Carl Pullein has a great tip about buying the best computer you can afford, something I’ve also learned after so many years patting myself on the back for finding “bargains”.

An entry-level phone on a great deal is still an entry-level phone. A budget laptop with 50% off is still a budget laptop. The phone will slow down, making even viewing your emails and sending messages laborious. And that laptop will soon be taking five minutes to boot up, so that hitting your daily writing target becomes a frustrating experience.

Technology is such a part of our lives nowadays, it’s important to think about ease of use just as much as the bottomline. Bargains are all well and good, but be careful you’re not actually short-changing yourself.