The iPad hits British shores in just two weeks, but there’s no reason to squirrel away every penny for the next fortnight, there are several ways to get an iPad discount, and they’re even approved by Apple!
Dig up a discount
The quickest way to a discount iPad is to track down a discount at the Apple store. It’s easier than you might think, and is the easiest way to put a dent in Apple’s steep prices.
Several professions are awarded discounts by Apple, and most simply require you to flash a bit of ID. For example, if you’re a student, teacher, lecturer, administrator or any other staff member working in education you’ll qualify for up to 14% off. Government employees, civil servants and some jobs in the media also qualify, as do some employees non-profit organisations.
That means the cheapest Wi-Fi only iPad will cost you just under £369, saving £60. Plump for the top-spec 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G version, and you’ll save almost £98 at £601.
If you don’t qualify for a discount yourself, you can always ask someone who does to buy it on your behalf, and with the cash you’ll save you can buy them a pint for their trouble.
Keep an eye on the refurb store
If you’re after a real bargain, check out the refurb store, where Apple sells refurbished products at a considerable discount. They’re all in full working order, and come with all the standard warranties.
They end up in the refurb store after being returned by other customers, given the once-over by Apple engineers and repackaged.
If Apple doesn’t have any refurbished iPads, don’t give up the hunt: check out retailers such as Overstock.com (which is based in the US, but ships to the UK) and Amazon, which frequently list refurbished kit for sale.
Claim cashback
If you don’t qualify for a discount, and you’re dead set on buying an iPad without waiting for refurbished models to pop up, the best way to save some cash is to buy your new Apple tablet with a cashback creditcard. Most offer 5%, although some stretch as high as 7%. That’s a saving of between £30 and £49, depending which model you buy.
Use all the price comparison engines – at once!
Sure, you could use a price comparison engine to check you’re getting your iPad at the lowest price, but why settle for just one shopping tool? Use a shopping bot, such as megashopbot.com from MoneySavingExpert, and you can search all the major price comparison sites at once, guaranteeing you find the biggest saving in the shortest time.
Trade in your old kit
It’s not heavily publicised, but Apple offers a 10% discount when trading in an old iPod or iPhone. As yet, it’s unclear how this works with iPads since they have yet to go on sale in the UK. However, it’s worth checking Apple’s terms and conditions, as well as its recycling policy often, since it often offers incentives for handing over old kit.
