Digital on
the cheap

by MICHAEL CITROME

If you’re a student, you need a computer, and chances are you don’t have a lot of money to spend on it. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions to getting the computer you need without embarking on an all-ramen diet. Student discounts and low-interest loans make a new system affordable, and you can get a used machine cheap or even free.

If the latest high-tech isn’t a priority, an inexpensive used computer might be just the ticket, especially if you mostly do word processing and surfing the Internet. There are used PC places all over the city, but be careful, because you may not be getting what you pay for-make sure your system has a warrantee.

PC Outlet, located at 4855 Jean-Talon W., specializes in refurbished and discontinued computers from big brands like Compaq and HP. If you’re looking for a portable, Ultrasoft Innovations, at 6390 Sherbrooke W., has been selling used laptops since 1986 and has good prices and constantly changing stock. But before you buy, check with your faculty office at school. Because of constant upgrading, many faculties have a few computers lying around they can give for free to needy students.

It’s too bad that few computer companies offer a student discount on hardware, but you can save substantial amounts of cash on software programs by buying them at your school’s computer store.

Being a student makes you eligible to buy education-priced software, which can save you as much as half the cost of programs like Microsoft Office XP or Adobe Photoshop. The exception is Apple, which offers sometimes substantial student discounts on hardware through school computer stores.

School computer stores are also the only place you can use a government loan from the Quebec Computer Loan Guarantee Program. This loan, for up to $2,000 or $3,000 (the government decides whether you’re eligible for a portable computer), is only available to people who already have a government student loan. Check with your school’s computer store for more information. Some technical programs may also make you eligible for special loans or computer bursaries-check with your faculty office to see if any are available.

Most banks offer some form of student loan that can be used for buying a computer, even if you don’t want to borrow money for anything else. The Bank of Montreal’s Brain Money program is typical of loans available, authorizing a line of credit that can be used for anything, and repaid after graduation with a preferential interest rate.

Apple also offers the Apple Instant Loan, which you don’t have to be a student to quality for. With this loan, you can pay for your Apple products over 12–36 months, and you can apply on the Apple.ca Web site or at any Apple dealer, including the Concordia and McGill computer stores.

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Digital on the cheap : How to get a computer into your life without losing your shirt

DIY ISP : Save money by sharing your Internet

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