3 computer rip-offs - Video script

John Fitzsimons looks at some of the worst computer rip offs, and how to avoid them

When it comes to computers, it really pays to know what you’re looking for, or else you may end up paying through the nose. Follow these tips and you won’t end up forking out a fortune.

Paying for advice

If something goes wrong with your computer or laptop, or you want to upgrade part of your system, for many of us our first instinct will be to go to a specialist. That’s great if it involves something complicated, but as you’ll be paying a premium for that advice, you can save money by doing it yourself.

There’s plenty of free computer advice all over the internet, and it does work – just last month I followed some simple advice I found on how to upgrade the RAM in my own laptop, and it’s worked out great.

Shopping around

It always pays to do some proper research on prices before you buy anything to do with computers, whether you’re after some spare parts or a whole new machine.

Some computer shops will add on some pretty hefty margins, so be sure to check online whether you can get something similar, but cheaper, elsewhere.

Cover you don’t need

Every time I’ve bought a PC or laptop, the shop assistant has gone on and on about adding service cover of up to five years onto the purchase. And while it may seem reasonable at the time, getting cover for that long can be a real waste of money.

With technology moving so quickly, chances are you will look to replace the system within three years, not five. Besides, the warranty should cover the system for the first year anyway!

It’s far better to buy a trusted and reliable brand, and do all you can to keep the computer in decent nick from the start.

If you have any questions about computers, and don’t know where to start, why not ask a question in our Q&A section. Just head to lovemoney.com/qanda, and see if one of your fellow lovemoney.com users can help.