You’re positively dying to get an iPad, but you’re playing it smart. It has to make good financial sense before you take the leap. Well, wipe off that dusty old bank card and get ready to swipe, because an iPad can pay for itself.
To be fair, any tablet can do the same, unless, of course, you already have a room full of smart phones, tablets, and other computers. If you use it wisely and put tools like the ones I mention below to work, you’ll be patting yourself on the back for your purchase. Your family will, too.
Lets start with the smallest and work our way up.
TextFree Unlimited and TextFree with Voice (Free)
Unlimited text messaging can be expensive, up to $30 or so per month. That’s $360 per year for the capability to send and receive text messages. With TextFree Unlimited, you can get rid of your texting plan. The app is free, with ads served, or you can pay $5 per year to stop the ads.
If you plan to get the WiFi-only iPad, never fear, it works just as well with TextFree. Plus, and this is the best part, it can include picture messages and voice. Yes, voice. Get TextFree Unlimited with Voice, which is also free, and your iPad becomes a phone. The only catch is you have to either buy minutes ($1.99 for 1,100 minutes) or earn free minutes by downloading selected apps, free or paid.
The app, which works by using an email address for texts and voice, works great and the call quality is arguably better than a cellular call. With a solid WiFi connection, it is extremely reliable. It’s worth noting that the voice option does not support 911 coverage.
PocketMoney ($4.99)
Ever wonder where your money went at end of the month? It doesn’t seem possible that all of your money is gone.
PocketMoney can help you change that, because simply watching your money leave will prevent so much of it from doing so.
Track all of your accounts, transactions, spending, budget, set limits, generate budget reports and more. With this app, you could save enough money to pay for your iPad in a month or two.
Pay Off Debt ($2.99)
Most of us have some level of debt, and usually multiple sources of it. Paying the minimum payments each month is the least painful thing to do. If you take a look, however, at how long it will take to pay off a debt that way, it’ll make you sick.
On the other hand, if you look at how quickly you can pay off debts by paying more than the minimum on just one debt, and once you pay that one off, take the entire amount you had been paying and add it to the next one, you’ll be astonished at how quickly you can rid yourself of boat-loads of debt.
Paying off debts early effectively puts money in your bank accounts in the same way as compound interest. Plus, the amount you’ll save in interest charges is substantial. Depending on your level of debt, you could potentially save thousands of dollars in a few months.
The Pay Off Debt app makes taking charge of your financial life so simple. Enter your debts, how much you can pay on the first one you’ll be attacking, and the monthly payments on all others, and the app will tell you how long until you’re debt free. Just seeing it in front of you, rather than having some vague idea, is highly motivating.
Pay Off Debt alone can save you enough money in a year to buy a dozen iPads (or more, depending on your debt level)!
So, is there justification for buying an iPad? Yes! It’s far from being just an expensive toy. If you put it to good use, it can make you rich!
Do you have any ideas about how owning an iPad can improve your financial life?
