How to buy new HDTV for Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday is just days away.
As you probably know, this means we will buy and eat record numbers of pizzas, avocados (for guacamole) and beer and Coke.
And in the days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday…
…we will also buy record numbers of big-screen HDTVs.
So are you in the market for a big-screen HDTV before the big game?
If so, here’s what you need to know:
TIP #1:
MEASURE YOUR BUDGET BEFORE YOU START SHOPPING
The good news is that today…
…you can get a beautiful new HDTV for very little money.
In fact, you can get a 32-40 inch HDTV starting at about $299.
Of course, bigger will certainly cost you more…
…but today, even 50-inch HDTVs start at about $650.
TIP #2:
MEASURE YOUR ROOM BEFORE YOU START SHOPPING, TOO
Even if you have a really big budget for a really big screen…
…it’s important to also make sure that you have the right size room to accommodate that really big screen.
In fact, when it comes to the size of your room…
…there are two key measurements that are important:
- Size of the wall where you will put the TV:
Because you’ve bought yourself a really big problem (duh!)…
…if you buy a TV that’s bigger than the wall where you intend to hang it.
- Distance between where you will sit and the TV itself:
Often people forget that the quality of the TV image you see…
…decreases if you sit too close to a big-screen HDTV.
TIP #3:
SPEND A FEW HOURS ONLINE READING REVIEWS…
…OR DON’T BOTHER WASTING YOUR TIME
Some people walk into Costco or Wal-Mart or BestBuy, see a big-screen TV they like…
…and they buy it on the spot.
Other people study all the choices online obsessively.
But is there a RIGHT way to do it?
My answer is yes…
…but I think the right way is different for everyone.
If it’s important to you to spend hours reading about your choices online first…
…then spend the time doing your research, so you’re happy with the choice you finally make.
And it you prefer to quickly make a spur-of-the-moment decision…
…then go ahead and make an impulse buy, but please don’t cry to me if you find out later that you paid too much or are unhappy with your choice.
TIP #4:
PUT MORE TRUST IN WHAT YOUR EYES TELL YOU…
…THAN WHAT THE SALESMAN AT BESTBUY SAYS
I don’t mean to knock the salespeople at BestBuy at all…
…but rather, the point I want to make here is that buying the TV that looks the best to you…
…is far more important than buying the TV that the salesman at BestBuy says got the best reviews.
TIP #5:
WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING…
…TAKE ALONG DVDS OF YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES OR SPORTS CLIPS
Why?
Because you want to see which TV has the best picture…
…when it comes to watching the stuff that you like watching best.
BONUS TIP:
NEVER GO SHOPPING FOR A BIG-SCREEN TV ALONE
Why?
First, because when it comes to choosing the best TV for the money…
…it’s great to have a friend along who can offer a second opinion.
And second…
…when it comes to loading your new TV into the car and then unloading it when you get home, you’re going to be glad that you’ve got a friend there to give a helping hand.
