Should You Rent Your Next Computer?

Sunshine Red
There are many rent-to-own stores that you can get the merchandise and make weekly or monthly payments for the item. Many times you don't even need a credit check to do it. These Rent-to-Own stores are very popular and are offering more and more items every day that you can rent to own.

These rent to own stores are now offering computers to rent. You can rent these just as you would furniture. You can choose from laptops or desktop models. They will offer these at affordable rates that most people can afford weekly. These are usually brand name computers that you can get there. Paying for the items can get expensive over time. You can be paying on the computer for a year or a year and a half before you actually own the item. By the time you are done making all your scheduled payments the computer is really outdated and you will be ready to get a newer model.

Usually by the time that you finish paying for one computer that you bought at a rent to own store you could have bought 2 new computers for the same price. While the weekly payments are low, over time you are usually paying more than double for that computer. This is how the store makes their money by charging more for these items while offering them to the public at affordable weekly rates.

At any point in time you miss a payment or more the computer can be repossessed by the store. They will actually come and get the computer if you fail to make a payment. If you use the computer and store your personal information on it, you are at risk of identity theft, as the next person may be able to access accounts that you have been to or see reports that you have typed on the computer. Usually these stores will not reformat the computer before giving it back out to the next person but instead just delete files and may miss some that contain your information.

If you need a computer just for a few weeks while yours is in the shop or out for repairs renting a computer can make sense. Just be sure that you don't put any personal information on the computer that you wouldn't want someone else to see. Before giving back the computer make sure you delete the cookies, and the history files.

The best way to get a new computer is to do it on a layaway at a store and wait a few weeks till you can afford it, or buy a used computer outright. Leasing or renting a computer will end up costing you more money, or put your personal information at risk.

Published by Sunshine Red

I like to research about any and everything.  View profile

2 Comments

Post a Comment
  • Agnes Farside5/22/2009

    I never heard of renting one before. A new concept.

  • Sheri Fresonke Harper5/22/2009

    It is a very tempting thought :) Sheri

Displaying Comments

To comment, please sign in to your Yahoo! account, or sign up for a new account.