Advice on a New/Refurbished Macbook? ( previous experience loved! )

[Atokadd]

O.k, well my birthday is July 13th, and Im wondering what I should save up for this year. I currently have a Gateway, and as good as its been to me, im tired of it.....I want my first Mac. My mom says "ill buy your laptop" but I dont expect any more than 400$ ( and no less either, lol ) So yea. I figure ill go for the 999$ refurbished Macbook. so thats 600$ I figure I pay 300$, parent pay 300$? Or maybe I pay 350 and they pay 250? Something like that... However, I know their is LOADS of way to get discounts. Like some sort of student thing? Im a student, and my aunts a teacher, so Discount there? Also, I hear I can pay like 30$ monthly? I would love to pay my half slowly, so I can afford to have a good summer ( lol ). Another way to go?

As you can probably tell by now, im looking to save some money, and I know there are some tricks out there. PLEASE help! I spend 2 hours a day on this website helping people since the day I joined! and instead of thankyou's, I would just like to be let in on some tips to get a cheap Refurbished Macbook! Thanks in advance ModmyIphone!

[m3thodandr3d]

I'm actually saving up to buy a new macbook too. I suggest you buy a refurb unit since the prices are significantly lower and you really can't tell the difference. Only 47 weeks to go at this rate . BTW: I'm looking to get a Macbook pro. LOL I have a hackintosh too

[Atokadd]

Yea...Know any ways to save money? ( Besides buying the refurbished macbook, which im GOING to do anyways )

[m3thodandr3d]

Well, I do chores to get an allowance and I'm 16 LOL, I know I need a job . I get $20 a week for that and I do yard work and clean pools and other odd jobs to make money. So I figure by Christmas I'll be able to get a nice new Macbook . I find it funny that the black ones cost $200 more just because they upgrade the hdd from 160GB to 250GB and change the color. I've seen some white refurbs for $949 which isn't that bad I guess, but the one I'm getting is going to cost $1400. So its gonna take a while to save up the money for it.

[Aiyo]

Well what you can do i get yourself a nice refurb one, and upgrade it later. Pay by month if you dont have all the money, plus you can pay more then the minimum your paying for month when you get extra $$.

[Nicholas Knight]

Well if you want to look for good sellers on ebay selling them cheap. Just buy from ones with really good feedback.

[Atokadd]

The only thing thats keeping me from buying one right now, is that the Body of the Actual laptop, is wierd. Right now I cant afford a Macbook Pro, but a macbook is in price range.
Its just that, its like the Screen isnt big enough for the Keyboard part of the laptop.
Its ( for lack of a better term ) a turnoff.

[jealous soul]

I'm not sure they offer student discounts on refurb products. Honestly, I think a macbook would be fine for you. I used to have a Powerbook G4, and I just recently bought the black macbook. I think you can get the entry level one new for about $999 with the student discount, AND you get an iPod touch with the current deal. I use my macbook for video editing (final cut), photo editing (aperture and photoshop), and sound editing (reason and logic) and I have zero issues with performance. It also runs windows XP like a champ (hardware design programs that are windows OS specific). I'd say buy a new one with the current student discount and I think you'll be satisfied.