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How to replace your computer -- even if you can't afford it

By BILL HUSTED
Cox Newspapers

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

ATLANTA -- It's no secret that these are tough times. Many of us are learning that while it's no disgrace to be temporarily poor, it can be highly inconvenient.

So what do you do when the family's only computer dies and a replacement isn't in the budget? Nowadays a computer is an essential for work, school and even family fun. There are ways to cope when every penny counts.

Let's consider the possibilities.

Repair may be in order

Start by trying to evaluate the cost of returning the computer to service. If, for instance, the hard disk has crashed, you may be able to replace it yourself.

A quick online search turned up new replacement drives for as little as $40, although you're more likely to pay $60 to $80. Video cards, power supplies and DVD drives can be found for the same amount or less.

Most home users, even those who are not technically inclined, will be able to perform fixes like that. Just supplement the directions that came with the device by using Google searches and take your time.

All that is fine for those who can identify the problem. But there will be times when it's impossible for the average home user to know just what is wrong and how much it would cost to fix it. Even then, there may be hope. Some repair shops will agree to make a free, or a low-cost, evaluation of the machine and offer an estimate for fixing it.

It's worth a try, but -- especially if the ailing machine is an old one -- you may find that the repair cost just doesn't make sense. With the cheapest new desktop PCs selling at around $350, spending even $150 to fix an old one doesn't compute.

Hit the stores -- or yards

The next steps depend on your budget. If you can afford it, a new computer probably is best. If your budget allows that sort of a purchase, you really can find a new computer for about $350. Will it be the machine of your dreams? Nope, but if you're replacing an old PC, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. Even a cheapo replacement will often run faster, have a larger hard disk and seem like a major improvement.

Just take your time and shop around. Use the Web to price shop a bit before you head to the stores. Try to check out several stores before you make your purchase.

OK. That's great if you can spare $400 or so. But this is, after all, a column about dealing with hard times. That sort of budget may be too much of a stretch. You're still not out of luck.

This is where it is possible to turn a liability into an asset. The market for used computers is terrible, and that keeps the price of used machines, even decent ones, low.

There are plenty of stores that sell used computers at bottom-dollar prices. A Google search will help you find these stores. A quick search in Atlanta (using "used computers Atlanta" as the search words) turned up several. As an example -- not a recommendation for or against the firm -- on the day I made that search Microseconds in Atlanta (www.microseconds.net) offered used PCs for as little as $150. And you get a working computer with a 30-day warranty.

I've seen times in my life where $150 seemed like a fortune. If that's true for you, then we need to try something else.

It is possible to find old but working computers -- often complete with monitor -- priced between $25 and $100 at yard sales. Of course, you're taking a bit of a risk. Unlike a used computer purchased at a store, you're buying an "as is" machine. And "as is" could mean purchasing a machine that doesn't work at all with no possibility of getting your money back.

So if you go the yard sale route, insist on being able to plug in the machine so you can be sure it works.

Look, I hope the economy has been kind to you. But replacement computers are affordable, even when it's difficult to bring home the bacon.

Bill Husted writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: tecbud(at)bellsouth.net.