Holiday tech shopping made easy

Holiday season is an awesome time to work buy some top notch electronics for the special people on your shopping list. But, how can you be sure you're buying a quality item? How do you know it's the best price? My husband is a bit of a techie, so I've got to bring my A-game when it comes to electronics purchases. Here are my top five ideas for purchasing new gadgets during the holiday season.
1. READ REVIEWS - I can't stress this point enough. Research the product you want to buy, then research it again, and then one more time. First, get ideas of what gadget you're looking for: Is it a new cell phone? Video game system? Narrow it down to what it is you want to get. Then read professional reviews. CNet.com is a great website for things like that, as is Consumer Reports. Finally, read reviews from actual users of the item. A professional review might say the product is affordable and works well, but Joe the Plumber might say that he had his new toy for a week before it broke. See what real life people who use the item every day are saying about it!
2. Bypass store shopping - Many places now offer free shipping after your order reaches a certain dollar figure, and, lets face it, most electronic purchases are going to be over that minimum for free shipping. So save yourself the hassle. You'd be surprised to find that many retailers offer the same, or better, deals on their websites. 
3. Don't give a monthly payment - New toys like tablet PC's, cell phones and some e-readers might seem like a great gift idea. However, you might inadvertently increase the spending of the person you're giving it to! Phones are a prime example. According to the blog Gizmodo, the iPhone 4 retails for about $199, but will cost the user about $1,999 over the course of a two-year service contract, and that's on the cheapest plan AT&T offers.  Some tablets and e-readers come with 3G access instead of just wi-fi. This then costs the user a monthly data charge. Wi-fi is free, but available in fewer locations. 
4. Don't buy a tech gift for a technophobe! - My parents are NOT what anyone would call tech savvy. At ALL. That's not to say my dad can't use his computer or his Blackberry, but it took my mother a long time to learn that she was not going to blow up the computer by turning it on. For just this reason, I would never spend the money on a technologically advanced gift for someone who can't use it or fully appreciate it. I wouldn't ever buy my parents a digital picture frame, because I know they wouldn't be able to figure out how to change the pictures on it. Know the person you're shopping for.
5. Watch out for bogus ads and classifieds - The FBI has pointed out that classified ads such as Craigslist can be a great place for scammers to locate new victims looking for hot tech gifts. The fraudsters use their own order forms to get payment details, then charge the victims credit card, but use a stolen credit cart to buy the actual item, which is then sent directly to the victim. In short, you'll still get the product, but you could be liable for receiving stolen goods. If you're making a purchase via a classified ad, see if the seller will take a legitimate payment service such as Paypal instead. 


So, that's it, those are my big five tips. I'm sure I could have gone on for a while with a few other suggestions, but these are the ones that I like to keep in mind while shopping. 


I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Too funny not to share

I just saw this video while browsing around on Facebook, and I though it was too cute not to share! I don't watch a lot of SNL anymore, but every once in a while, I see something that tickles my funny bone a little!