When you look at your old cellphone and think about getting an upgrade, you might feel obligated to buy the latest and greatest device. That’s fine if you have the money, but if it’s not going to be easy to come up with close to $1,000 for the model you want, your only option is to keep using your current phone.
With smartphone manufacturers coming out with new models every year, it can feel like you’re going to be left out if you don’t get that new iPhone 15 or Samsung Galaxy S24. While both of these phones are great and easy to protect with durable cases from top companies, they also come with a price tag that might be out of your range.
It’s disappointing when you can’t get the phone you really want, but here’s why it’s not a bad thing to keep using your old phone – at least until you can save up for the one you really want.
Smartphones are tools
Although they began as a status symbol in the 1980s, cellphones are just tools. If you have an older phone and don’t have the means to buy a new one, there’s nothing wrong with using what you have.
If your current phone can do everything you need it to do, like taking photos and video, text messaging, and using certain apps, then it’s perfectly okay to keep using it on a daily basis.
Smartphone companies need consumers to constantly upgrade to new models to stay profitable. If your current phone works just fine, upgrading isn’t a true need.
You can save up money for a better phone
If you don’t like the idea of using an older phone, keep it in the forefront of your mind that you can buy a new one as soon as you save up the funds. In this case, consider your old smartphone a temporary solution and plan out how long it will take you to get the one you really want. You can also get your new device on a payment plan through your service provider, or get a credit card that will allow you to pay in installments. You probably don’t want to go into debt just to get a new smartphone, but if you end up paying a little bit of interest for a few months and you don’t have any other options, it’s not a bad deal.
The phone you want now will be available for less money later
While it’s true that most smartphones don’t depreciate in value too much, they don’t retain their full retail value when used. For example, you might be able to get that Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for a few hundred dollars less in a year or two. And even though Samsung will come out with even more phones in the next couple of years, the S24 will still be a really good phone.
If you start saving up now, you’ll have enough money to buy a used S24 (or whatever phone you prefer) in a year, and you might even be able to spring for that year’s model anyway.
Other people’s opinions don’t matter
If you’re worried about what other people might think when they see you carrying around or using a smartphone from, say, 2019, it’s not actually a big deal. Other people’s opinions are arbitrary, and if you’re being judged by people for the phone you choose to use, those people aren’t your real friends.
You’re entitled to live your life the way you choose. It’s nobody else’s business what your smartphone looks like.
3 signs a smartphone upgrade is necessary
Although you don’t always need a new phone, here are some signs that it is indeed time to upgrade your device.
1. You can’t upgrade the operating system
OS upgrades, which include firmware and security updates, help to keep your phone safe from getting hacked, so if you can’t update the OS, it’s time for a new phone.
2. Your battery is dead
You can replace a battery, but if your battery died easily, it could be your phone that made it die early. In this case, get a new phone with a better battery life.
3. Your phone is seriously damaged
If your screen or camera lens are cracked, that’s a good reason to get a new phone. You can get it replaced, but sometimes it’s easier to get a new device.
Older smartphones aren’t bad
At the end of the day, an older smartphone can handle all the basic tasks you might need, so don’t rush to get a new one unless you can afford it and it’s a real necessity.
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