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You need a new computer, preferably a laptop, but can’t afford retail. What should you look for in a refurbished laptop and what should you avoid?

These ideas will help:

• Check with eBay and Amazon for reasonably priced laptops. Be careful, however. Because you are purchasing from a seller, make sure that the computer’s quality is what you expected and that there’s a return policy in case the computer doesn’t meet with your approval.
• Get an extended warranty on refurbished products. Buy the warranty from the manufacturer or dealer. Know of a good site that can help you with troubleshooting.
• Retailers like BestBuy, Acer, Gateway, eMachines, Dell, HP or IBM have refurbished laptops along with a guarantee, plus you are often able to get some troubleshooting help on their business website.
• Invest in the upgrades you need to be in line with current technology. Part of refurbishing a laptop is obtaining various gadgets from other non-working computers to keep yours in line with the growing trend.
• Make sure the refurbished price is less than the retail value. This seems obvious, but when you have no comparison to go by and have only the words of the salesman or previous owner, you really don’t know if the deal you are getting is a deal at all.

Getting the best refurbished laptop for you needs is as much about gaining the information you need as it is learning how to work with the new system. Get the training you need from helpful online resources or retail store establishments before trying some new gadget on your refurbished laptop.