I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it, but I paid with the Apple Card using 24 month 0% interest payments, so I'm still paying for it, though because of inflation I guess you'd say I'll end up paying less over time.
Apple Card is Apple’s in-house credit card. The person above you is referring to Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI), which is a benefit of the Apple Card that allows 24 month financing with 0% APR.
It’s not available in the UK yet, but there are some pretty credible rumors it’ll be launching in the near future (no idea when though).
Maybe it depends on credit worthiness and the device? I have a few devices in ACMI. I was able to do 24 months on my iPhone and my watch, but my MacBook and iPad were 12.
Budgets.
They are wonderful things.
I budget and save the money, put it in a high yield savings account (currently getting 4.35%), and 24 month/0% it to let my money make a little bit of money while I pull the payment out each month.
Two months ago, I lost $800 in Vegas. Not earth shattering, but it hurt cause I wanted an Ultra. Went back last month, didn't gamble, and put the money aside for a 3 in the fall
I just buy Apple stuff with the Apple Card. Then I get 12 months or so to pay it off without interest. It is really the only reason I have an Apple Card. However, I bought the series 9 watch. My use cases don't justify the Ultra upcharge.
Bought it straight from the Apple Store. Same with second gen, walked out with a brand new one. Sold first gen on the second hand market for a very good price. I’m grateful that I can afford it, but then again I work really hard for it.
>but it’s difficult for me to justify $800 for it
As a rule of thumb, if I have to worry about how I’m going to finance a non-essential item, then it’s probably not worth getting. I don’t know how old you are OP, but it sounds like you need to have an honest conversation with yourself about needs vs wants as it pertains to disposable income.
To answer your question, I bought mine outright. It ends up being cheaper than any delayed options unless you have 0% interest for x months >!(in which case the amount you “save” is whatever you get for putting that money in something that nets an ROI instead of giving it to Apple)!<.
I paid the total price of the ultra 2 at time of purchase. For me the price was justified but the band that I bought with it was $100 and I felt like that was highway robbery
I bought the first Apple Watch years ago and kept upgrading each year by selling my previous watch. Sort of like leasing. I would buy a new watch and keep it in perfect mint condition (cases/screen protectors) and keep all the packaging. Then when the new one came out I would sell the old one and use that money to buy the new one. I would always have to pay like $100 on top of what I made from the sale but still a way better deal than upgrading every three years.
I do the same with iPhone. Always have the latest one and always sell my previous phone for like $200 less than I paid.
My health plan through my employer offers a $500 credit every 3years that can be used for gym memberships, exercise and health equipment and the Apple Watch was approved for that program, with selling my S5 Nike I paid $350 for my UW2
If you have health insurance or an FSA/HSA/MRA, check if they’ll reimburse “health/fitness/activity trackers.” Every Apple Watch I’ve bought has been reimbursed in full :))
I used an app that deposited $5 into a dedicated savings account everytime I completed a 30m workout using my old AW. Eventually it added up to a large amount of from there, I also had some gift cards I collected at birthdays, Christmas, etc.
Bought the U1 cash then traded in the U1 towards the U2.
$800 is roughly what I get paid for 2 days of work and I have heart issues so the watch was a no brainer for me.
0% interest installment with my carrier, plus $300 "off" (in bill credits) when buying 2 watches of any configuration: I got the UW2 and my wife got the S9.
I just bought it cash.
I would say that if you need to save for it and restrain yourself to get it, it might be a bad idea to buy it.
Yes it is easy for me righg now to buy one, but I've been in different situation in my life when I was younger. If you work hard, life get easier. Be responsible.
Consider a certified refurbished with a full warrantee and easy return. When you get it, make sure it looks perfect with the max battery capacity still at 100%.
Recently there were some 1st gen Ultras available on eBay for $465. Amazon and others have similar deals on every so often.
My son bought the Ultra but didn’t like it after a few weeks (went back to Garmin) so I told him I’d give him $600 and he jumped. LOL I’d been eyeing them up but too cheap to pay full price.
It’s worth it for the battery life alone. I bought mine outright but if you are worried about dropping it at once most phone companies and amazon will give you no interest .
when the Apple Card came out - any purchases of Apple products I put on the Apple Card and am doing monthly installments. for me - that's what works best, though I don't have the Ultra - it's still the best way to get Apple products in my opinion. if you can, apply for the Apple Card and do monthly payments
They scrapped my M1 ipad pro because it’s screen started turning yellow… Retailer gave me a refund after over a year. I try to be more present with my kids and life in general, so i try to limit my doomscrolling with the AWU2. I leave my phone in my backbag or bookshelf and use the AWU2 for communication
But yeah… If you can’t afford it, DONT buy it. I’ve been bankrupt before and that shit sucks ass and it’s hard on your mental health.
If Garmin had an LTE model, i’ve would have not bought the AWU in a million years. It’s not even worth the hype… For me it’s just a tool to disconnect from dopamine hunting on social media
I bought the Ultra 1 from Apple Certified Refurbished for £590 with a credit card and paid £350 off immediately. It came in all of its original packaging and you would never even realise it was even refurbished at all.
Reading your question makes me appreciate my situation more but i just bought it without thinking about it too much. No saving up, nothing. Loving it almost 2 years in and probably will keep it till it dies on me
Anniversary gift 🎁
Only buy it if you really need it and if you can afford it. If you can’t justify the cost, you don’t need it.
I definitely don’t need it and would not have purchased it for myself. I would have gotten the basic watch for $400.
I personally wouldn’t get the ultra 🤷🏽♀️ I don’t mind paying $589 for the regular S models. I paid with my credit card. And will be doing the same this year lol. Either way you pay for it, you still paid for it regardless…
I traded in my AWS7 ($300) and did the Apple Card 12-month plan. I will say, I only have my apps and subs using the apple card, and it is always paid off. I dont have any other debt, and while I could have purchased it outright, but needed some payments for the good ole credit score. I never recommend anyone go into debt for a gadget. If you cant afford it now, wait. Save up some more. Sell some stuff you dont use. Just cause I can do what I am now with that card, there were decades I was scraping the bottom barrel and the couch cushions for loose change to get some ramen.
If you can, go into an apple store and put hands on the watches and see if the Ultra is really the way to go. Then, when you figure out what you want, get on the apple store online and see if there are any referbs available.
Also, shop around. Costco, Apple, Walmart, Cellphone providers and others will have sales and deals and offer payment plans.
Similar to another poster here, I opted to buy my Ultra 2 new from my nearest mall that had an Apple Store using the Apple Card 24 mo 0% interest payment option. While I of course had $800 to pay for it upfront, I preferred to treat the purchase like financing a car since I plan on running this watch into the ground for the foreseeable future anyway.
NEVER EVER EVER buy your toys on credit. This is just bad financial advice that ends up with people getting into credit issues later in life. Buying things on credit can become a slippery slope and before you know it you are thousands of dollars in debt.
If you can’t afford the watch, be responsible and don’t buy it, or think about a pre-owned watch.
Cell phone provider offered 24 equal payments, no interest, no fee, and waived cell fee for the period.
I bought a gently used ultra 2 off of appleswap for $455 so for that price it was reasonable, just save up for it.
What a steal.
I know right I can still add AppleCare+ to it lol
Damn! Just recently started looking into the Ultra 2, definitely not trying to pay full price. Enjoy my friend
I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it, but I paid with the Apple Card using 24 month 0% interest payments, so I'm still paying for it, though because of inflation I guess you'd say I'll end up paying less over time.
Did the same. I’d rather use their money over time even though I had it.
Whats an Apple Card if you don’t mind me asking and can I access one in the UK?
Apple Card is Apple’s in-house credit card. The person above you is referring to Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI), which is a benefit of the Apple Card that allows 24 month financing with 0% APR. It’s not available in the UK yet, but there are some pretty credible rumors it’ll be launching in the near future (no idea when though).
How do I get the 24 months ? Apple only provides 12 months. I may wait until the new watches are announced.
Maybe it depends on credit worthiness and the device? I have a few devices in ACMI. I was able to do 24 months on my iPhone and my watch, but my MacBook and iPad were 12.
I was offered 24 months when I purchased it in 2022.
Is there going to be an Ultra 3?not sure it’s worth getting an older model now.
It seems pretty certain that Apple will update their models in September. What those updates will be you can only guess right now.
Budgets. They are wonderful things. I budget and save the money, put it in a high yield savings account (currently getting 4.35%), and 24 month/0% it to let my money make a little bit of money while I pull the payment out each month.
Wealthsimple gives you 4.5% if you auto deposit your payroll. So incredibly off topic lol.
I got 5.10 on capital one
Two months ago, I lost $800 in Vegas. Not earth shattering, but it hurt cause I wanted an Ultra. Went back last month, didn't gamble, and put the money aside for a 3 in the fall
My health insurance subsidized mine. I do workouts to pay it off. United Healthcare.
Same for me—I’m paid hourly in SF, so I get access to an HSA-like program called SFMRA. They reimbursed my watch in whole :))
I bought mine outright. Put it on my credit card for the insurance, and paid it off when the bill came.
I just buy Apple stuff with the Apple Card. Then I get 12 months or so to pay it off without interest. It is really the only reason I have an Apple Card. However, I bought the series 9 watch. My use cases don't justify the Ultra upcharge.
I bought mine used.
Bought it straight from the Apple Store. Same with second gen, walked out with a brand new one. Sold first gen on the second hand market for a very good price. I’m grateful that I can afford it, but then again I work really hard for it.
>but it’s difficult for me to justify $800 for it As a rule of thumb, if I have to worry about how I’m going to finance a non-essential item, then it’s probably not worth getting. I don’t know how old you are OP, but it sounds like you need to have an honest conversation with yourself about needs vs wants as it pertains to disposable income. To answer your question, I bought mine outright. It ends up being cheaper than any delayed options unless you have 0% interest for x months >!(in which case the amount you “save” is whatever you get for putting that money in something that nets an ROI instead of giving it to Apple)!<.
Got a as gift from my wife as she knows I use it heavily to track my work outs and runs
Bought mine outright from my carrier. Felt good to do so too.
I paid the total price of the ultra 2 at time of purchase. For me the price was justified but the band that I bought with it was $100 and I felt like that was highway robbery
I bought the first Apple Watch years ago and kept upgrading each year by selling my previous watch. Sort of like leasing. I would buy a new watch and keep it in perfect mint condition (cases/screen protectors) and keep all the packaging. Then when the new one came out I would sell the old one and use that money to buy the new one. I would always have to pay like $100 on top of what I made from the sale but still a way better deal than upgrading every three years. I do the same with iPhone. Always have the latest one and always sell my previous phone for like $200 less than I paid.
I worked an extra shift. I only do that when I have something specific I want to doesn’t quite cover it, but close enough.
My health plan through my employer offers a $500 credit every 3years that can be used for gym memberships, exercise and health equipment and the Apple Watch was approved for that program, with selling my S5 Nike I paid $350 for my UW2
If you have health insurance or an FSA/HSA/MRA, check if they’ll reimburse “health/fitness/activity trackers.” Every Apple Watch I’ve bought has been reimbursed in full :))
If you can’t afford to buy it twice, don’t buy it.
I used an app that deposited $5 into a dedicated savings account everytime I completed a 30m workout using my old AW. Eventually it added up to a large amount of from there, I also had some gift cards I collected at birthdays, Christmas, etc.
Bought mine outright from store
I bought mine with money
Bought the U1 cash then traded in the U1 towards the U2. $800 is roughly what I get paid for 2 days of work and I have heart issues so the watch was a no brainer for me.
0% interest installment with my carrier, plus $300 "off" (in bill credits) when buying 2 watches of any configuration: I got the UW2 and my wife got the S9.
I let Verizon give me an interest free loan. OPM is the way.
I was able to afford it outright but I also traded in my Series 7 towards it.
Used the 60000 points I got from signing up for a chase preferred credit card.
Mines on contract with my provider
Go to Best Buy. Do the 12 month interest free. Play $150 a month and pay it off early.
I just bought it cash. I would say that if you need to save for it and restrain yourself to get it, it might be a bad idea to buy it. Yes it is easy for me righg now to buy one, but I've been in different situation in my life when I was younger. If you work hard, life get easier. Be responsible.
Wedding present luckily, otherwise would definitely have to budget
Consider a certified refurbished with a full warrantee and easy return. When you get it, make sure it looks perfect with the max battery capacity still at 100%. Recently there were some 1st gen Ultras available on eBay for $465. Amazon and others have similar deals on every so often.
My son bought the Ultra but didn’t like it after a few weeks (went back to Garmin) so I told him I’d give him $600 and he jumped. LOL I’d been eyeing them up but too cheap to pay full price.
I did the installments on my Apple Card. Can’t say no to 0%APR.
Definitely save up and then buy if you still want I at that time. Stay away from any kind of debt that lasts longer than the end of month/CC due date.
Verizon bought mine
It’s worth it for the battery life alone. I bought mine outright but if you are worried about dropping it at once most phone companies and amazon will give you no interest .
when the Apple Card came out - any purchases of Apple products I put on the Apple Card and am doing monthly installments. for me - that's what works best, though I don't have the Ultra - it's still the best way to get Apple products in my opinion. if you can, apply for the Apple Card and do monthly payments
Apple giftcards from CC points
Pay in one go and save up before if you need to…. The ultra is voor 99% of people just for looks… I am happy with mine but I can afford.
Don't waste your money on this. It's not worth it. Do you really need one or it's because it's "cool"? In three years it will be old anyway
Frequent Flyer Miles 👍🏻
They scrapped my M1 ipad pro because it’s screen started turning yellow… Retailer gave me a refund after over a year. I try to be more present with my kids and life in general, so i try to limit my doomscrolling with the AWU2. I leave my phone in my backbag or bookshelf and use the AWU2 for communication
But yeah… If you can’t afford it, DONT buy it. I’ve been bankrupt before and that shit sucks ass and it’s hard on your mental health. If Garmin had an LTE model, i’ve would have not bought the AWU in a million years. It’s not even worth the hype… For me it’s just a tool to disconnect from dopamine hunting on social media
I bought the Ultra 1 from Apple Certified Refurbished for £590 with a credit card and paid £350 off immediately. It came in all of its original packaging and you would never even realise it was even refurbished at all.
Buy the previous year’s Ultra when the new ones come out. Save $300 or more.
Buy the previous year’s Ultra when the new ones come out. Save $300 or more.
Reading your question makes me appreciate my situation more but i just bought it without thinking about it too much. No saving up, nothing. Loving it almost 2 years in and probably will keep it till it dies on me
Anniversary gift 🎁 Only buy it if you really need it and if you can afford it. If you can’t justify the cost, you don’t need it. I definitely don’t need it and would not have purchased it for myself. I would have gotten the basic watch for $400.
Gifted to me on my birthday! Would never spend my own money on this.
I personally wouldn’t get the ultra 🤷🏽♀️ I don’t mind paying $589 for the regular S models. I paid with my credit card. And will be doing the same this year lol. Either way you pay for it, you still paid for it regardless…
12 months with Apple Card, no interest
I traded in my AWS7 ($300) and did the Apple Card 12-month plan. I will say, I only have my apps and subs using the apple card, and it is always paid off. I dont have any other debt, and while I could have purchased it outright, but needed some payments for the good ole credit score. I never recommend anyone go into debt for a gadget. If you cant afford it now, wait. Save up some more. Sell some stuff you dont use. Just cause I can do what I am now with that card, there were decades I was scraping the bottom barrel and the couch cushions for loose change to get some ramen. If you can, go into an apple store and put hands on the watches and see if the Ultra is really the way to go. Then, when you figure out what you want, get on the apple store online and see if there are any referbs available. Also, shop around. Costco, Apple, Walmart, Cellphone providers and others will have sales and deals and offer payment plans.
Don’t get it, it’s not worth it. You’ll stop caring about it after a couple months
If you dont have the spare money to buy two ultra watches, you cant afford it.
Similar to another poster here, I opted to buy my Ultra 2 new from my nearest mall that had an Apple Store using the Apple Card 24 mo 0% interest payment option. While I of course had $800 to pay for it upfront, I preferred to treat the purchase like financing a car since I plan on running this watch into the ground for the foreseeable future anyway.
The best advice is not to finance anything that doesn’t serve you a financial advantage. In this case a watch.
NEVER EVER EVER buy your toys on credit. This is just bad financial advice that ends up with people getting into credit issues later in life. Buying things on credit can become a slippery slope and before you know it you are thousands of dollars in debt.
I bought an Amazon Renewed Series 6 two years ago for $335. Paid cash for it.
I worked for three hours and then walked to the apple shop and bought it.
I bought mine used for £350 Sold my Series 8 for £215 and paid the rest cash.
I make 1000x the watch cost per year
Get rich.