Spend some time searching for a good deal. Look at stores online, newspaper advertisements, and in-store deals. Consider what features you actually need versus what you could eliminate as just a luxury.
Ask your parents or a close family member or friend if they’ll consider loaning you the money or purchasing the laptop for you. [2] X Research source Let them know what your plan is to pay them back, how you expect to come up with the money, and how long you think it will take you to repay the loan.
This can sometimes alleviate the obstacles from a poor credit score that prevent conventional financing for your computer purchase.
Instead of checking your credit, these lenders usually have a few alternative requirements of their own. This can include things like being employed for at least six months, maintaining an active checking account for a period of time, and not overdrafting your account. [3] X Research source
Of course, if you go this route you’ll end up spending more money on the laptop due to financing charges and interest rates than you would if you purchased the laptop outright.
Some common rent-to-own places to find a laptop include Aaron’s[4] X Research source , Rent-A-Center[5] X Research source , and Abt.
This applies to all of your financial obligations, not just credit card payments. You should use also pay your other bills on time whenever possible – like your utility bills, phone bills, and any other loans you might have (car, mortgage, etc. ). [7] X Research source
Secured credit card – this kind of card is great for people with no credit because almost anyone can get approved for them. It is a card that is funded by cash deposit you made ahead of time so there is little risk for a lender and you’ll still get credit for positive payments. Student credit card – this kind of card is often easier to get because they are geared towards students who they already assume have little to no credit history. Unfortunately, they often have lower credit limits than other types of cards, but they also sometimes come with enticing promotional offers. Retail credit card – a retail credit card is a good credit-building option because it usually has a higher acceptance rate than a regular card. They can also offer promotional incentives to help you save money at their store. But these kinds of cards may also have lower credit limits than a normal card. Authorized user – being an authorized user on someone’s account means that you’ll have a card with your name on it for someone else’s credit account. So, you have access to the credit (and, therefore, the account holder’s payment history will positively affect yours), but you are not responsible for any of the payments. Ask your parents or another friend or family member who already has good credit if they’ll let you be an authorized user on their account. [9] X Research source
Secured credit card – this kind of card is great for people with no credit because almost anyone can get approved for them. It is a card that is funded by cash deposit you made ahead of time so there is little risk for a lender and you’ll still get credit for positive payments. Student credit card – this kind of card is often easier to get because they are geared towards students who they already assume have little to no credit history. Unfortunately, they often have lower credit limits than other types of cards, but they also sometimes come with enticing promotional offers. Retail credit card – a retail credit card is a good credit-building option because it usually has a higher acceptance rate than a regular card. They can also offer promotional incentives to help you save money at their store. But these kinds of cards may also have lower credit limits than a normal card. Authorized user – being an authorized user on someone’s account means that you’ll have a card with your name on it for someone else’s credit account. So, you have access to the credit (and, therefore, the account holder’s payment history will positively affect yours), but you are not responsible for any of the payments. Ask your parents or another friend or family member who already has good credit if they’ll let you be an authorized user on their account. [9] X Research source
Using 30% or less of your available credit looks good to potential lenders. If you max your credit cards out, this can appear to lenders as if you rely too much on your credit, which is not a good sign to them.
Once the amount is paid off, the funds are released to you plus the interest it accrued while it was being held by the bank. These kinds of loans are usually designed to be paid back within 6 to 18 months.