How can I afford a Surface Pro 2 by Fall 2014?

[bills pies]

Currently, I'm a 15 year old who is about do my Year 11 exams.

I have 2 Windows devices, a Compaq windows 8.1 laptop and a Surface RT. (Lumia 520 coming tommorow because im 16 tommorow)
I have lots of other things I'm willing to sell and I have a 10 week summer thanks to the exams.

The bottom line is, I would like a Surface Pro 2 for college as a replacement for my Surface RT and laptop.
But the problem is that it costs ?799 for the model I want (the 128gb/4gb model)

Will Microsoft drop the price by Fall, or if not, realistically will I be able to afford this device?

 

[xboxonthego3]

Not sure what time in Fall your aiming for. But there possibly could be a price drop around October-December if they decide to release the third generation of Surfaces in the same time frame they did with the second generation. Don't have any hard facts. But that would be my best guess.

 

[Slater_GS]

Do you have any sort of 'steady' income right now? Or will you over that 10 week period?
If so then it is quite easy.
Just figure out when you need it and how many pay periods you have between now and then and you know how much to budget out of each pay period.
I could see some price drops/deals here and there but there are no guarantees.
If it is really what you want then you will find a way to make the money available for it by working, selling things you don't need, deciding not to eat out as often, etc.
My wife and I rarely eat out or do extra activities (like movies, concerts, etc.), but it allows us to have the freedom to get what we want. We sacrifice some of those experience (not always), but it is a choice that we make and are happy with. You just have to find out what your priorities REALLY are :smile:

Also check if there are any student discounts that you can get.

Or find somebody that you know coming back from the states to pick one up for you I can get the unit you want for $900USD with Student discount. Roughly ?550.

Good luck!

 

[psychotron]

Does Microsoft not offer student discounts as well? Might be another factor to consider.

 

[bills pies]

Not sure what time in Fall your aiming for. But there possibly could be a price drop around October-December if they decide to release the third generation of Surfaces in the same time frame they did with the second generation. Don't have any hard facts. But that would be my best guess.

September preferably

 

[evilrob]

Get a part-time job for those 10 weeks (or less if you sell you current kit) that pays at least ?80 a week (roughly 20 hours a week at ?3.72 current minimum wage for under-18s) - then quit when you've got enough - job done.

Job Centre, temp agencies, supermarkets are your friend. Don't tell them you're on summer break though - say you're taking a year out for work experience/save up before going back to education.

 

[Microsoftjunkie]

MS should still have the 10% discount for students. Besides that, have you thought about buying used, or going with a first Gen?

 

[bills pies]

Get a part-time job for those 10 weeks (or less if you sell you current kit) that pays at least ?80 a week (roughly 20 hours a week at ?3.72 current minimum wage for under-18s) - then quit when you've got enough - job done.

Job Centre, temp agencies, supermarkets are your friend. Don't tell them you're on summer break though - say you're taking a year out for work experience/save up before going back to education.

They will probably know I'm on summer break, because we have to stay in education until we are 18 in the UK

 

[bills pies]

MS should still have the 10% discount for students. Besides that, have you thought about buying used, or going with a first Gen?

I would prefer the Second Gen just because of the improved battery life and kickstand. It will make for easier use in school

 

[evilrob]

They will probably know I'm on summer break, because we have to stay in education until we are 18 in the UK

I'm from the UK - and I left school after my GCSEs; although I've just checked and from 2013 you are quite right, you need to stay in education until you're 18. Well, be honest about it then; certainly places like supermarkets and McDonalds are pretty flexible.

If you convince them you'll stay on but on fewer hours after summer break (whether you will or not), you'll have a better chance of landing a job; no-one wants to invest in training an employee for just 10 weeks of work. Alternatively, there's the temping route - will be things like delivering brochures or packing cakes or whatever.

 

[evilrob]

I would prefer the Second Gen just because of the improved battery life and kickstand. It will make for easier use in school

I just got a Surface Pro first-gen; I sorted the kickstand issue with this case:



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manvex-Micr...ag=hawk-future-21&ascsubtag=UUwpUvbUpU2407636

As for battery life - the power keyboard type cover will be out soon; that will give you greater battery life than a second-gen Surface Pro with non-power type cover.

 

[evilrob]

Do you live near any Theme Parks or tourist attractions? - they're crying out for people just over the summer when it's busy - manning souvenir kiosks, litter picking etc.

Wherever you apply, do it soon; they'll be inundated with applications from other people in the same position as you the longer you leave it!

 

[MBytes]

If you are going to wait for September, wait for December. Why? Surface Pro 3 should be out (we know nothing about it, just predicting the future based on the version 1 and 2 of the device), making the Surface Pro 2 cheaper.

 

[bills pies]

i would rather have the pro 2, just because of the positive reviews it has got
as for the job stuff, i'll look into it, thanks

 

[Cryio]

I'm still confused with the whole "I'm 16, but I'm going to college"

 

[evilrob]

i would rather have the pro 2

Wouldn't we all; I only bought a first-gen one because it was cheap - ?435ish I will have paid for it when the cashback comes through. I could have afforded a Pro 2, but I didn't feel it was worth the extra over the first gen model. The Pro 2 is better, for sure, but it's not twice as good so as to justify costing nearly twice as much. So if, by the end of the summer, you haven't got enough for a Pro 2, don't grim out about it - the point I'm trying to make is that the Surface Pro is still a very capable machine and I shouldn't imagine you'd be disappointed with it if you end up getting one of those.

The first gen Surface Pro 128Gb can be had for ?467.10 with Touch Cover for Students:
https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...nt-Offer%2FproductID.282543700&token=zFiAjx9I

Or a 64Gb with one year of Office 365 Home for ?399.90:
https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...t-Bundle%2FproductID.298565600&token=4ZPwRdIi

I wouldn't recommend the 64Gb though - I've got a 128Gb with a pretty average set of applications and I've used half the drive already (currently have <50gb free, even after moving the recovery partition to a USB stick to recover 6Gb of space, and doing a Disk Clean to remove old Windows Update files, temporary files etc.)

No discounts on the Pro 2 for Students currently, but they are throwing in an ?80 Microsoft Store voucher:
https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...%2Fen-gb%2Fstore%2Fb%2Fsurface&token=0Yjx50li

Hopefully, as others have said, the Pro 3 will be out and you'll be able to pick up a Pro 2 on the cheap.

as for the job stuff, i'll look into it, thanks

No problem - you're welcome. Good luck! (and Happy Birthday for tomorrow!)

 

[WanderingTraveler]

I'm still confused with the whole "I'm 16, but I'm going to college"

Some countries have a 10-year cycle for basic education, rendering you able to go to college by 16. Of course, you could also skip a year or two, or even more if you're talented.

(That said, I'm one of the last people in the Philippines to undergo the ten-year curriculum.)

 

[bills pies]

I'm still confused with the whole "I'm 16, but I'm going to college"

Or 6th form, same difference

 

[MBytes]

i would rather have the pro 2, just because of the positive reviews it has got
as for the job stuff, i'll look into it, thanks

Right. But in September the Pro 3 will be around the corner. So if you wait, you'll find the Pro 2 in deep discount most likely, much like the Pro 1 was when the Pro 2 came out. So you save money for accessories and just plane saving money.
And if the Pro 3 is super good, then well, you can get the Pro 3. So it opens you doors, just by waiting 1 to 3 months more.

 

[bills pies]

Right. But in September the Pro 3 will be around the corner. So if you wait, you'll find the Pro 2 in deep discount most likely, much like the Pro 1 was when the Pro 2 came out. So you save money for accessories and just plane saving money.
And if the Pro 3 is super good, then well, you can get the Pro 3. So it opens you doors, just by waiting 1 to 3 months more.

how much honestly do you think I could make from
- my laptop and surface
- ds lite
- desktop keyboard and mouse
- trumpet (which i no longer use because of school)