Should I buy a new computer or wait?

[bisous]

I've shared our financial situation on the boards before. We had some consumer debt that had accumulated last year and this year we've been laser focused on paying it all off. We're down to about $1500 left to pay. ALMOST in reach but little things like these fires that keep me from the office are chipping away at it all. Also, my iMac died this summer. I'm using an old laptop to do everything from having a computer for kid homework to doing my two jobs. It is just fine for my writing job but for the bookkeeping job I have it is really difficult to work on compared to my Mac setup. In fact sometimes I have to send things to DH to do for me because my version of various programs is too old, etc.


But mostly although it is inconvenient I can make it work. The biggest thing that I can't figure out how to do is to access my photos. I have prepaid photobooks from Costco that I can't make for Christmas because the laptop is somehow incompatible with the external hard drive that saved my photos. (I'm not sure if it is merely too slow or I think it is possible the hard drive was formatted for Mac and my laptop is Windows--I'm checking with DH on that).

So I'm trying to figure out if I just suck it up until the debt is completely erased or if I buy a computer this year. I would REALLY like to wait. I also REALLY want my photos. If I do it this year then I can write it off on my taxes (I'm a 1099 employee), can take advantage of the Black Friday deals, and I can make my photobooks! If I wait, I MIGHT actually be able to pay off all the debt. Crossing fingers SO hard. (Oh and I still have student loan debt but the CC debt would be gone!!)

WWYD?

If you did buy, what would you buy?

Can you think of another solution? Would you consider another solution--like borrowing somebody's computer?

TIA!

[georgiegirl]

How much would you spend?

[bisous]

DH wants to get a Mac Mini for about $799 and we’d need a monitor too. But honestly I would be happy with small and cheap and even used for the monitor. I’m sure there might be other costs associated with a new computer too—software suites and the like.

[bisous]

I’m seriously thinking we wait. I just don’t want to not take advantage of the tax savings and deals and my cheap laptop is mildly annoying.

[Mommy_Mea]

If the major thing is getting your photos off the harddrive, I would absolutely wait. If you have a friend with a Mac, ask if you can just see if it is a Mac/PC issue. Is there a library that has Macs that you could try?

[bisous]

If the major thing is getting your photos off the harddrive, I would absolutely wait. If you have a friend with a Mac, ask if you can just see if it is a Mac/PC issue. Is there a library that has Macs that you could try?

See I think that’s my main annoyance and reason for wanting it NOW. I do find it hard to work on for work but I’m dealing with it and can always go into the office. I do wonder if there is a smart financial incentive to buying now but I do wonder how much of that is me rationalizing because I want my pictures!

[Mommy_Mea]

See I think that’s my main annoyance and reason for wanting it NOW. I do find it hard to work on for work but I’m dealing with it and can always go into the office. I do wonder if there is a smart financial incentive to buying now but I do wonder how much of that is me rationalizing because I want my pictures!

There are always going to be deals (I have to tell myself that often!) Will the 1099 only be this year, or is it every year? And is that little bit of savings worth a setback on your awesome progress on paying off debt? Dave Ramsey would say "NO" because of the snowball effect!

[LD92599]

Keep an eye on the apple refurb page as it changes daily:

https://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

As for software suite, use google docs for awhile to save $$. Laptop saves you from buying keyboard/mouse/monitor/HDMI cable etc for awhile so if you buy a Mac mini for $799, might as well buy a returb laptop (of course comparing apples to apples).

What is wrong w/ the iMac though? We have TONS of iMacs at work that are 10+ years old and going strong. May be worth the repair.

[bisous]

There are always going to be deals (I have to tell myself that often!) Will the 1099 only be this year, or is it every year? And is that little bit of savings worth a setback on your awesome progress on paying off debt? Dave Ramsey would say "NO" because of the snowball effect!

I’m always a 1099 employee. This year I made a LOT more than I usually do. I hope I’m not zinged too hard! But I think you’re right that I should wait!

[candaceb]

If you can't do your job, I would replace the computer now. I imagine your employer would not be happy to find out you're sending stuff to your husband to do because you don't have a computer.
I got a refurb Dell for around $400 last year. I seriously regret not getting a Chromebook because I'm finding I do almost everything in Google apps now. There are lots of Chromebooks for under $300.

[Philly Mom]

If you can't do your job, I would replace the computer now. I imagine your employer would not be happy to find out you're sending stuff to your husband to do because you don't have a computer.
I got a refurb Dell for around $400 last year. I seriously regret not getting a Chromebook because I'm finding I do almost everything in Google apps now. There are lots of Chromebooks for under $300.

I agree with this. Also, if it is a purchase that you need and will make regardless, I am not sure the sense in waiting. A functioning computer makes a huge difference in efficiency.

[nfceagles]

I would find another way to get your photos. I would also consider a non-Mac laptop when you do. I know people rave about them and I’m sure for good reason but I’ve never had a problem using Windows laptops. To me a Mac would be an unnecessary luxury given your budget.


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[bisous]

My old iMac was a refurb and it had a problem where it wouldn't even turn over, if that makes sense. I haven't brought it into the Apple store yet. DH thinks it is futile but I think maybe I'll still try. At one point it was assessed by the Apple Store (while under extended warranty) and they told us they needed to replace the motherboard but when we went to pick it up they told us that they wouldn't. We didn't push it at the time (we had all the kids with us and it isn't that convenient to walk into the mall with a giant iMac--it is a super lame system!) but in retrospect we should have! Our computer probably lasted 2 years past that and then died.

So with the work thing, I think sometimes I send it to DH because since it is a Windows computer (several years behind) I just have a hard time doing the things that I usually do on it. Maybe there is a way to do it but it is faster to just send it to DH! Excel and Acrobat are surprisingly different between the platforms. If I was using this computer full time I suppose I could adjust to it but as it is it is tricky to work on Macs at work and Windows at home. DH is a professional artist so he thinks we should stick with Mac. I don't know. I certainly don't think what I'm doing requires very much fanciness but I will say that I like being able to have my setup somewhat similar to what I have at work. I can adjust though. Also, one of the project managers that I work with is moving us all over to using Google Suite products and away from programs like Excel and Word so maybe the difference matter less when using Google products?

If DH ever lost his job we would need a Mac that he could use for freelance work. BUT that said, the $799 Mac Mini he's quoting me wouldn't be enough for him. He'd need more memory (or RAM or something---I'm not too technical here!) and would cost closer to $1100. I kind of feel like we cross that bridge when we get to it. So my computer needs to be able to run my stuff for my bookkeeping job and handle kid homework. These are MUSTS. Being able to access my pictures is by contrast a splurge but is a pretty high priority for me.

I can really wait if that's what's best. I'm a Dave Ramsey fan. His strategy has worked for us so far!

[o_mom]

Do you know for sure that the hard drive will work on a new computer?

It would really suck to get a whole new computer and then find out that it is really a hard drive issue, not a computer issue.

If it is the hard drive and not the computer, can DH use his work computer to transfer the files to a new hard drive?

That won't solve your work issue, but would take the photos out of the equation.

[bisous]

Do you know for sure that the hard drive will work on a new computer?

It would really suck to get a whole new computer and then find out that it is really a hard drive issue, not a computer issue.

If it is the hard drive and not the computer, can DH use his work computer to transfer the files to a new hard drive?

That won't solve your work issue, but would take the photos out of the equation.

It works on DH's laptop. Dang I should just do the photo thing on his laptop... I seriously just thought of that. It is his work laptop so I almost never touch it.

The photos were kind of miraculously saved from the iMac. DH found a hack to be able to get them even though the monitor stopped working. I'm SOOOO happy that I didn't lose them! I want to be able to have them in books or something so I feel like they aren't lost forever again. (Which is ironic since we're on fire watch right now and books are flammable!) My iMac would turn on but the monitor wouldn't allow me to see anything. We were able to use a lightning to lightning cord that allowed us to extract some of the files off the iMac and now it won't turn on at all. According to the forums DH says the iMac is dead.

I want to see and enjoy my photos. I guess I should probably just pay more for cloud storage... and then I can access them via DH's laptop and eventually my own computer. And they'll be saved in the event of a fire, which is starting to become a distinct possibility around here. I

[jgenie]

I think you should get a working computer so you can do your job without involving your DH. I would get a PC or a Chromebook. You should be able to find something for around $400. If you use a Mac at work and find that going to PC at home and back to Mac at work causes problems you should go ahead and get the MacMini.

[MommyAllison]

I thought of this thread when I got an email from Apple today promoting their new Mac mini, and offering money towards it if you trade in an old computer or device. Here is the link to see how much your trade in would be worth: https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in?cid=CDM-US-DM-P0018920-409695&cp=em-P0018920-409695&sr=em

[squimp]

Can you load the photos into Shutterfly (or whatever) using DH's computer, then work on the photo books from your computer?

I know people love Macs and there are a lot of great things about them, but I have seen so many problems going between Mac and PC that I am hesitant to let any of my work touch Macs. If you are going back and forth for work, and you are not super computer-savvy, I would stay with one type of computer. My two cents.

[bisous]

I thought of this thread when I got an email from Apple today promoting their new Mac mini, and offering money towards it if you trade in an old computer or device. Here is the link to see how much your trade in would be worth: https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in?cid=CDM-US-DM-P0018920-409695&cp=em-P0018920-409695&sr=em

Ooh. I'll send that link to DH and see what we can get. Though our iMac is ALREADY a refurb so I'm thinking not much? It is worth a try.

[bisous]

Can you load the photos into Shutterfly (or whatever) using DH's computer, then work on the photo books from your computer?

I know people love Macs and there are a lot of great things about them, but I have seen so many problems going between Mac and PC that I am hesitant to let any of my work touch Macs. If you are going back and forth for work, and you are not super computer-savvy, I would stay with one type of computer. My two cents.

I'll ask DH about the Shutterfly thing. I do think I'd feel more comfortable with a Mac. It would be nice to have the same setup between work and home and DH's work laptop and home. We have a lot of Apple devices. I'm trying to be really open minded though since it looks like Apple products might cost as much as 2X or more what a PC might cost. I'm usually really cheap but when we're talking about a computer it is easy to negate any savings on things like generic shampoo when you spend big bucks on big ticket items!

[robinsmommy]

I get the inconvenience part- we’ve had to haul our Mac in to the mall, but, Repair, Recycle, Replace - AKA “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!” from the Depression.

I’d at least take it in to Apple. If nothing else they might be able to help you recover more old files.