It's the time of the year when everywhere you turn, there are so many Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that you just "can't miss." Even if it's for something that you never even considered but were enticed by the idea of saving money, we've all been there and fallen victim to it before, and while we tell ourselves it won't happen again, it always does.
Two categories of devices that we ALWAYS see this with are Chromebooks and tablets. You might see a Chromebook for under $100 or a tablet for $25 and immediately add them to your cart or hit the "Buy Now" button. Amazon is notorious for this, as you used to be able to get the Fire 7 for dirt cheap. But the truth is that practically nobody should actually buy the Fire 7.
If someone tries to give one to you, tell them thanks but no thanks. Or politely accept it and then take it to somewhere nearby that responsibly recycles electronics.
Obviously, a sub-$50 tablet is very enticing, especially if you're out shopping and they're conveniently placed right by the register. It might even work pretty well for a week or two, but it won't be long before you start noticing that it takes a year just to open an app. And you can forget about quickly switching back and forth between multiple apps.
Although it's definitely more difficult to find a good tablet for under $100, there are deals to be found. My favorite cheap tablet deal is for the Lenovo Tab M9, which is on sale for almost 50% over at Best Buy, coming in at $80. It's not anything spectacular, but you get a near-stock Android experience, a much better display, and even a microSD card slot.
Arguably, Chromebook deals can be even worse, as there are still countless listings for sub-$100 laptops that are barely worth the components within them. Many online retailers peddle these devices like they're the ice cream truck driving around the neighborhood. You get excited, spend a couple of bucks, and eat the ice cream, only to realize that it's freezer-burned and probably 10 years past its expiration date.
Look, I love ice cream as much as the next person, but just because I can get an ice cream bar for 90% off doesn't mean I'm going to fork over my money. This is the same kind of mindset that you should have when shopping, whether it be for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or because it's the fifth Sunday in April.
Trust your instincts
The first rule of thumb is to avoid any impulse purchases. I have a tendency to buy things when I'm feeling down, and that's usually when my dumbest purchases are made. Then, Amazon drops them off and I feel like an even bigger idiot because now I have to waste the gas to return whatever it is I bought.
In years past, I had a really bad tendency of buying something just because it was on sale. Even if it was something that I was already considering. But I didn't take the time to do some "window shopping," and just hit the big "BUY ME NOW" button.
Don't be like me. Do some research and check out more than just one retailer before making a final decision.
Android Central's Jerry Hildenbrand broke down how you shouldn't spend money just because there's a deal but because it's something you actually want to spend money on, and I wholeheartedly agree.
While shopping, you might have seen a deal or two on Amazon for the Samsung Chromebook 4 Plus, priced at $219 after a $100 discount. It uses the Intel Celeron N4000, has a 15.6-inch screen, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and all that jazz. Sounds good, right?
Well, how does this one sound? It has a 15.6-inch display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It is powered by the Intel Core i3-1215U and includes 12 months of Google AI. Oh, and you can save $120 by getting it for just $279.
I just described the Acer Chromebook Plus 515, which is just over a year old. That's a mighty stark difference compared to the Samsung Chromebook 4, which landed on the scene all the way back in 2019.
Yes, I know and understand that not everyone can spare the extra $60 for the Acer. But that's just one example. There are a plethora of other deals that are actually worth anything and are not just a way for a retailer to get you to spend your money.
Still need guidance? We've got you covered
I don't mean for this to come off as condescending, but the truth is that there are plenty of people that get taken advantage of. It's happened to members of my own family, and in some instances, I've been able to get them to return whatever it was and help them find something that's worth the money. But there are other times when it's just too late, resulting in money being just flushed down the drain.
That being said, you shouldn't just avoid Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and sales altogether. It's just important to do a bit of research first, making sure you really are getting the best bang for your buck. And if you need a bit of guidance or don't know which device to get, we've got your back.
Our team works tirelessly to find the best deals, and that doesn't just mean finding the cheapest thing and writing about it. We research and source deals that make sense, even if the "deal" only saves you a few bucks compared to if it weren't on sale. And if you're still stuck, just hit us up on social media, and we're sure someone will be able to help.
