Tantric Shopping In Practice: I Want A MacBook!!

If you're new here, you may want to learn what this site is about or check out the most popular articles. If you like what you see, make sure to sign up for email updates or subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

A while back ago, I wrote about how the practice of tantric shopping can save you money and increase your buying pleasure. These past few weeks I’ve had to put that principle into overdrive. Out of nowhere, I’ve been bitten by the Apple bug and I now have MacBook fever. I’ve never wanted something so bad. It’s sick, actually. I’m salivating right now thinking about the MacBook’s clean design and awesome hardware features.

Here’s the problem. MacBooks cost over $2,000 and I’m in law school making almost no money. I could- I could if I really wanted to, buy one. I have some money saved away that I could use or I could use the credit card. But I won’t and here’s why.

First, I have a great laptop right now and it’s relatively new. I bought it last year for $500 with some help from my parents. It does everything I need: take notes in class, make outlines, and blog. There really is no justification in buying a new computer when I haven’t even owned the one I have now for a year and it’s in good condition.

Second, I don’t have the money. Well, I do have some money, but it’s in our emergency fund and Freedom Account. No way am I going to raid those coffers just so I can instantly gratify myself with a new Mac. Charging is also out of the question. That $2,000 MacBook could end up costing me $3,000 if we add on interest. Uh-uh. No way, Jose.

Third, I really can’t articulate how a MacBook will make me happier. When my wife asks me why I want a MacBook, I have a hard time articulating why. I like the iLife software and the Mac’s sense of design, but that’s about all I can come up with. A warning sign that a want really is frivolous is if you can’t articulate exactly how making a purchase will make you happier. Until I can come up with something more specific on why I want the MacBook, no dice on buying one.

So, the MacBook has gone on my Someday/Maybe list. Maybe when I’m done with law school and have a nice job, I’ll splurge and buy the MacBook. I’ll call it my reward for finishing law school. Or perhaps someday Apple will give me a free MacBook just so I can write on my blog about how Macs are better than PC’s for law students. Right… By the time any of these things happen, I’m sure the urge to buy a MacBook will have passed. But if the urge isn’t gone by then, oh how awesome will it be to finally have one.

Tags:

Why not subscribe? Here's what you're missing out on!

• Increase Your Buying Pleasure With Tantric Shopping
• ThinkingRock + AutoHotKey = GTD Nirvana
• Carnival Roundup

6 Comments

1. Chris Longman on 20.09.2007 at 15:06 (Reply)

   Ever since I left Microsoft to return to college to finish my undergrad and go to law school, I’ve used Macs. This is easy for me to justify in law school usage in that I’m much more productive and less stressed about computer issues.

   There is a great blog, mac law students, if you haven’t seen it yet. Omni Outliner is a program that almost seems to have been made by lawyers and law students. It is like air to me.

   Also, did you know that you get a student discount at the Apple Store? Not sure how you could spend $2000 on a macbook- mine was around $1300 I think and I even got the black one with the bigger hard drive.

   1. Brett McKay on 20.09.2007 at 15:29 (Reply)

      Chris-
      Thanks for the tip about mac blog students. I’ll have to check it out.

      I wasn’t aware of the student discount. $1300 is definitely better than $2,000, but still to rich for my blood.

2. Mike on 20.09.2007 at 20:52 (Reply)

   Yeah, I think my macbook was around $1200. A base model is $999 (Though the base model comes with not only a slower proc but also doesn’t burn DVDs)
   I got it because my desktop was dying. The macbook was actually just a bit cheaper than a comparably equipped dell (of about the same dimensions since I wanted something that was fairly small.)
   maclawstudents is a great blog. They just started forums over there. If you are trying to avoid finding reasons to spend the money don’t check it out.

   1. Brett McKay on 20.09.2007 at 21:29 (Reply)

      Hmmmm… I becoming more and more intrigued about the possibility of getting a macbook. I visited mac law students against your advice and made me want one even more. Like I said, $1200-$1300 is much better than $2000, but still too rich for me. We just bought Kate a new bike that we’ve been saving up for, so I don’t have the money.

3. Julia on 21.09.2007 at 07:02 (Reply)

   I hear you, I too have been in the grips of MacFever for a while now. Like you, my almost two year old PC laptop serves my needs just fine, and my fun savings accounts are currently designated to a trip to Italy, which in my mind, is a much better use of the money. But I have started a more fun kind of savings account, using the $2 coins we have here in Canada. Every time I get one in my daily spending, I put it aside in my piggy bank. Once it hits a bigger number, I’ll put it in a bank account so I can earn some interest on it, but in the meantime, it’s a fun & easy way to appease my fever.

4. ThinkingRock + AutoHotKey = GTD Nirvana | The Frugal Law Student on 22.01.2008 at 07:31

   […] to sign up for email updates or subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!As many of you know, I’ve really wanted a Macbook. Despite Tony’s great advice on how to get one on a budget, I still don’t have the […]

Leave a comment