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[ The PC Guide | The PC Buyer's Guide | Requirements Analysis | Budget Considerations ] Determining Your Budget There are two schools of thought on how one should go about determining one's budget. One is the "money first" method: start with how much you can afford to spend on a PC, and then determine how much PC you can get while staying within your budget. The second is the "PC first" method: conservatively determine how much PC you need to meet your requirements, then spend no more money than absolutely necessary to cover those needs. There's no "better or worse" in this; it's just a matter of your personality and your priorities. Starting with a hard "I will not spend greater than $X" rule works for some people, but can also lead to you under-buying, resulting in a system that doesn't meet your needs; if spending another $100 is the difference between a system you'll be happy with and one you'll hate, you may come to regret having imposed upon yourself an artificial dollar limit. For other people, not having a hard dollar limit is open invitation to uncontrolled spending on all sorts of expensive little things that seem essential at first glance but later make you ask yourself "What was I thinking?" (Been there, done that.) You know yourself best, so choose wisely. ;^) Of course, actually coming up with a number is easier said than done. As with most things, being honest with yourself is the key. If you really need a PC to perform certain chores, you should spend the money necessary to meet those needs. If the PC is more for entertainment, and you are on a budget, you should limit yourself so that you don't take away from other, more important budget items. Here are a few other tips to think about when considering your budget:
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