It pays to check with your childs school as often they have a bulk purchase deal for things like laptops and you can get quite a deal by purchasing through the school at the start of the year. Also they often have secondhand laptops you can purchase also.
Changing times

Yes this is a wonderful article. The same way my parents taught me when I grow up. Never had any complaints or issues. But the thing is generation are changing and they want fancy and attract other people or peers. Which is hard on parents who is trying to make them happy

Have purchased from ebay, kogan and also Reebello in the past for used and refurbished phones.
Considering other tech but yet to go down that path yet

Refurbished pre-loved tech is a great idea ! We buy second hand all the time as my youngest tends to drop or throw her iPad’s on the floor on regular basis (her sister who had a conduct disorder did frequently too) and when you go through several iPad’s a year – buying a new one is not worth it.

This is a really fantastic idea for those who are on a budget. I know how expensive tech can be so i love that they are refurbishing old tech to bring it back to life. it really offers more options and cost efficient products for those who can’t afford the top notch items that are always very expensive.

Wow this is such a good idea for teens as I have purchased on marketplace before and they haven’t been tested. Nothing worse than a faulty device my kids have saved their money to buy! Will look into this next time

This is such a budget friendly idea, especially for kids. My husband and I have both bought refurbished phones before and we haven’t been able to tell the difference between those and brand new. When my kids are old enough and wanting iPads I’ll definitely be looking at refurbished ones for them!

So interesting! I’ve never purchased a refurbished product because of warranty fears. I looked at buying my son a refurnished phone and when I asked about the battery health I was told it would be around 80%
In my opinion that’s not good enough and is on its way out. I’d rather buy brand new. I’ll have to check out eBay in future

I was unaware of this facility with eBay but with some help from some tech savvy friends I will be able to replace my aging tech items without having to spend an arm and a leg to do so. My income these days is exceptionally limited so as things break down I find it hard to replace them. Thanks so much for your post.

I’m thinking about getting my son a refurbished iPad for his birthday this year as he will be needed one when he starts school next year and I’m worried with it just being thrown around in his bag and in class that it may not be cared for as much. I haven’t heard anything bad about refurbished devices and they are a lot cheaper

The other thing about refurbished tech is that – let’s be honest – kids don’t always take care of things. Start them off wiht less expensive tech, and it’s a bit less of a drama when something gets lost or damaged. It’s still not great, but it’s marginally better when it comes to replacement!

Thanks for sharing this article; it is so important to share knowledge and resources. Tech can be expensive and any saving is indeed an absolute bonus for the family budget. I was not aware of being able to search for and purchase refurbished tech. I will be sharing this information with all of my networks.

I wish this had been available when my boys were going to school. It would have saved so much scrimping and saving to make sure they didn’t go without at school. It meant we couldn’t go away on holidays because I’d have to keep working to keep up. They were definitely worth it though.

My husband is a huge fan of refurbished tech, especially phones. There are a lot of businesses that will supply company phones and replace them for latest models once the contracts are up, which can be as little as 1 year. We have both had great experience with it so I would definitely recommend it

That is an amazing tip – I had never heard of this before but sounds like a great way to save money! I am hesitant with what tech I allow for my kids. My daughter gets a Chromebook supplied by her school on a rent to buy scheme, so we don’t get a choice in that. She is definitely not at the maturity level yet for a smart phone though, so she only has a Nokia and we have very strict restrictions on her school computer.

Thanks for sharing your tips.
I leave it to my husband to research and buy these type of items as he has his own computer repair business and has far more idea of what he is buying. He does refurbishing and upgrading from computers and laptops himself as well and in fact regularly builds computers from scratch upon request from clients.

My laptop is a refurbished one and I have been using it for years without any major problems. I have had to replace the adapter but otherwise it has been a reliable piece of tech. I would recommend buying from a reputable seller with good reviews.

can say ive ever purchased something refurbished in tech but its important to do your research into it before buying. it can be a fantastic way to save money for something that will become outdated in a couple years to a newer model. but always be wary of products that are too damaged or come with a bad battery as it’ll cost you more long term

I have bought a lot of refurbished tech over the years, and have had very few problems. Admittedly I used to use Catch of the Day (which has sadly shut down now). But still, it’s generally been a good experience. I have hesitated a bit to buy tech through eBay because they’re great until there’s a problem.

I know my daughter is going to need an iPad for school in a couple of years, so i have already started saving for it but this is a great option for those who would like to consider a refurbished one. I have looked at these before but don’t know anyone who has purchased one and i am hesitant to actually buy one without knowing someone who has.