It’s almost time to reveal the winner of the $50 gift card from my Blogiversary post. Thanks again for your support everyone. And a hearty thanks to the wonderful deal/coupon code website Chippmunk as well for sponsoring the giveaway. By the way, just reading those comments was amazing. There’s so much great knowledge in there. I’m super impressed with you blog readers!
But before we get to the giveaway I wanted to answer 3 extremely timely pop culture money questions that might be kicking around in your brain.
The new Ipad was announced today. Should I get it?
Honestly, I can’t believe you would even ask me that! 
Don’t you remember my post about not buying a tablet? It’s pretty rare that I would advocate being an early adopter or getting the latest and greatest. So naturally I emphatically say NO to that question. You most certainly should not get the latest Ipad. Sure, it’s thinner, lighter, faster, blah blah blah. But what new iteration of electronics isn’t? Trust me, you don’t need to drop $5o0 on this new electronic gadget. Your old one works just fine. And you know what, even the Apple crazies are finding that the Nexus 7 is a better option for less than half the price. So keep your pants on and let the other Apple nuts take their turn.
Amazon is raising their free shipping threshold to $35. Should I sign up for Amazon Prime?
My answer to this question is a bit more muddled. I currently have Amazon Prime. And it has been nice. I’ve really only used the streaming ability once though. Their interface is just awful. I find myself always gravitating towards Netflix for my viewing purposes. It actually amazes me that they are still only charging $7.99 a month. That is a deal. Alright, back to Prime. I would actually say that it has become a less valuable offering now. Numerous studies have shown that Amazon’s pricing has actually been trending upwards – and quickly. My wife was looking for some really fancy mascara today. It was $37 at Amazon and $16 at Birchbox (who aren’t known for their deals). Just know that if you sign up for Prime you might be making purchases at Amazon without thinking about the price – and you could ultimately lose more of your cash in the end because of it.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are getting married. Is this real life?
Good question. No, it’s not. The celebrity/pop music culture has gotten way out of hand in this country. And it has rubbed off on us. An engagement ring worth over 2 million? Really? Yeah, that’ll keep the love alive. Sorry to sound so cynical but it is getting harder and harder not to view these celebrity get togethers as ways to sell us more of their overpriced junk. Remember the Kardashian Kard? A bunch of hooey that would have only ripped off thousands of Americans had they gone through with it. I’m sorry if you like to keep up with the celebrity gossip but it is a waste of time and a poor influence on all of us financially…and in other ways too.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the new Ipad, Amazon Prime, and the 2 million dollar engagement ring in the comments below!
[photos courtesy of Veronica, Ed, and Zennie]
I’m a big fan of Amazon Prime and the accompanying Instant Video. With regards to the interface, I believe that really depends on which device you are talking about. On the Xbox, my primary streaming device, I definitely prefer the Amazon interface. While Netflix does have a larger selection, I tend to buy a lot of movies and the combination of access to the free content and the movies I have purchased through one service – Amazon – is convenient.
I’m torn on Amazon Prime James. I’m glad to hear your perspective. I think I would certainly continue with it if their pricing was still rock solid. But now I’m not sure what to do! I’ll let you know what happens when I come up for renewal.
Going to say no iPad (because I don’t care to get a tablet to begin with). Yes to Amazon Prime, because I already have it and will be keeping and it. Couldn’t care less to KK and Kanye.
To your Amazon Prime point, I use it occasionally for streaming (hello, Downton) but quite frequently for shopping. I don’t live near a Costo/Sams/Any Place I could Buy in Bulk, so it’s cheaper to purchase a lot of toiletry items on Amazon.
Plus, it makes Christmas and birthday shopping WAY easier (and usually cheaper). But I’ll have to be extra careful to price check now.
Yes! We can rebel against tablets together. And don’t pretend you don’t care about KK and Kanye. 😉 The takeaway about Amazon Prime is definitely to price check first. Don’t get sucked in by how easy it is and overpay.
That was masterful how you wove Kim Kardashian into this post.
I pay for a Prime membership, but share it with my dad, sister, and brother, in three different states. $20 per person is a lot easier to stomach if you can find a few people to split a membership. Also, if you’re able to use the included Amazon streaming video to get rid of Netflix, that might help too.
I don’t have an old iPad, but don’t want to spend $500 on a tablet that isn’t powerful enough to let me get rid of laptops entirely.
I learned from the best! And that’s a great point Mario. Most people don’t know that you can split a Prime membership. One of our friends pays $20 a year to be on ours so I guess our total cost really isn’t that bad. When I look at it like that it’s worth it!
Great to hear some interesting perspectives on prime from an actual user. I usually order clothing (For me) food and books from amazon, so I’ll have to see if its worth it for me.
Keep rocking joel!
Thanks bro. You too!
I am with Debt Blag, well done on the Kardashian reference. As far as Amazon Prime, I am still Ok with the $35 threshold. I rarely buy things on there for less than that. However, you make a great point on the pricing be more at times than competitors. I will be sure to shop around before hovering my mouse over the “1-click” buying button.
They just come naturally to me. What can I say? Shopping around is definitely key.
We’re replacing our old PC laptop with a new one for $420. All the new specs (i5, 8GM RAM, 1TB HDD, 24 GB SSD, Camera, blah blah) and crazy cheap because refurb. I work at a tech company, and electronics just don’t really impress anymore. The iPad is a want. Only buy if you acknowledge that you don’t really NEED it
Good deal on the new comp man! I hope it leads to more wonderful blog posts about your fancy cars!
Darn right! Ballin’ in my 20 year old cars. You know how I do!
Me too bro! You are a budgeting wizard.
I’m not going to comment much on that lucky young family, different worlds with different priorities.
On Amazon Prime, I intended to get it for the shipping, steaming and Kindle content. Unfortunately I haven’t found a thing that is prime eligible and cheaper, and haven’t borrowed a single e-book because I’m content with the selection of free e-books available.
My landlords did use theirs to purchase a new taillight. Plus I got a friend who loves ordering from amazon, since they have a combination of bulk buying (to reduce shopping trips), gluten-free, and foodie habits.
So I use Prime for streaming, I was disappointed to find a short list of options of ways to access the instant streaming at first. I hear Apple TV now has an ability do it either with an iphone, or it’s own app/channel. I bet chrome cast + phone app can work. I’ll probably use my old laptop for a better picture after I get to fixing it up.
On the new Ipad. My family has them, and I use theirs often when I visit to help set up a thing for them, show an article/site. The devices are handy & portable. The new mini is what I’d buy – if I needed one. My job is a technical service, it has me on a computer to perform it, focusing on a task without much conversation. I’d rather spend my away time not on a computer, experiencing life and watching it happen for others. Overall, a tablet is a toy/wall to me, more than need. I’ll be happy to adopt the old tech from my family when one caves to the fresh hype.
A new used media store opened up nearby recently. I Love em because they’ll give cash/store credit for used used items but it’s the size of Media play. Nice way to cash in/turn old DVD’s, books, n stuff to other things without filling up shelves. I ended up rescuing a book by your boss from the free bin there this weekend.
I love that you stayed out of the celeb fray while I dove in headfirst Sara! Check out my Chromecast review. I’m loving it! And now you can cast any tab straight from your computer as well. I use my phone mostly to watch Netflix on my big screen but have also cast from a tab to watch other things.
Way to score a free Clark book!
The boyfriend’s been drooling over the Ipad ever since it first came out. I finally decided to get him the mini for his birthday this month. He was really excited when they announced the newest Ipad mini, and we were going to purchase it as soon as it hit the shelves. After a little bit of research though, he’s decided to go for the new Nexus 7. For the same specs it’s a $300 vs. $600 price tag. Double?! Really Apple? Well here’s hoping he likes it just as much
From what I’ve read and heard about the Nexus 7 he won’t be disappointed. And you can even get one cheaper than that. I’ve seen the last gen Nexus 7 for about $120 on dealnews.com. By the way, that’s how Apple continually rolls. Charging double for their products just because they are Apple.
“People who bought the new IPAD also bought the LIVE CAT STAND and BLANKET”
Haha. They probably did!