Need laptop now. Student Cards? Loans? Help

kr15snw

I will be honest and I say I couldnt have done my degree without my macbook / powerbook (I upgraded in 2nd year). But this was because my colleges facilities werent great and we had 8 macs between about 60 people. So I was able to work evenings / weekends aswell as during workshop times when the other computers were taken.

But why do you need it over the summer? And do you have one now?

Suggestions for money:

* Parents - They leant me the money for my powerbook and I had a pre agreed repayment scheme (about £100 a month I think).

* Credit card - Check out martins recomendations and find one with 0% interest on purchases. Then set up a direct debit to pay off a certain amount each month, meaning you will definately pay it off. Also reccomend cutting up the card as soon as you have bought the mac as you wont be tempted to use it then!

Kilty_2

Learn how to maintain a Windows install properly and pick up a proper laptop for £270.

BigBouncyBall

Kilty wrote: »

Learn how to maintain a Windows install properly and pick up a proper laptop for £270.

plus all the new software they'll have to re-buy eh?

Lokolo

To be honest. You've just finished college and you say you are thinking abotu getting a credit card or loan just b efore uni? Silly silly.

You will not likely to get a student account with overdraft yet and I doubt any bank will giv eyou much of an overdraft now anyway.

Save money and be patient.

[Deleted User]

silentalibi wrote: »

another thing. say i need £900. if i put £300 in cash in the card, then make a purchase of £900 does that work out alright and i only have 14% apr to pay on the £600?

The transaction most likely wouldn't be authorised. That's one of the signals of a card being used to launder money.

Rosemary7391

BigBouncyBall wrote: »

plus all the new software they'll have to re-buy eh?

Better plan - pick up a laptop for £270 and put linux on it Though that isn't much help if you're used to a mac.

Seriously, hold off for a few months and SAVE - I guess you'll still have access to whatever you're using now until you go? So it's not worth getting into debt for. Even if you know you can afford repayments, its easy to forget one and spend the money then downhill from there....

Blacksheep1979

BigBouncyBall wrote: »

plus all the new software they'll have to re-buy eh?

Unlike the software on a mac eh which is all 100% free - eh?

The_One_Who

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

Unlike the software on a mac eh which is all 100% free - eh?

That's not entirely true, though. You do still need to buy certain software for a Mac.

BigBouncyBall

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

Unlike the software on a mac eh which is all 100% free - eh?

?? ??

I meant if the OP is already a mac user into design then they probably have applications like Photoshop (Adobe CS3) or Quark or others which cost hundreds. You'd have to rebuy windows versions of that software which you can add on to the price of a £270 windows laptop.

Also if you're going to do design at college i'd wanting to be working on something designed with 'creatives' in mind - a £270 laptop for granny to check her email on isn't going to do that is it.

BigBouncyBall

The_One_Who wrote: »

That's not entirely true, though. You do still need to buy certain software for a Mac.

Yeh i like almost all of it. Unless you like working exclusively in iPhoto and Garageband