How I'm Budgeting for a Major Tech Purchase

I love my netbook, but sometimes it's not quite powerful enough. In the last few months, I've gradually realized that it's time for an upgrade.

Unfortunately, new laptops aren't cheap, especially if you're looking for a powerful PC with a decent quad-core processor. The good news is that I can easily budget for the big purchase thanks to my smart phone and a few online tools.

Budgeting Tools - Making a decent budget can seem like a tall order, but if you've got a regular income, it's not too difficult. I use Mint.com, a web service that logs into all of my online accounts to track my bills, assets and debts.

It's also got a feature that allows me to set goals. I'll need about $1,000 for a new laptop, so I set up a goal and decided to save $200 a month for the next five months.

Mint automatically tracks my purchases, but it doesn't help me cut the costs of food and other bills, so I also use my smartphone regularly when I'm shopping. Apps like Grocery List for Android and iPhone make it much easier to stay within my budget for day-to-day purchases. It's not rocket science--I need to make more than I spend. With financial software, it's a lot easier to keep myself in line.

Shopping Around - If I was buying a desktop computer, I'd build it myself, but that doesn't really work with laptops. However, it's rare that a laptop costs the same from every retailer.

Pages like Google Shopping can help when comparing the costs of electronics, so that's the first place I'll look when pricing laptops. I'll also regularly check websites like TigerDirect and Newegg for deals.

Don't underestimate the usefulness of coupons, especially on tech purchases. Since my laptop's a huge purchase, I've been looking online for coupons to major tech retailers at least once per week. Every little bit helps--even a free shipping coupon will take $20 or so off of the total cost of my order.

If you're planning a major tech purchase, it should go without saying that you should shop online. Even price-controlled items like Apple's iPad can be less expensive online, and as an important part of budgeting is getting the best price, it makes little since to hit a local Best Buy or another chain store without checking online first.

Are you planning for a major tech purchase? Share your thoughts on budgeting in the comments section below.