You’re in a new year right now, and replacing something old with something new might just be a way to get your brain to believe that we’re truly new.
New years can be a great way to kick the mindset into believing we can do anything, whether it’s a believe that this year we’ll do something, or even a resolution you attempt to hold yourself to. Not all resolutions stick, we all know that, but some of them can feel like they’re more destined to, particularly if we spend a little something to make it happen.
New gear is one way a resolution can feel a little more real, and may keep you in the mindset of it truly being a new year because you’ve spent a little money to be there. Not that we’re suggesting you have to, of course, but if you’re intending to celebrate a new year with new gear, it might just keep you on track to feeling like this year is truly new, compared to the stale stuff from last year.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate a new year with new gear, but here are a few ideas to help you out this year.
Get a new phone
There’s a quick a way to feel like you’ve jumped into a new year with new gear, and that’s to change out that device you likely rely on more often than anything else: your phone.
Yep, you know what we’re talking about. It’s the device you can’t live without, and one that does more than let you make and take phone calls. It’s your music player, your camera, your mobile wallet, your digital check-in, your emailing system, web browser, and the way you stay in contact with your friends and family.
And if it’s not all of those things, it might be time to upgrade to one that is, because these days, even mobiles starting around the budget $299 price point can handle all of those things.
If you’re missing out on one of those features, you may want to consider this year as a year you upgrade, so make sure to check out our recommendations to see if anything suits.
Look at a new phone plan
Even if you don’t feel the need to get a new phone, you might want to consider a new phone plan, because there’s plenty out there, and you might be paying too much.
Many of us do, whether we’re locked into plans for a couple of years because that’s what our mobile providers did to give us a phone at a better price than outright, but check whether the plan you’re on is worth it, and if not, talk to them about it. And if your phone isn’t a payment problem anymore — and your telco doesn’t want to do much to make it better — look around.
Between telcos that offer free music service subscriptions or free downloads to music services, plus others just focusing on value and the democratisation of download quotas, you might find something better if you look around.
Grab a new pair of headphones
Whatever device you typically play music from, a new year might feel a little newer if you opt for a new way to listen to music from said device.
If you’re currently listening to music from whatever earphones came with your phone, it might be time to try a new pair. Headphones that you have to pay for tend to be markedly better than the schlock that arrives with your phone, except in some very rare small special instances, and your ears may even thank you for it.
With headphone choices ranging from truly wireless to noise cancelling to sweat resistant and with long-lasting batteries, too, you may find grabbing a new pair of headphones or earphones helps you kick the new year off in a way your ears totally dig.
Listen to some new music
A more simple approach that might not need you to spend any money at all is to dig into some new music.
If you already have a music service you love, consider jumping into some new music you’ve not heard, whether by looking at a new music playlist or by dabbling in a category you’ve not yet encountered. It won’t take much time, and while you might not like all of it, you might find some music you do like.
Staying within the lines of music genres can feel a touch limiting, and while you might expect you won’t like something new, you also might surprise yourself. You have choices, and there’s no such thing as bad music, either. Remember what the jazz great Miles Davis once said: “Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is.”
Alternatively, consider checking out a music service that caters to a different style this year, whether it’s one built for live music such as Nugs, one built for classical including IDAGIO, or one built for live classical like Berliner Philharmoniker Digital Concert Hall.
Switch on a new TV
Your ears are one way to explore the “new year, new gear” idea, but they’re not the only one. There are also your eyes. If you’ve been using the same TV at home for so long that you can’t recall when you got it, maybe call this year the one that you buy a new one.
Concepts like 4K have become standard, and 8K is gradually getting there, while technologies like quantum dots for improved colour purity and OLED for the deepest blacks may make you switch over, provided the size and price is right.
It’s no surprise that bigger is often considered better, and these days, 55 to 65 inch TVs are considered the norm, but regardless of what you’re intending to buy, make sure it can fit where you intend to put it, because not every living room will suit every screen size.
Our best tip for TVs, however, is to try to go in store to see the one you want to buy before you spend the money. Website images are almost always Photoshopped, and they can only really offer a preview, but while the price might be right, no one wants to go home with a TV that doesn’t suit them, so audition a screen with your own eyes before you part ways with your money if you can.
Upgrade to a new home appliance
A bigger way to start a new year with new gear might be to upgrade something at home in a big way, such as a new appliance for the home, or something to make life a little easier where you live.
Think of your fridge, washing machine, or even consider how to buy an air conditioner, potentially eyeing what you already have on each of these, and whether a new model might just do a better job.
We don’t typically replace home appliances all that often, and tend to wait until they’re on their last legs before that happens. However, a replacement might just offer more performance and features, and end up delivering some savings on those energy bills, too.
Otherwise, there’s always the small appliances in the kitchen, with these able to help you do some cooking in different ways, or even expedited ways, too. If you’ve been cutting everything up by hand, you may want to consider a food processor, while people looking to go on a bit of a health kick might want to look at a juicer or blender.
Change into some new bedsheets
We don’t always write solely about technology, and one basic thing you can do to celebrate “new” is to do something simple, like changing your bedsheets. Go out and buy a new colour, or maybe even a pattern, and just change over to something new for the next few weeks.
It’s simple, but it might just throw you into a new habit of believing something new really has arrived.
