Best way to finance new computer

Monkeyballs

And don't forget your old machine when you've got the new one to add towards the repayment pot...

MB

PeacefulWaters

If this is your living, the best advice I can give you is to set money aside out of your income to pay for the next one.

Relying on credit to fund the basics of your trade is one hell of a risky way to manage your livelihood.

TrustyOven

shreddedmeat wrote: »

FWIW, yes I could write HTML on probably any machine screwed together in the last 15 years but I work at a design agency, where (for better or worse) everyone is Mac based and our workflow is tightly integrated and there's a lot of overlap between roles. For instance if I need to call up 600MB PSDs on the fly while working on a massive after effects file I don't want to be chugging along on a lousy argos netbook. The long and short of it is, I take a lot of work home, I need the right machine to do it on.

Cant you buy the parts you need and build the PC yourself, for a fraction of the cost?

A PSD file is some Adobe Photoshop file. You dont need a Mac to open that if Adobe make Photoshop for Windows.

My worry is that you want (not need ) a Mac just to follow the (web developer) crowd. And that you might be putting yourself into financial difficulties while trying to follow this trend.

If you work for an agency and take work home, should they not be providing you with a work laptop?
I work at a software development company and they issue us work laptops. Very beefy ones. See if your agency provides the same.

sabretoothtigger

chromebook is very trendy, cheap and fine for most people. Some retailers do 0% finance, try overclockers who'll build a machine for you also

TriathNanEilean

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

chromebook is very trendy, cheap and fine for most people. Some retailers do 0% finance, try overclockers who'll build a machine for you also

I've heard good things about overlockers but I can also recommend pcspecialist (.co.uk). I've ordered parts and built my own computer a number of times but last year I bought a system from them that only cost an extra £100 (about 8%) and saved all the hassle. They do laptops built to order as well I believe.

ViolaLass

Can you get a salary advance?

shreddedmeat

TrustyOven wrote: »

Cant you buy the parts you need and build the PC yourself, for a fraction of the cost?

A PSD file is some Adobe Photoshop file. You dont need a Mac to open that if Adobe make Photoshop for Windows.

My worry is that you want (not need ) a Mac just to follow the (web developer) crowd. And that you might be putting yourself into financial difficulties while trying to follow this trend.

If you work for an agency and take work home, should they not be providing you with a work laptop?
I work at a software development company and they issue us work laptops. Very beefy ones. See if your agency provides the same.

I find these replies baffling. You speak like I don't understand what I do every day, despite never having seen what I do! Do you think I could ever have got a job in this field if I didn't understand that Macs and PCs are two different things, or that Adobe make PS for Windows?

My company has already provided me with a machine at work. This machine will allow me the option of working from home and double as my own computer, replacing my ageing macbook. We're a small operation, not a big organisation.

But again, these are all irrelevant details. I tell you what, why can't you just take the question at face value, which was 'how to finance £1000'?

SammenForLivet2

OK, I'll try to help.

1.) 0% Purchase Credit Card - Check your eligibility using the checker. Perhaps look for one you can get points or cashback too - Lloyds Avios springs to mind. That will give you 12 months to pay back. Perhaps look at Fluid/Barclaycard/MBNA eligibility checker.
2.) Look for a personal loan - Yes, perhaps try RateSetter or see Nationwide eligibility checker.. I agree, you may be better borrowing a larger amount, and repaying it back.
3.) Overdraft - may be cheaper than 26%, bank dependent.

The beauty of a credit card, is that it is more flexible and may be cheaper too.

--

The main reason why people are trying to steer you to other alternatives, is because this is a money-saving site, and you'll be surprised about the amount of people, who are employed (or have just been) on minimum wage (or are students), and come on this forum wanting £1-2k loans for fancy Macbooks, Gadgets or larger sums for Holidays, which may not be the best option for them.

I agree, that maybe it is inappropriate in this case, but at the end of the day, all they are trying to do is help you.

Regardless, hope this helps!

dealer_wins

0% credit card would be one idea, or a small loan from your bank.

fwor

One other thing about your OP which may have sounded alarm bells with those replying earlier is the phrase "keeping some of it back for a rainy day". The idea of borrowing more money than you actually need so that this extra debt can sit in an account somewhere "in case you need it" doesn't make any financial sense, and it ~can~ lead people quickly into more debt, because it seems to be sitting there doing nothing and waiting to be spent.

You may not want to hear it, but : if you need £500, only borrow that much and no more. If a rainy day comes, you can borrow then, and not pay interest on supposedly "spare cash" in the meantime.