How to Buy Apple Products Cheaply (Latest Tips)
Apple products (iPhone, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, etc.) are known for being expensive, but if you use discount programs, promotions, and used-device options, you can buy them at about 5~20% off in many cases.
Here are practical ways to do it.
If youโre a student, prioritize education discounts first.
The best option is to use Appleโs official education store, which students, new university students, and school staff can use right away.
(Apple official site)
https://www.apple.com/us-edu/store
The next option is to buy through Costco and get reward points at the same time.
There are other methods too. See the details below.
- Use the education discount store (student/teacher discount, up to 15% off)
If youโre a university student, graduate student, teacher, or school staff member, you can buy Mac and iPad with a discount at the official Apple education store. For example, a MacBook Air with a regular price of about $929 can be around $776, about a 10~15% discount.
How to do it: Go to the Apple education store โ upload student ID or enrollment certificate โ purchase. Parent-purchase on behalf of the student is also possible.
Tip: Bundle discounts for Apple Pencil or keyboards may also apply.
- Apple Trade In (trade-in used devices for about $67~$334 in credit)
If you return an existing Apple device (iPhone, iPad, etc.), you can receive credit toward a new purchase.
Example: iPhone 14 can get about $201 in credit.
How to do it: Enter your device details on the Trade In page โ check the quote โ submit online or in-store. Credit can be applied immediately or received as a gift card.
Tip: Credit is usually higher when the battery condition is good. Trading in an older model right after a new iPhone launch is often more favorable.
- Buy from the Refurbished Store (15~20% off, Apple-certified pre-owned)
These are refurbished by Apple from returned/repaired units, are close to new in condition, and include a 1-year warranty. The latest models may not always be available, but previous generations are usually cheaper.
How to do it: Check the Apple Refurbished Store. Example: MacBook Pro M2 at about a 20% discount from the regular price.
- Use online shopping promotions (Costco, etc., 5~10% card discounts)
Buy iPhone, AirPods, and other products during sales on Coupang and similar platforms. Waiting 1~2 months after launch often allows opportunistic coupon stacking for extra savings.
Costco: Apple event promotions can offer about 5% off, and with Hyundai Card you can earn 3% points on purchases of $334 or more.
How to do it: Search โApple saleโ in Coupang โ join Rocket WOW membership ($3.34/month) for free shipping and discounts.
Black Friday (November) are strong timing opportunities. You can also check real-time sale alerts on X.
- International shopping (Amazon, Japan Apple Store, usually 10~20% cheaper)
If exchange rates are favorable, buying in the U.S. or Japan can help. Apple stores in Japan may be cheaper due to tax refund options.
How to do it: Check unlock status and buy unlocked devices on Amazon/eBay. Be sure to account for shipping and customs tax (13%)โimports under $67 may be exempt.
Tip: A day-trip โairfare + shoppingโ strategy can also work, especially when the yen is weak.
Today's News/Tips
How to Change the File Name of Saved Recordings, Audio Recordings, or Captures
Click Tools - Options in the top menu of oCam.
Then click the Save tab on the left to set the file name for saved files.
By default, files are saved in the following format.
<Prefix>_<YYYY_MM_DD_HH_NN_SS_Z>
The text inside the <> brackets uses special keywords. These keywords can represent the prefix, date, serial number, program name, user ID, and user name.
With the default settings, when recording starts and then finishes, the file is saved in the format Recording_2015_05_07_14_22_41_791. If you only want to change the word Recording at the beginning, you can change it as follows.
Test_<YYYY_MM_DD_HH_NN_SS_Z>
If you do this, the file will be saved in the format Test_2015_05_07_14_22_41_791 after recording is completed.
If you want to add a serial number after Test instead of the date,
set it to Test_<#>, and it will be saved as Test_1... Test_2 ... Test_3...................... Test_10.
Description of the special keywords used inside the <> brackets
If the current date is
2015_05_07_14_22_41_791
in this format,
<Y> = 15 ( two-digit year )
<YY> = 15 ( two-digit year )
<YYYY> = 2015 ( four-digit year )
<M> = 5 ( one-digit month )
<MM> = 05 ( two-digit month )
<MMM> = 5 ( not used in the Korean locale )
<MMMM> = May ( month name displayed according to the system locale )
<D> = 7 ( one-digit day )
<DD> = 07 ( two-digit day )
<DDD> = Thu ( day of the week )
<DDDD> = Thursday ( displayed according to the locale language )
<DDDDD> = 2015-05-07 ( date )
<DDDDDD> = Thursday, May 7, 2015 ( date and day of the week, displayed according to the locale language )
<C> = 2015-05-07 2:22:41 PM ( date and time )
<H> = 14 ( one-digit hour )
<HH> = 14 ( two-digit hour )
<N = 22 ( one-digit minute )
<NN> = 22 ( two-digit minute )
<S> = 41 ( one-digit second )
<SS> = 41 ( two-digit second )
<Z> = 791 ( milliseconds )
<ZZZ> = 791 ( milliseconds )
<T> = 2:22 PM ( AM/PM label varies by locale, followed by the time )
<TT> = 2:22:41 PM ( AM/PM label varies by locale, followed by the time and seconds )
<AM/PM> = AM or PM
<a/p> = a or p
<ampm> = AM or PM
<Prefix> = Recording for video recording, Screen Capture for captures, Audio for audio recording
<ProgramName> = For normal recording, oCam; for game recording, the executable file name of the game program
<UserID> = Windows user ID
<DisplayUserName> = Windows display name
<#> = one-digit serial number
<##> = two-digit serial number
<###> = three-digit serial number