my life.
 
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