Shopping for a home Computer

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Major department store chains are a good source of home computers, though you can't expect to do much bargaining. Look for sales to avoid paying full ticket price. Discount outlets, such as K-Mart, also have computers on hand this time of year, and they're likely to be heavily discounted.

Mail-order houses are often the lowest-price outlets for computers. In fact, MOTHER NO. 95 had an advertisement from a wholesale liquidator selling a $1,000 computing system for only $488. You should always be careful when buying through the mail, but I've checked out this particular advertiser personally and can guarantee that you would get just what is promised. The computer itself is a discontinued model made by one of the manufacturers mentioned in this article. In too many cases, however, you have to read the small print very carefully to see if the product being offered is the genuine article or a reasonable facsimile (see the sidebar "Compatibles") and if the system is actually complete.

The main disadvantages of buying at discount outlets or through the mail are that you'll receive little or no assistance in learning to use the machine, and that in most cases you'll be on your own in finding service after the sale. A good local dealer—ask other people who own computers which dealers are knowledgeable—can be worth paying extra money for.

An interesting approach that's becoming more popular these days is co-op buying. Computer-buying co-ops work just like any other cooperative—people band together to purchase in bulk at a reduced price. This is to the advantage of the manufacturer, retailer, and customer alike. To find out if there's a buying co-op near you, check with computer clubs, which can be located through dealers in the area.

You could also consider trying to buy secondhand, but—oddly enough—used computers aren't all that easy to find. Most people seem to affectionately hang on to their old computers when they upgrade, as if that old system were some long-standing relative. What's more, those who do part with their old computers often do so because they've been having problems with them—difficulties that you'd prefer not to inherit. In the home computer category, the main unit should probably be bought new. Peripherals such as printers and monitors, however, can be found used, often at significant savings.

When choosing a home computer, the software is at least as important as the hardware. You don't want to buy a computer—no matter how inexpensive—that has little software written for it; you also want to be sure that the machine has enough memory to run the software that's available for it. The final choice will usually be a compromise between your needs (and wants) and your finances.

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