EP. 2015

The Real Cost of Tech (And How to Afford It)

Lauren Benton

July 29, 2026

This episode is brought to us by Back Market, the world’s largest pure-play premium refurbished tech marketplace. Back Market’s mission is to make refurbished tech the mainstream choice, by extending the life of devices, fighting electronic waste, and challenging today’s throwaway culture.

On today’s show we sat down with Lauren Benton, General Manager of Back Market in the US, to talk about the real cost of family tech – and how to bring it down. To learn more, visit BackMarket.com

Apple just raised prices on several products (up to $300 more on certain MacBooks and iPads), and analysts expect the iPhone to see a hike this fall too. So the timing couldn’t be better to rethink how we’re spending on tech.

Here’s what we learn:

  • Why “refurbished” doesn’t mean what most people think it means, and how devices are quality-checked before they’re ever resold.
  • Where the real savings are: specific numbers on phones, laptops, tablets, and watches.
  • The hidden costs in your tech budget that have nothing to do with the device itself.
  • How to know when it’s worth trading in an old device instead of letting it collect dust in a drawer.
  • What to prioritize (and skip) when Back-to-School shopping collides with these new Apple prices.
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