Photo by tnarik

Today we have a guest post by Ian Nuttell- a fan of Zombies, Debt Reduction and, apparently, Apple products. I have yet to jump on Apple's Technological Bandwagon. Ian claims he saved money buying his iMac. Let's see if you agree.

This may sound a bit sensationalist, but when I spent just over $2,000 on a brand new, 27" iMac, I didn't realize how much money I'd actually SAVE by doing so. Yes, Apple products are expensive. Yes, there are much cheaper alternatives on the market. Yes, I am a fanboy who loves Apple more than I love Dr Sheldon Cooper. But the fact remains, in the year or so since I invested in an iMac I've noticed that I have saved money. Here's how:

1. Software is cheaper. Not only are there thousands of free apps to download from the App Store, the paid ones seem cheaper on average than those of an average PC. Not to mention, upgrading Windows costs $60-$120. I bought OSX Mountain Lion for $19.99! Over it's lifetime, the iMac will cost significantly less in software and OS upgrades - which can soon add up to a pretty penny.
2. No viruses. Viruses, trojans and other nasty programs have cost me a fortune in tech support calls and many trips to the local PC repair store. When I fixed the viruses myself, the time cost was often huge and my time could have been spent elsewhere (like making more money). My iMac only runs Apple products and approved developer apps from their store -- all of which are tested for nasty code before they are released. So, it saves me money from an antivirus subscription that I don't need and I get to avoid expensive tech support numbers and local PC store fees.
3. They hold their value. iMacs hold their value so much better than a PC. Once you buy your PC, it's like driving a car out of the showroom - it instantly loses value. With an iMac, you can still recoup a large portion of your costs should you decide to sell it. You probably won't want to, because owning an iMac is awesome, but it's nice to know that you still have significant value in the machine.
4. They last longer. I've had my iMac for over a year now and it is still as quick as it was the first day I bought it. I've read than an average iMac can last anywhere from 5-10 years depending on how you use it, look after it and keep it updated. When you consider that prior to the iMac I'd been through 3 laptops and a desktop PC in 5 years, it's a heck of saving there too. Of course, being a total geek means that you don't necessarily need a new iMac, but you might be tempted to buy one anyway - that's fine, as long as you've planned it out, saved enough and aren't taking money away from clearing an expensive debt.
5. Better advice/support. As I mentioned, whenever my PC was broken, I'd either try and do it myself (too time consuming) or take it to the PC repair store (too expensive). I never knew whether the problems I had with my PC were really as bad as they made out, or if they were charging me for new parts or labor that weren't needed. It was confusing, and even as a self-confessed geek, I didn't know enough about the internal workings of a PC to object. With an iMac, you get free access to the Genius Bar in any Apple store. Now these are real geeks - trained geeks, no less - who can give you free support and advice on how to keep your iMac running smoothly. The peace of mind was almost as comforting as the cash savings. Almost!

There is also an interesting sidenote to all these savings: having a large iMac has made me more productive. I run a few little projects in my spare time and having a bigass screen to operate on means I have a full browser open, Coda for building websites, and Filezilla for uploading. I even have extra space available for multiple Finder windows to browse my iMac and drag-n-drop what I need. My side business has been growing much quicker since I invested in the iMac, and I'd probably say that in terms of how much I've earned as a result, it's already paid for itself. Don't use this article as an excuse to go out and put an iMac on your credit card though. I saved religiously with the clear goal of affording this beautiful machine - and I did it debt free. You can do the same.

Ian Nuttell is an Apple fanboy who used his slick 27" iMac to code this free debt calculator to help people in serious debt simplify their finances. He also shares cool stuff on Google+.

(I totally blame Ian for the fact I now want a 27" iMac for use at home and a MacBook Pro for when I'm on the go! Well, I blame Ian and David Siteman Garland. Well, the more I think about it- I blame Ian, David and all of my Mac-aholic friends who make fun of me for still using a PC. Man, geek peer pressure SUCKS! But...I'm...still...resisting........)

I'm Sorry, Dave. I'm Afraid I Can't Do That! But I Can Subscribe To The Debt Black Hole!

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