Technology
Technology savings for Canadian households
Tech marketers love a two-year cycle. Most households do better repairing batteries, waiting out a sale, and buying last year’s model. Upgrade when the old device is slowing work or costing repairs — not when the ad says so.
Upgrades
When to upgrade a phone, laptop, or TV
Repair, battery health, and waiting out the cycle.
Sale timing
Black Friday vs Boxing Day for tech
Phones, laptops, TVs and headphones, plus a was-price check.
Phone plans
Judge a Black Friday phone plan
Promo expiry, financing, the trial period, and porting.
TVs
TV specs before a doorbuster
Size, panel, model number, and Quebec's 4-year warranty.
Laptops
Laptop specs for home, school and work
Tasks first, then RAM, platform and the return window.
Refurbished
Refurbished phones and laptops
Seller type, grade, battery, unlock status and warranty.
Open-box
Open-box and clearance electronics
Condition, missing parts, warranty and the return window.
Trade-in
Trade in a phone or sell it
Bill credits, gift cards, cash, and e-transfer scams.
Phone plans, protection, and repairs
Cheaper plans, financing rules, roaming, protection plans, a first phone for a kid, holiday returns, and battery replacement.
Coverage
Phone and laptop protection
Manufacturer warranty, card certificate, home policy, and Quebec’s legal years, before another plan.
First phone
A kid’s first phone
Device path, plan type, and Screen Time or Family Link before the holiday handoff.
Returns
Holiday electronics returns
Gift receipts, restocking fees, and the Wireless Code trial period beside the store window.
Roaming
Roaming, eSIMs, and Wi-Fi
The $100 roaming cap, unlocked phones, and a made-up 10-day versus 90-day comparison.
Financing
Outright or carrier financing
Unlocked since December 2017, and the balance that must reach $0 within 24 months.
Plans
Cheaper cell plans
Flanker brands, prepaid, and bring-your-own-phone, without a carrier ranking.
Repair
Battery or a new phone
Battery health screens, repair channels, and a made-up two-year cost comparison.
Retailers, deals, and cross-border orders
Return and price-match policies compared, Costco's electronics terms, price tracking, stacking discounts, consoles, kids' tablets, and US orders after the 2026 counter-tariffs.
Gaming
New, used or bundle console
Total cost, warranty, return window and the online subscription.
Deals
Stacking tech savings
Sale price, discounted gift cards, cash back and points, in order.
Price tracking
Tracking electronics prices
Model numbers, alerts, flyers and the Competition Bureau's was-price tests.
Cross-border
US electronics orders after the counter-tariffs
Origin versus shipping address, Schedule 3 items, GST, and warranty.
Retailers
Where to buy electronics
Return windows, price matching and warranty extras side by side.
Costco
Costco electronics
90-day returns, the second-year warranty, and 30-day price adjustments.
Kids' tech
Tablets for kids
Tasks, kids' editions, refurbished options and parental controls.
Phone plans and telecom rights
Family plans vs separate plans, prepaid vs postpaid, bring your own phone, when a contract ends, eSIMs, buying a phone direct vs from a carrier, phones for aging parents, CCTS bill disputes, and cancelling a landline while keeping the number.
Phone plans
Family plans vs separate plans
Multi-line discounts against each person's cheapest plan.
Phone plans
Prepaid vs postpaid
Credit checks, financing, rewards and who each suits.
Phone plans
Bring your own phone
When keeping your phone lowers the two-year total.
Phone plans
Contract ending
Review usage, ask for a better rate, or switch and keep your number.
Phone plans
eSIMs explained
Switching carriers, travel eSIMs and dual-SIM set-ups.
Phones
Direct vs carrier
Unlocked freedom vs carrier financing and plan-tied credits.
Family tech
Phones for aging parents
Simple devices, low plans and scam protection.
Telecom rights
CCTS bill disputes
Provider first, then a free complaint; collections pause on disputed charges.
Telecom rights
Cancel a landline, keep the number
Port to mobile or VoIP, and know the 911 differences.
Computers, home tech and repair
Chromebook vs Windows for school, student and education pricing, deducting a computer for work, printer ink cost per page, smart home subscriptions and privacy, buying used electronics safely, selling an old phone, right to repair, and repairing or replacing a laptop.
Laptops
Chromebook vs Windows for school
What the school uses, software needs and update dates.
Laptops
Student and education pricing
Who qualifies and how to compare against sales.
Laptops
Deducting a computer for work
What CRA allows employees vs the self-employed.
Home tech costs
Printer ink cost per page
Cartridge price ÷ page yield, subscriptions, laser vs inkjet.
Home tech costs
Smart home subscriptions and privacy
Cloud plans, monitoring fees and privacy settings.
Used and refurbished
Buying used electronics safely
Scams, device checks and safe payment.
Phones
Selling an old phone safely
Wipe, unlink and avoid payment scams.
Repair
Right to repair in Canada
Copyright Act changes and Quebec's planned obsolescence law.
Repair
Repair or replace a laptop
Batteries, SSD and RAM upgrades, and the break-even point.
Streaming devices and headphones
Whether you need a streaming stick when your TV has apps, and when premium headphones are worth it, as of 7 Oct 2026.
TVs and streaming
Streaming stick or smart TV apps?
When another device is worth it.
Gadgets
Headphones: when premium is worth it
Cost per year, features and safe volume.
Smartwatches and fitness bands
Canadian list prices, cellular plans, subscriptions and battery life, as of 7 Oct 2026.
