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I want to take it and smash it against a wall. I want to yell. At the very least, I want to give it a small taste of the sheer frustration it caused.

All this frustration is violently brewing beneath the surface because my laptop keeps losing internet connection – randomly.

I had finished reading an article and was crafting a delicate response when I got a grey screen of abrupt internet death. All thought and effort was gone with the internet connection.

In its place, was a woman who would feel at home in the world of Mad Max as she raged in frustration.

It might be a good time to buy a new laptop.

Holding Benefits

Before I leveled up my finances to the realm of DIY investing, I was familiar with buying and holding benefits.

Buy-and-hold investing is a long-term investment strategy that involves purchasing stocks or other securities and keeping them in your portfolio for a long period of time.

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My laptop is one example.

I bought my laptop eight years ago which is considered a relic of the 2010 era. After consulting with my only tech savvy friend, I looked into an ASUS laptop. Costco had a few options and I bought the one with the best review in my modest price range.

As with any large purchase, I have to steel myself for a large purchase. I do not enjoy parting with large swaths of money. It brings panicky feelings and makes me wonder if this will turn into a no good, rotten decision in a few days. Sales staff are quick to pick up on those feelings by offering a warranty.

I avoid warranties. Of the few times I have used them, the fees were more than the item new. Unfortunately, I have a collection of a poor warranty experiences.

After eight years and excessive amounts of computer use, this investment has been providing consistent dividends even with distinct wear marks. The laptop is worth nothing, but it operates like a normal.

Most of the time.

Buying Time

My laptop will not increase in value because that is not the path of technology. At this point, it will cost more to recycle it than what I could get selling it. It isn’t a gravity defying investment that grows like digital money or beachfront real estate.

The laptop has value but it hasn’t grown. Instead, I have saved by avoiding life style inflation.

In the wilds of my youth, I fell into the trap of lifestyle inflation and updated electronics on a whim. Shiny new technology was enough of a reason to fork over my hourly pay. Never mind the fact that the old technology worked just fine. Shinier was always better.

As I grew older and more confused about where my money was going, my attitude changed. Not in a flashy way that required medication but in a subtle way of trying to hold onto my belongings. Or hold onto them until I dropped them in a parking lot and shattered the screen.

That is my sign from the universe to upgrade.

Saving Sanity

I’m content with an older laptop as long as it functions in a way that all good normal technology should with minimal frustration. If I can get extra years of use that will cushion my sinking fund just a smidge more.

Similar to paying monthly for insurance, I contribute monthly to a savings account that is a reservoir of possibilities. I call it a sinking fund.

Some possibilities are constant like the rise and fall of the ocean tides, I will get a bill for car insurance, registration, and need to replace a custom mouth guard that ensures I’m ready for Boxing Day.

Other possibilities are random like buying a new laptop, phone, or contacts. These expenses happen but not consistently. In fact, if I can stretch out their use, I can save just a bit more.

But, I can only enjoy the buying and holding benefits for so long. There will come a day, after one too many dropped internet connections, I will forget the happy land of extra savings and become consumed by the fiery rage of laptop destruction.

Not today!

Today, I will use my phone to search for solutions, try suggestions, and hope that I’m not downloading a virus.