OP I agree whole heartedly. People often ask “why do you upgrade EVERY year?”Every year, I pay the whole cost upfront for the biggest, fanciest iPhone unlocked directly from Apple. This year, I will be selling my iPhone 11 Pro Max (256 GB) on eBay and buying the same size 12 Pro Max. I should get about $900-$950 for it as it is in mint condition. Accounting for eBay fees, PayPal fees, and the taxes I'll pay on the new 256 GB Pro Max, it will essentially cost less than $500 for me to upgrade.
Older iPhones obviously lose value each time a newer model is released, so I am paying only a tiny bit more than if I upgraded every 2 years or every 3 years and did the same thing. I would start saving serious money only if I kept my current phone for at least 4 years, and as a tech enthusiast I just can't bring myself to do that -- especially considering that this is a device I use for multiple hours every day.
In other words, upgrading your iPhone every year is actually not stupid or particularly expensive assuming you pay upfront, keep it in good condition, and sell the old one on eBay. Using this method, I am paying only a fraction of what those on Apple's yearly upgrade program pay. I understand that not everyone is in the financial position to do this, but if you are and are a tech enthusiast like me, I think this is the best way to do it.
I don’t recommend the iPhone upgrade program. I’m not a credit expert but I believe it appears as a ~$1,000 loan account on your credit that you pay off after one year, which means after a few years you have a bunch of small immature loan accounts in your recent credit history. My gut says I look like a fool for needing a new spurious $1,000 credit line every year. Now I just buy it outright and trade-in last year’s model, I don’t get a loan on my credit history, I don’t need to worry about the monthly payments, and the price difference is only ~$50 more than the upgrade program if you buy the equivalent model. Maybe it works out even better if you buy on an Apple Card.
I agree that this is the best iPhone Apple has ever made! Definitely my favorite. Honestly, this should’ve been the iPhone 10. I usually upgrade every two years but going back to this design was something I really wanted. I also feel like I got a pretty good deal at $349 after trading in my 11 Pro for $450 (which I paid $500 for a year ago, after trading in my X for $400 + a $100 Best Buy gift card).
I agree with you. And my percentages were probably off in that regard.
I started at $845 but had to lower it in order to compete with similar listings.
Try this program instead. If you had bought the phone on a monthly basis, and taken the full price of the phone and bought Apple stock instead, the phone would have been free.Every year, I pay the whole cost upfront for the biggest, fanciest iPhone unlocked directly from Apple. This year, I will be selling my iPhone 11 Pro Max (256 GB) on eBay and buying the same size 12 Pro Max. I should get about $900-$950 for it as it is in mint condition. Accounting for eBay fees, PayPal fees, and the taxes I'll pay on the new 256 GB Pro Max, it will essentially cost less than $500 for me to upgrade.
Older iPhones obviously lose value each time a newer model is released, so I am paying only a tiny bit more than if I upgraded every 2 years or every 3 years and did the same thing. I would start saving serious money only if I kept my current phone for at least 4 years, and as a tech enthusiast I just can't bring myself to do that -- especially considering that this is a device I use for multiple hours every day.
In other words, upgrading your iPhone every year is actually not stupid or particularly expensive assuming you pay upfront, keep it in good condition, and sell the old one on eBay. Using this method, I am paying only a fraction of what those on Apple's yearly upgrade program pay. I understand that not everyone is in the financial position to do this, but if you are and are a tech enthusiast like me, I think this is the best way to do it.
I've sold a few phones before on Swappa (and eBay a long time ago) but you always hear/read about horror stories. I've had UPS and FedEx leave packages that required signature without getting my signature. Also, the buyers could say that the product was missing from the package. There are still things that can go wrong. Yes, I'd most likely be protected by insurance and in the end things may be OK, but I don't want to go through the hassle until things get cleared up. It's not worth it to me.
I sold a phone on eBaY (yes I am using the old 1990s way of writing it). Guy bought it, returned it back to me which was just an empty case I included with it, then said I want a refund. I had to use forensics to prove to eBaY he never actually sent the phone back. How? I proved that the phone's weight with the case and the box is over the rate of first class postage but just the case itself is covered in first class postage which the buyer used to send back to me. eBaY gave the buyer a refund out of its own pocket and I did not lose money as I am a 20 year seller there. Avoid eBaY at all costs on high value items, ESPECIALLY cellphones. Scams "R" Us.
I got 600.00 for trading my phone into Best Buy and used that towards the iPhone 12 Pro which pretty much means most of the new phone is paid off already.
