22 Reasons Why You Should NOT Go Out And Buy Windows 7

windows_7Oh my gosh!!  Have you heard?  Oh my gosh!!  I just found out today!  Windows 7 just released and everyone is going gaga over “NEEDING” to buy it.

Who cares if your current operating system works just fine?  YOU GOTTA HAVE IT…RIGHT?  We just have to own the newest software, the biggest plasma television,  or the highest priced, most advanced cell phones we can find, but WHY?

“Oh, oh, oh, I know—pick me, pick me—please pick me, I know the answer!!”

Because society has taught you that delaying gratification is a SIN, and that acquiring “stuff” by using good old-fashioned financial planning is not cool enough.

Don’t be like everyone else!

21 Reasons NOT To Go Out And Buy The Latest And Greatest Gadget

  1. the cost is ridiculously expensive, but the good news is the price will eventually drop.
  2. you cannot afford it, especially if you have to put it on credit.
  3. when a product is first released, it often contains bugs and technical issues.
  4. because your current gadget is getting the job done.
  5. you do not have an emergency fund in place.
  6. you need financial security, not bells and whistles.
  7. you could use the money to buy health insurance.
  8. it’s more important to save for retirement.
  9. your new gadget will not pay your mortgage if you lose your job.
  10. with a very troubled economy, your priorities should be different.
  11. you should be trying to pay off your debt, not adding to it.
  12. buying a used or refurbished gadget works just fine.
  13. Obama WILL NOT bail you out if you default…or will he? 😉
  14. there is at least one better way to spend your money.
  15. you don’t “need” it…plain and simple.
  16. because “everyone else is doing it” is not a good enough reason.
  17. if you need a new gadget, you can find an older version that will work just fine.
  18. everyone else is BROKE.
  19. one of your friends will sell you their more experienced computer.
  20. Windows Vista SUCKED, and it’s too early to tell if Windows 7 will follow.
  21. you care more about your future than your “stuff”.
  22. The people over at Mac, make a compelling argument for not buying Windows 7.  (Funny)

Fight The Urge To Follow The Flock…Be Different!

Chances are if everyone else is doing it differently, then you are probably headed in the right direction.

There will be a lot of marketing dollars spent on trying to convince you of all the reasons you NEED Windows 7, but do not believe them. Windows XP works just fine!  Come to think of it, the price of a computer with XP probably just plunged faster than our economy.

Trust me when I say having an I-Phone would ROCK, but what doesn’t rock is the amount of money that I would have to spend in order to get one.  Sure I would probably drool over the newest features and cool new applications but the truth is I DO NOT NEED ONE.  My brand new, FREE, Blackberry Pearl does everything I need it to.

By the time I go out and get an I-Phone, the new version will probably go to work for you—but I am okay with that.  The one you are using now, will  be good enough for me.

Windows 7 is no different.  I bought a refurbished Dell Latitude Laptop, using Windows XP, almost a year ago for $200.  It gets EVERYTHING done that I need it too.  I saved money, and really didn’t miss out on the catastrophe that was Windows Vista.  If you need a new computer, use cash, and buy used!  If you constantly try and keep up with the speed of technology, you will be BROKE by the time you hit retirement and realize you have NO SAVINGS!

Think smart! There is no good reason to go into debt!  NONE!  Forget about the Government giving you the impression that you should go out and CONSUME in order to “stimulate” the economy—as you can see, Government stimulation has not worked thus far.

The “Debt For Suckers” program can teach us a lot about Government stimulation.  It “unnaturally” stimulated car sales for the time it was being offered, but car sales have dropped since then.  Who knew?  A LOT of people did, but not enough apparently.  They just thought it was a good enough reason to go out and enthusiastically acquire debt.  Buyers remorse was on the rise last time I checked, and I am sure as we continue to lose more and more jobs, it will get even higher.

It’s not worth it to keep up with everyone else.  BE DIFFERENT!  BE PREPARED!  Be financially responsible!

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About Brad Chaffee

17 Responses to “22 Reasons Why You Should NOT Go Out And Buy Windows 7”

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  1. Bucksome says:

    I was starting to post this comment when my Windows Vista froze and I had to reboot and start all over again. I hate Vista!

    But other than the fact I really have problems with this OS, I agree with waiting for several of the 22 reasons you listed.

    • Brad Chaffee says:

      Bucksome, I know exactly what you mean, or at least I did for a time of about 1 month. We had Vista that long before deciding to get Windows XP. We have very minimal problems with XP, and I think it is probably the best one put out by Microsoft. The good news is that if Vista crashes on you XP will be in super large discount mode online, nut I hope it holds out on you. As I said I paid $200 for my refurbished laptop and I have loved it. (Even more so than my expensive desktop) 😀

  2. Yana says:

    “7. you could use the money to buy health insurance”

    I agree with the article except for that statement, because purchasing health insurance is gambling. It doesn’t mean that the consumer is covered, in that the consumer is the one financially responsible for all health care costs – and signs a legal agreement to that effect at the doctor’s office. In short, the health insurance company is not legally required to provide coverage, but the patient is legally required to pay when the company does not. I simply think that there is no more wasteful way to spend money than to purchase health insurance. I would rather gamble in a way that is generally thought of as gambling, since that is more honest.

  3. Hey Brad – How many hours have you fiddled with Windows 7? I’m thinking of getting either a new Macbook or PC notebook, and I’m torn.

    Since the new PC notebook will have Windows 7 baked in, I’ll just assume the cost.

    Is Windows 7 really that bad from a user’s point of view?

    • Brad Chaffee says:

      Yana – I respectfully have to disagree with you about health insurance. I admit that there are some things that should be covered that are not, but for the most part health insurance is a necessity. For instance, we just gave birth, and will only have to pay less than $200 when it is all said and done. That is gonna save us roughly $10,000. In my opinion that is nothing like gambling.

      I think it is important to understand the insurance company is the one TAKING ALL of the risk. Having insurance protects us from the huge costs that would kill us financially if we did not have it. I also think that someone should not be denied good health coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Other than that—I heart insurance. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😀

      Financial Samurai – I have not even seen it to be honest with you. My view was entirely based on the impulse side of purchasing new items just because they are new—regardless of whether or not it is practical. I do not think someone should go buy a new computer simply because windows 7 came out.

      As far as whether or not Windows 7 is good or bad. I do not know, but even if I was willing to fork out the dough to get it, I would wait until I knew that the bugs were all fixed. Plus Windows Vista left a bad taste in my mouth and now Microsoft must prove to me that they have fixed the MANY problems it had. I guess we’ll see. Until my computer craps out I will be keeping my XP. 😀

      Alex – Wow, Alex! That is a wonderful deal. It’s hard to argue against doing it under those prices. I am sure that it will at least be better than Vista so it doesn’t hurt for you to give it a shot. Thanks for sharing and I hope if there are any other students reading they will check into a similar deal at their school first.

      Mark Z. – Hey Mark, you probably loved the commercial for Mac that I posted. I thought it was hilarious. I have never used a Mac but would not be against giving it a try one of these days. As far as Vista, I totally agree…it SUCKED!!!!! I have a friend that I go and help out from time to time, and WE ALWAYS run into problems, even if I just did something similar on my computer with XP. Thanks for stopping by Mark and thanks for your thoughts! 😀

  4. Alex says:

    Im a student and I got the $29 upgrade deal. Coming from vista, it’s definitely worth it!!!

  5. Mark Z. says:

    Brad,

    I have to take issue with item #20. I’d argue it’s not too early to tell–based on all previous experience Windows 7 will, in fact, suck!

    I’m getting a big kick out of this roll out, and the pathetic Windows store effort. The news report sound bites are nothing but pathetic spin, trying to compare Windows to Mac. What a crock!

    I switched to Mac about 3 years ago. We have our old PC upstairs like an unwanted relative in a Gothic novel (although not chained to the wall). We fire it up every month or so to do the two or three things we can’t do with the Mac, mostly involving correcting problems on PC-based MP3 players and the like. It’s only a matter of time before we teach ourselves how to do those task on the Mac. After that, it’s more storage space and less PC!

  6. Ah, ok. Well, hopefully in a month or so, whoever was able to buy and test it out can come back here and give an objective review.

    I’m generally of the view that things get better over time b/c of rational market theory. If windows sucked, and they want to make more money windows 7 should be better etc.

    FS

  7. Jkingston says:

    Vista is fine, I’ve seen very little problems with it. Windows 7 works great with all the testing we have done. If Windows XP does all that you need, it is silly to bother upgrading. You must ask, what can 7 do for me that XP cannot? Not much to be honest. Most companies are still running XP.

    As for Macs, well they cost a *lot* more than PCs so I could add another 20 things to your list for why to not by a Mac.

  8. It’s funny you say that because my twin brother was just telling my how he was buying a copy for his computer. I asked his why he needed it and he couldn’t give me an answer.

    I’ll tell you one thing Microsoft has done a great job at brainwashing people into thinking they gotta have Window 7 right now. The thing about software is that is depreciates very rapidly. For example if their is a video game for my computer I want to buy I’ll just wait a year and it’ll go from the $50 shelf to the cheapo $10 shelf.

    I’ll choose delayed gratification any day.

    • Brad Chaffee says:

      I know because I used to be the same way. ESPECIALLY with video games when I had my XBOX 360. I would buy every single game I liked as soon as it came out—actually I would pre-order them which was even worse. Oh how I do miss my video games. You have the right idea about waiting until they depreciate when the next new game comes out.

      Until my computers COMPLETELY crap out beyond fixing, I will go out and buy another computer(s), but when I do I will not be spending tons of money. Refurbished works great and costs way way less! 🙂

  9. Karen says:

    Hey Brad,

    This article reminds me so much of storyofstuff.com and how the whole concept of consumerism is to create products that make themselves obsolete as quickly as possible, in order to sell the next product that is newer, better, and we all supposedly need more.

    Thanks for reminding me of this… the concept just disgusts me and makes me never want to buy anything I don’t need, again!!
    🙂
    Karen

  10. Dave says:

    Jkingston’s comment:

    “As for Macs, well they cost a *lot* more than PCs so I could add another 20 things to your list for why to not by a Mac.”

    Definitely one of my points against Mac’s too.

    Dave

  11. Yana says:

    I don’t need a computer replacement right now, but like to have info in order to be prepared for when I do need one. I was looking at Macs online, and am wondering what their virtues are. I actually wouldn’t care so much about the price if they were clearly a good value – meaning superior to Windows 7. If compatibility is an issue to the extent that one must add a Windows operating system to a Mac, isn’t it spending a lot and giving yourself more trouble as well? I’m thinking there must be reasons to want/love Macs beyond having the most expensive toy. Would like to see what people like and dislike about them. Also about Windows 7, for that matter, since eventually I will need to get something as a desktop replacement. Which I wish I didn’t have to, as I love my current one that I got 4 years ago!

  12. Ken Kurosawa says:

    As it was mentioned above, if you have a .edu email address, you can get Windows 7 for $30! Although I’m more of a OS X type of guy, for $30 it might be worth upgrading my Lenovo which has Vista on it.

  13. SS4BC says:

    Mr Cousin got a new computer with Windows 7 and it is really great. I’m excited to get the upgrade because it is really slick, clean and fast.

    • Brad Chaffee says:

      SS4BC – All of that may be true, but my point is that is it something we NEED to purchase just because it is the new thing? The novelty of our purchases usually wears off pretty fast, so I am betting that Windows 7 will really do no more for you than your existing OS. Getting from point A to point B is all I am worried about, not how fast I get there. It is definitely not worth going into debt to get.

      If you have to have it though, sign up for a class at your local community college, buy the student upgrade for $30, and enjoy the fact that some of the money spent is being used to educate you. The purchase of Windows 7 by itself cannot give you that.

      Personally, I will have no problem waiting until my computers fail completely before I buy anything. And even then I will be on the computer searching for a deep discount and what I buy may still not be Windows 7.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Please come back soon. 😀

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