Credit card for computer purchase?

Question

I've never had a credit card before and i'm well aware of the saying that if you can't buy it now with cash then you shouldn't use a credit card (or something like that). Anyway I'm looking to upgrade my current PC and I'm looking for the best way to do this. I'm wanting to get a new monitor, graphics card, cpu, 2 gigs more of ram, and Windows Vista all from Newegg. I would expect these upgrades to range from $1500 to $2000. I of course can't pay for this all at once so i was hoping a credit card would be the answer. Which company is best and if I'm approved for $2000 how much should I expect the minimum monthly charges to be? Thank you.

I'm not interested in Dell or any other company. I enjoy building mine from scratch so I know that what I have is the top of the line at that given time. If you go through Dell, Gateway, or Alienware you'll more than likely receive a medium quality computer at a higher rate than if you put it together yourself with the exact same parts. I feel it's best to buy higher quality components at a slightly higher price than get teh cheap stuff. I'm a huge gamer and the one thing I can't stand is for my games or graphics setting to suffer from cheap parts.

Answer 1

By the time you do all those upgrades, you'd probably be better off getting a new PC instead that already has those features.

If you do buy on a credit card, and only make minimum payments, you could end up paying $3000 for the $2000 in purchases.

Answer 2

Only do this if you are 1000% sure you will pay this off within 10 months. Don't go with the 12 months they are offering. Here is why: First, they count on people getting used to paying only $40 a month or so and forgetting that there is a deadline. So, the interest is tacked on at the end, and it can be RETROACTIVE to the start of the purchase. Often, it is as much as 25%. So, say you buy a computer for $1,200 and pay it down to $900 over the course of a year. On the one year anniversary, they will hit you with $300 in interest charges (for 25% of the $1,200 going back to the start of the purchase). Then, now you owe $1,200 again and can't pay it off, they will hit you with another $25 a month in interest. The reason you want to do it at month 10 is to make absolutely sure the payment posts correctly and your balance is $0 at the time the first anniversary comes. Good luck.

Answer 3

I just bought a system like that at Dell, including a $200 all in one printer and print cartridges, for $1100 (and a $150 gift card to boot).

If you have paypal, they have an option where you can have no interest payments for up to 6 months (Dell offers that deal, too). That's the best way to go if you think you can pay it all off in the 6 month grace period.

Answer 4

Save money. Pay cash. Credit cards aren't free money, you will have to pay eventually. If you save $200 a month for ten months you will get a better computer than you will today, for less, with no interest.