We all love to have the latest gadgets, but often they are just too expensive, so we have to make do with what we have. But, there are ways that you can upgrade your tech and get newer gadgets with more features, and not have to spend a lot of money. You just have to know how to be a smart shopper, which includes knowing what to look for, and where to look for it. Today we are going to take a look at a few of our favorite tips on how to save money on your favorite tech.

Do some Detective Work

The first step in the process of getting great deals on tech is to start researching various online retailers. You will want to do some comparison shopping, which you can do using sites like PriceGrabber and Google Shopping, which will show which store has the lowest prices on the items you are looking for. When looking for the lowest prices, remember to look at such things like shipping costs, warranty costs, and other extra fees.

Buy Refurbished Tech

If you don’t necessarily need the latest gadgets, but just want something that has the features you are looking for, at a price you can afford, consider buying tech that has been refurbished. These are pretty much as good as new, and sell for a fraction of the cost of new gadgets. Sometimes, they are never actually used, except as display models, so you are getting a great gadget for an exceptionally low price.

Sell Your Old Tech

If you have laptops, tablets, etc. that you no longer need or use, why not sell them, and use the money to put toward new tech? For instance, there are websites where you can sell laptop computers and accessories, as well as other gadgets. The better the condition, the more money you are going to make. Often, you will even find the new tech you are looking for on the same websites, and you can choose from new, used, and refurbished items.

Buy Older Tech

Again, you don’t need to get anything that is brand new. If you narrow your search down to older tech, you can find some pretty great deals. You just need to know what you are looking for, and know how to tell if it is any good, or if it is soon to be obsolete. Often, you can get some pretty great deals on older models, and they aren’t even going to necessarily be all that old. You may be able to get last year’s model for a greatly reduced price.

Learn about the Cycles

There is the right time to shop, and the wrong time to shop. Learning when the best sales are is important when you want to upgrade your tech. For instance, did you know that Black Friday deals pretty much continue right until Christmas? Then, there are the after-Christmas sales. Find out when new tech is coming out, and just before the date, you will notice last year’s models going on sale.

Have Your Tech Repaired

Often, you can save a lot of money simply by having the tech you already own repaired instead of replacing it. For example, if your device works well, but it has a cracked screen, you could spend about $100 to have it repaired, instead of several hundred dollars on a new device. It might cost $200 to $300 to have a laptop repaired, but this is still a lot less expensive than going out and buying one that is brand new and can cost $500 or more.

Author's Bio: 

Jane Hurst, writer from San Francisco. Find her on Twitter!