I’m sure that would probably be smarter.
At the very least go second-hand.
Depends what it is. I’ll buy used books all day, but there’s almost no level of savings where I’d buy most used electronics.
Really? I go used all the time for electronics. DSLRs and lenses (and flashes and other kit), tablets to 3d print a case for as the home automation panel, etc.
About the only electronics I dont go used are the actual electronics - esp32, sensors, a GPS module, etc.
I should really set a minimum timeframe before purchases though…
Cameras are different. Professional stuff is built to last forever and can be really good value.
I wouldn’t take a used tablet or laptop for free, though. It’s genuinely worth nothing to me.
More for me then!
A battery swap is nothing, and its real easy to turn an old android tablet into something useful. Hell ive got a nexus 10, two 7’s, a gen 3 iPad all doing work for me on the daily.
I’d be interested in hearing what you do with those tablets, if you want to share.
Sure!
- Home assistant controls, defaulted to pages by the room they are in
- Recipe display for Mealie. I can’t have gluten, and we have some family recipes, so storing recipes that worked out well for us is a must
- Repurposed as a kids tablet with some educational games and access to the media server
- Family calendar for quick view
- eBook and Comic reader
- Replacement remote for a few devices (Bluetooth IR blaster added into the mix)
- Baby monitor (rtsp camera in the room)
- Test device for apps I make
Etc.
Usually the only thing needed for these devices is a replacement battery, generally pretty easy to do, just replaced the Nexus 10 battery recently. If it needs a screen or something, its not getting repaired unless its cheap.
Then its a custom ROM and tweak for what I plan on using it for, maybe kiosk it, depending on what its doing.
Imo buying new phones is like scamming yourself essentially.
My phone has access to my whole life. Anything that isn’t brand new out of the box is way outside what I’m OK with for security.
Ignoring that, iPhones don’t get that discounted and there’s no amount you could pay me to use Android as a phone.
Well for me it’s almost the opposite you’d have to lay down a solid salary to get me to use an iPhone as my daily phone so there seems to be some fundamental philosophical differences.
And flagship Samsung looses like 40-60% price in 18months even though nowadays they are fine for 5+years.
I’m probably not adhd, but am probably autistic. (undiagnosed but everyone is pretty sure.) I do this. I literally have a 24 hour waiting period on ideas before I put energy into them. I then have. 1 week waiting period before I put money into it. I then have to have a definable need before I put lots of money into it.
So anyway, I have several 3d printers now.
Online shopping. It can be a week to a month before I pull the plug, but I still somehow have buyer’s remorse.
This is why I avoid hobbies that require any special kit. I hate hate HATE having some useless tool laying about in my limited space.
Nowadays I try to stick to art hobbies and programming, since between all my pencils, paper, and laptop, I already have everything I need to perform those hobbies.
It’s usually at the same rate it takes me to switch video games. If the interest survives two game changes then it deserves hobby money
Yeah but I’ve also noticed that the moment I put money into a game is also the last time I play that game.
I feel seen.
Ugh, I always have like 5 of these slow cooking in my brain at any given time. And I’ll be warming up another 5 old hobbies I’ve not touched in years.
I’ll eventually have a dam breaking moment where all my hobbies just switch at once.
Yes but as soon as I buy it and use it I will lose all interest. (Looks over at 3 unused 3D printers)
I lock my hobby acquisitions behind goals. Example sourdough
0-5 loaves use what I got, 6+ loaves get a dedicated jar, 10+ loaves get a proofing basket, 16+ loaves…
That way I can drop at anytime and not feel money was wasted and the amount of hobby stuff is proportional to my lasting enjoyment. Currently, I’m doing home lab stuff, and have the same progression system going from raspberry pies to a full fat server.
Looking at my newly acquired heavy brass lighter collection
Um, yep.
100000% yes.
Learned this one long ago.
Took years for my wife to understand it.
The cheapness is STRONGER then my ADHD.
Definitely except I struggle with impulsivity so my threshold of waiting time is far lower than it should be.
I do this with tools too. Buy it cheap. If I use it enough that it wears out, buy a good one.
Amazon probably considers me a psychopath considering the amount of times I’ve ordered something then cancelled. Sometimes multiple times the same night.
I do this. I write it down. I commit to a similar something cheap or free to see if I can stick with it.
Recently, I wanted to get back into playing the saxophone. I figured if I could update my knowledge on reading sheet music and play my wife’s keyboard I would know that i was serious. I didn’t do shit. Saved hundreds of dollars.
This is the way
My rule with myself is i won’t buy any quality stuff for a hobby or interest until I’ve been interested in it for an extended period.
