Smartwatches can do a lot for you, from fitness tracking to offering productivity tools. This means that spending the money needed to get a good smartwatch is often a worthwhile investment. However, just because the price is worth it, that doesn’t mean you should pay any more than necessary. Here’s how you can save as much money as possible on your next smartwatch purchase.
1 – Don’t buy the newest models
Unless you need a feature that is only found in the newest Galaxy Watch, it’s better to avoid buying the latest and greatest models in the market. Especially if you are on a tight budget. Smartwatches released one or two generations ago will have most of the features you want, be much cheaper, and they may even still be getting software updates from their manufacturer.
2 – Check the used market
You can save a lot of money by getting a used smartwatch, instead of a brand new one. And some resale shops perform full inspections of the devices themselves and will offer you a few months of warranty so you won’t have to worry about the watch dying on you a few weeks after your purchase.
Other manufacturers, like Apple, make the resale process even easier by offering transferable warranties. That’s one of the reasons why used Apple watches hold their value so well.
3 – Check your trade-in options
Speaking of Apple, it is one of the many companies that offer trade-in programs. This allows you to turn in old devices to the company and get a discount on a newer model. If a trade-in option is available for you, that can make buying a new, latest generation watch cheaper and more convenient than searching for a deal on a used model.
4 – Look for deals and coupons
Since a smartwatch is a relatively big buy, it’s worth checking different retailers to see if any of them is offering a deal on the product you are looking for. Many price comparison tools let you check the price of a given product across dozens of retailers, both locally and abroad.
The more popular the watch, the bigger the chances you’ll find variations in prices between retailers. Especially during the holidays or around Black Friday. You may also be able to find discount coupons for different retailers online; there are entire websites dedicated to cataloging different coupon and discount codes for various online retailers.
5 – Shop for budget watches
By far the best way to save money on a smartwatch is to simply pick one of the budget options. We are past the point where a smartwatch is a new and impressive technology; the form factor has now been developed enough that even watches in the $150 price range may pack a ton of features in a polished package. And if all you want is notifications and fitness tracking on your wrist, you may be able to get a good device for even less.
