How to save hundreds on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has arrived, and you can preorder it now. Just be prepared to break open the piggy bank.
The Note 8 will cost at least $930 if you purchase it outright. Ouch! Fortunately, there are ways to get a better deal.
Be a Note 7 owner
Regardles of where you purchase the phone, Samsung will provide a discount on the Note 8 as a make-good for the Note 7 debacle.
Just head to Samsung.com (Friday, when preorders go live), where you can receive an instant trade-in value of up to $425 when you upgrade your current phone for a Galaxy Note 8. It's not yet clear what "up to $425" means in concrete, model-specific terms, but it'll definitely be the biggest savings you can get.
Head to Best Buy
Best Buy currently lists the unlocked Note 8 for $930; T-Mobile will sell it for the same price. AT&T's price: $950. Verizon and Sprint's: $960.
However, if you're planning to finance the phone, Best Buy's prices undercut those offered by the carriers themselves:
- AT&T: $28.33/month for 30 months, a total of $849.90
- Sprint: $33.33/month for 24 months, a total of $799.92
- Verizon: $32.75/month for 24 months, a total of $786
Of course, those prices apply just to the phone; you'll still have to pay for service. And keep in mind that 24-30 months from now, the Note 8 will almost certainly be available for less -- possibly a lot less. So while it might seem like you're saving money up front, you may actually end up paying more than you would if you ...
... Wait 6 months
Time for a history lesson. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 made its debut in April, 2016, it started at around $700. Just six months later, you could buy one for under $500. That's according to CamelCamelCamel, which tracks Amazon pricing history.
The same is true for all Samsung models: They start high, but eventually come down quite a bit. So if you don't mind waiting six months or even a year to get the Note 8, it's a safe bet you'll be able to save hundreds of dollars.
