I had talked about wanting to start a financial blog on here awhile back, but I think the reality of that happening right now is low. It is a challenge enough to stay on top of this blog and keeping on the news and music for my radio show. Plus I am DJing more and more these days and I really enjoy that and want to keep growing my performance, so right now, no new blog.
That said, Coral and I are really starting to get into the hang of the “Jar Budget” or basically, living off a set value of cash every week. Granted, we set a fairly generous amount of cash to live off each week, but its working. We now generally have a little of last week’s cash in the jar by the time its time to put more in! Just in time for Coral’s birthday.
The other benefit… and this is one I shared with my buddy Dave, you end up collecting lots of change. Loonies and Twonies and quartres and all that good stuff.
Its getting to the point where for some goofy things like a coffee or even a lunch or simple groceries, I just take a fistful of change and not even open the cash jar.
We’re not perfect at not using the debit, but its much better than before.
***
Which brings me to my next project. A new laptop! huzzah. But I’m not there yet. I am still dreaming and pricing and see what I need and/or want.
I need a more powerful laptop to run my DJ software and eventually I want to play around with creating my own lounge beats. The Toshiba, god bless it, freezes during my sets sometimes (well actually about once a night).
I want a Mac Book Pro.
The conflict I have is cost. I am still putting a jihad on bills and debt so no computer right now, but my projection is to be in a position to buy a computer by April. Knock on wood, no issue with the Toshiba and it serves till then.
From my wandering on the Serato message boards, the consensus is a Mac. It might be true that 90% is on PC, but in the creative DJ world, the opposite is true. It feels like 90% of professional DJs and producers use a Mac.
But when you ask why? the answer isn’t always clear. “Its better” is common. That’s cool, but is it $1000 better? Coral and I bought our Toshiba two years ago for about $750. Is a MacBook Pro 17″ monster worth $2,599.99?
My studies have concluded that even if I went Mac, I could get away with a MacBook ($1,000 ish) or the more powerful Pro 13″ 2.53 GHz. cost: $1,599.00. wow, for a computer.
That screen is actually smaller than our 14″ Toshiba… and my second major issue after the freezing is the small screen.
Bump up to the 15″ MacBook Pro and now we’re talking $1,799.99.
Scary.
I want it, but do I NEED that?
Coral was watching Olsen on Your Side on CTV the other day, and they said the best PC Laptop for value was the Dell Studio XPS which start on the Dell website for around $1,000.
Get a Dell, save $800? hmmm.
Is a MacBook Pro worth $800 MORE than a PC? If you think so, I’d like to hear it. The biggest thing I’ve heard of the value of the Mac is stability. At the end of the day, that might be my most important attribute. One DJ said that “the cheapest used Macbook on Craigslist is better than any PC for operating Serato.”
I figure, if the Toshiba, god forbids, shuffles off the mortal coil before April, I can always find a used Macbook and just get back out there.
*** future project, I want a MIDI controller ($200 ish) and to learn Ableton (Thanks Rozie)! And start building a stage show for when I DJ. Maybe my saved up change jar money can buy some lights or what I really want is a screen and a projector.***
Go with yourself.
I have a 15″ Macbook Pro that you are welcome to try out for an evening of DJing if you want.
We have had the “pirate” discussion on this blog once and for this purpose it will just be easy to download what you need try it out and see what you think.
how is the Macbook working out? I don’t want to borrow yours because then I’ll want to keep it! hahaha
I love it, but then again I don’t use it for DJing so I have no idea how it would handle that kind of task.
I would assume very well.
Offer stands, just let me know.
Jeremy, you deserve a mac. Mac’s are made for guys like you.
what? basically computer illiterate?
I want one, but Mac really fists you with the price. its not right and hard to reward them for that.
we’ll see how I feel when I have $1,800 in the chequing account. might be hard to drop the debit card on that. The future shop card however? no, no bad Jeremy, bad. no credit.
If you buy the small MacBook, you can always plug the screen from your Toshiba into it.
The only extra cost would be a $30 or so adapter.
Toshiba has a little screen too.
My vote is you NEED a Mac Book Pro more than 80% of the douches that already own one, so go for it.
Col has that Dell though, it’s freakin’ gorgeous. That said, his the ENTIRE creative team over at his co. – graphics and music – use Macs.
Hey Jeremy!
I’m a die-hard Mac user and Ryan has always used Windows because a lot of the programs he needs for school aren’t Mac-friendly. In the entire amount of time I’ve known him I’ve had two Mac laptops (so that’s almost 9 years now) and though I bought an iMac for work at home, my macbook is still running perfectly. Ryan has run through three laptops in less than that time and they all seem to ‘expire’ at a certain point. He’s on his fourth now and it runs fine, but time will tell! This came up while I was talking to Rozie a while back and we came to the same consensus: Macs are not disposable like so many Windows-operating computers tend to be.
Since I expect with your DJing you’re going to be using your computer hard, I think having a Mac for you would be a great investment. Get the Apple Care (it’s worth it, trust me) and it will serve you well.
Plus, they’re so pretty 🙂
Good luck making your decision!
Just curious what applications would you use if you were to start DJing on a macbook?
Serato for DJing. Ableton to try and make some original beats and sounds (I hope).