header_bgAs someone who works in the high tech industry and is focused on strategizing for the future, I try to be an early adopter as a consumer. After all, if I’m not seeing, touching and playing with the latest and greatest how can I stay at the top of my game?  Market research and trend analysis is one thing but until you have a piece of technology in your hands and get a visceral feel for it, it is hard to really understand its future potential.  Given that (1) I am an avid tech consumer and (2) products are now being designed and released at an ever increasing pace, it can be really expensive for me to keep up. I’ve come up with some simple solutions that allow me to keep up with the latest without blowing my budget and since I know that this is not an uncommon problem for all the tech junkies like me, I thought I would share my tips with you here.

Use Coupons

For most technology professionals, whether they are on the development, design or business side of the equation, they rarely think about coupons and if they do think about coupons they think of them only as something that homemakers use to save on groceries. This is a huge mistake! If you visit deal and coupon sites like Dealsplus, you can find coupons for almost anything, including phones, wearables, tablets, audio accessories, pretty much anything you are looking for.

Smaller Online Merchants

When in a hurry, it is easy to shop at the old standbys like Amazon. This too can be a mistake. Early on Amazon built a reputation as a low price leader but in the last several years their prices have risen and they now compete on brand and convenience. If you want to find the best deals, you are better off looking at smaller but trustworthy online retailers like Buydig. You can even use dealsplus to find a Buydig coupon or two and double your savings.

Resell Old Gear

Never forget that while your last smart phone or activity tracker may seem like outdated technology to you, as an early adopter, your old tech is still cutting edge as far as most consumers are concerned. Rather than let a first generation fit bit go to waste in your closet, list it on Ebay or a website like Gazelle. You’ll be able to recoup a substantial portion of the cost and someone else will get a new toy at a bargain price. It really is a win/win.

With these tips, you can be an early adopter without going broke and I can keep my finger on the pulse of the consumer tech industry.

By Techwacky

Editor-in-Chef of TechWacky.com