Should I lease a laptop, instead of buying, to work from home?

[rosielee]

Has anyone leased, or considered leasing, a laptop instead of buying one?

Our desktop PC is ancient, and we're thinking we should get a laptop rather than a new desktop so I can use it in any room of the house, on hols, etc. I'll be using it for word-processing, emailing, Internet, etc, and ds will have occasional use for computer games which won't run on our old one.

Leasing would have the advantage of me being able to see how I got on with a laptop, keeping the option of buying a new desktop if I really couldn't cope with laptop disadvantages, eg cramped keyboard, smallish screen.

Any thoughts very welcome!

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Yes, I'd say lease - you get a new one and to justify the huge cost you pretend it will see you through for a good few years. Not so in my case, bought 2 laptops in 3 years cos I needed a better one and am probably still paying for the first one! If you lease you can upgrade after a certain time I think.

Regarding your doubts about getting on with a laptop - my laptop has a bigger screen than my desktop...and I can work while sitting on the edge of my DDs bed if she's restless etc. during the night. It's a godsend, no doubt about it..I'd say laptops are the way to go.

Thanks ever so much for these - I should add that I'm self-employed, and I understand that there are tax advantages; except I'm very much part-time at the moment due to mothering commitments, so may not actually notch up enough earnings for that to be relevant.

Thanks again! Any other comments most gratefully received!

There's a little known tax-free scheme where you can buy one through your employer on a long loan, and you don't pay any tax or NI on the amount of the repayment.
Same scheme exists for bicycles.

sorry - didn't see self-employed bit.

Rosielee, I have a laptop and find it much much easier to use than a desktop, and, also my screen is bigger than my old desktop aswell.

I would recommend getting a laptop to anyone.

Blu, that is useful tho, might be able to get dh to buy one thru his employer. Thanks!