3 Small Sacrifices that Could = iPad 2

Even though the iPad 2 is one of the greatest electronics on the market, its $500+ price tag makes it seem far, far out of reach. Walking into the Apple store can feel like the company’s dangling a bunch of delicious, high-tech carrots in front of you.

However, buying it retail price isn’t the only way to acquire this awesome electronic. If you use Presta, you can lease to own electronics like the iPad 2. The iPad 2 specifically can be leased for only $21 a week, so making little sacrifices could add up to the $84 you’d need to pay for the device. Here are some awesome ways to adjust your daily choices and get the iPad 2 in days!

Don’t go to the movie theater

Estimated savings: $14/month (two movies)

It doesn’t matter if it’s the new movie in the Twilight series or the next Christopher Nolan thriller — try to keep yourself from going to the movies. The film won’t disappear, and you could be paying off the iPad in the meantime! Movies can run about $10 these days if you go at night, so you’re dishing out a lot of dough for something that’ll only last for 2 hours.

Instead, watch an old movie, rent a cheap movie, or hey, you could even watch a movie on your iPad 2 that you rent from the iTunes store! With the iPad 2, you wouldn’t even have to leave your house, so you can curl up in your pajamas, spend a buck, and be thrilled that you’re clutching one of the greatest gadgets ever. Oh, and you won’t be tempted to buy $30 popcorn.

Don’t buy food substitutions/extras

Estimated savings: $10/month

Think about every cheeseburger you’ve ordered. Do you add cheese? That’s probably about $1 extra, depending on the restaurant. Then think about all of the other stuff you like to add to burgers, pasta, and other entrées, like mushrooms, bacon, avocado, and other food that costs a pretty penny. All of these little add-on costs definitely accumulate to a large amount over months’ time.

Don’t you think it’s worth not substituting your French fries for onion rings in order to get your hands on a high-tech tablet? If you’re able to stick with this decision and then have the strength to pass up random ice cream and late-night food runs, you’ll probably be saving a lot more than you would have thought.

Don’t buy expensive coffee

Estimated savings: $65/month (buying one drink every weekday)

This option definitely varies from person to person. Some people cannot survive without coffee in the morning, and just the thought of giving up their daily trip to Starbucks makes them shudder. However, even if you’re coffee obsessed, you can keep yourself from buying expensive lattes and brew your coffee at home. If you’re someone who’s always at Starbucks, you’ll be saving a ton of money in no time.

If you’re not such a coffee addict, try to think of something else you might be splurging on in little increments. Do you tend to buy soda at restaurants instead of just getting water? Do you have to purchase some sort of accessory every time you stroll through the mall? Do you grab after work every now and then? These seemingly small expenses definitely add up over a month’s time, so try to eliminate them.

Conclusion

If you’re able to decrease the amount of spending money you tend to drop in small amounts at a time, you’ll be surprised when you notice how much money you’re saving. Think about how great it would be to make these minor changes and possess the iPad 2 as a result! And hey, you might be sacrificing small things, but you’re replacing them with the awesome entertainment this Apple tablet can supply for you.

The 5 Best Gadgets of 2011

Dozens of amazing gadgets hit the market in 2011. Many different devices that were already popular in their earlier versions were revamped and improved upon this year. People purchased everything from cameras to laptops to phones that offered new capabilities, like being able to use cloud computing to the consumers’ advantage. Regardless of the benefits, every gadget listed here made a good impression on the market, and we’re sure they’ll be sticking around for a while (or at least updated again). 

Gadget: iPad 2

Rank: 1st
Release date:  March 11
Price: $499 (starting)

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Description: When you think of the most high-tech (and expensive) gadget that’s making a splash in the electronics market, Apple’s iPad 2 probably comes to mind. The device has so many features that it’s hard to imagine what it can’t do.

It’s been updated from the original iPad to include iOS 5 and iCloud, equipping it with both an advanced operating system and convenient, massive storage space. Another noteworthy addition is its front camera, which allows people FaceTime. These new updates and all of the original perks of owning an iPad make this one of the coolest things on the market.

Gadget: Kindle Fire

Rank: 2nd
Release date: November 15
Price: $199

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Description: At a very close second, the Kindle Fire deserves its spot simply for shaking up the tablet market. While the iPad 2 still gets first place for its wide range of features, the Kindle Fire is a worthy competitor and deserves a lot of credit for being a quality product people can afford.

Apple products come with a lot of perks (like iCloud), but Amazon is equally as impressive. Kindle Fire features fast web browsing via Amazon Silk and access to the Amazon Cloud. Another perk for people always on-the-go is that Kindle Fire can be easily held in just one hand. If you’re looking for email, app, and Internet capabilities without all the extra features, this product is the ideal choice.

Gadget: Toshiba CAMILEO P100 Pocket Camcorder

Rank: 3rd
Release date:  June 22
Price: $179.99

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Description: Portability has been in for years, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. The convenience of mobility just can’t be overlooked, and the same can be said for video cameras. This camcorder is slim and small enough to fit snugly in your pocket, so you never have to worry about missing a moment.

The Toshiba CAMILEO P100 Pocket Camcorder isn’t just easy to carry around with you — it also has an impressive LCD video display and advanced 5x optical zoom that makes the price look like a steal. Its size doesn’t detract from its filming quality, either. It records 1920x1080p HD imagery and captures 16-megapixel photos, as well.

Gadget: Motorola Droid Razr

Rank: 4th
Release date: November 11
Price: $299

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Description: The Droid Razr is essentially an astounding number of features stuffed into one of the thinnest phones in the country (in fact, Motorola claims it’s the thinnest). Skinnier than a CD case, this smartphone isn’t just lightweight — it’s also water repellent and scratch resistant. Within this awesome exterior is a dual-core processor and Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread.

This phone is the epitome of efficient Android devices. It has the perfect design coupled with extensive capabilities, including Smart Actions, an app that allows you to specify location-based actions on your phone. Pretty cool, right? On top of everything, the Droid Razr has government-grade security. How can you go wrong with this phone?

Gadget: Samsung Series 9 Notebook

Rank: 5th
Release date: March 17
Price: ~$1,649.99

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Description: Talk about portability — this laptop manages to weigh less than 3 pounds. How is this possible, you ask? It uses duralumin because it’s twice as strong as the typical aluminum. It also happens to be a material used in the building of advanced aircrafts.

Aside from being extremely lightweight and durable, it also includes the second-generation Intel Core i5-2537M CPU and Windows 7 Home Premium. To boost performance, it offers Turbo Boost Technology, which increases CPU processing power when it’s most needed. You get to admire the speed of this computer with a large LCD display screen, and if you’re a movie buff, you’ll really appreciate its SuperBright screen, which isn’t affected by sunlight reflections.

Conclusion

Some amazing technology debuted this year, so don’t just admire it from afar! Check out these amazing features for yourself. You can buy these products from Best Buy, Amazon, or even directly from the manufacturing company. If you don’t want to pay full price for device, there’s always Presta, which allows you to lease the products by paying a small amount every week.

Whether you’re buying the products listed here or other tech gadgets of your choosing, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth and that the device fits your needs! If you can’t find anything out right now that really suits you, just wait—new technology’s being developed constantly. It’s only a matter of time!