Yep, but we don't have much choice anymore.

$3000... they are fucking $3000 now.

I have damn near 1TB of storage in my used phone that I picked up for 400 bucks, because you could add SD cards back in 2019... but now... you can't... I need the storage, and I need the larger screen because I literally use my phone as a laptop/computer.

It's a phone. They aren't going to negotiate price unless I buy in bulk, but I only need one.

Well, my hands are tied, because it's not like the devices are getting any cheaper... and the used market is also maintaining super high prices. So what do I do? I either pay cash, or leverage credit and at least get to keep my money making me income for a little while longer.

Yeah, that's the danger. For me, I've been looking at a new phone. I've been rocking very old used phones since about 2016 because paying more than 1000 bucks for a phone is CRAZY to me. Shit, paying more than 400 bucks seems to high to me.

But there are some new phones on the market that have some features that really would make working on the device easier, and even the older models of these newer phones are over 1000 dollars for a good one, then add the storage I need, and I'm in the new phone territory anyway ...

I don't want to spend that kind of money on a new phone. It's a freaking phone! They literally cost like 300 bucks to make. But this is how the industry prices, and it is a tool that I need and can afford to buy... ...it just stings a lot knowing what the profit margins are like...

Deferring payment, and being able to collect some interest by leaving near 3000 dollars in investments, instead of paying that all at once, and taking advantage of inflation devaluing the price of the device over almost 3 years effectively makes the price cheaper...

But this normalizes paying three thousand fucking dollars for a device that cost 1/10th that to make, which I don't want to do.

I wish the second hand market was more reasonable... I wish the primary market was more reasonable... but I don't really have a choice, because I use my phone literally as a computer instead of using a laptop when I'm out and about.

3% cash back?! I'm using the wrong credit cards... 😳