Picking up something used isn't just good for your wallet, it's good for the environment too (since you've likely kept another gadget out of landfills). While the decision to purchase used electronics is laudable from an environmental standpoint, there are many factors to consider before you head out to get a used laptop from someone you found on Craigslist.

Sustainablog.org took a hard look at what's important when buying a used laptop and came up with a, "10 Step Guide to Buying a Used Laptop That Works".

This is a really handy resource that covers many details that you likely wouldn't think about if you are used to buying your laptops new. A few highlights include:

• Where to buy it.
• Is the screen in good condition?
• Check all the ports.
• Test the hard drive for errors.
• Check the battery life.

I'm a bit of a geek but if I would have purchased a used laptop last week I can guarantee I wouldn't have taken all of these precautions and I'm sure at least one of them would have come back to haunt me. If you're looking to pick up a used laptop you'd be a fool not to use these steps as a checklist.

The only thing the list left off was to make sure you check the price of a new machine before you buy since in my experience many sellers overestimate the value of their old computers. When you couple this tendency with the sinking price of laptops these days it may make more sense to buy new, especially if you pick up one of the super cheap laptops on Black Friday.

We all know it pays to read the fine print when opening new accounts and doing business transactions, but many times I don't think we realize that not reading the fine print can cost us, even if the new account has to do with saving money.

I read about a great example today on the Online Savings Blog where the author digs into Bank of America's Keep the Change saving program to find out that it is riddled with fees and pays only a paltry .2% APY on the account.

Sure Bank of America provides a match up to $250 which could help out some customers, but after you take into account the fees and the low interest rate, using a high yield savings account becomes a much better answer. Other than the Bank of America match associated with this account, the real draw for a user is the ease of saving associated with rounding up every purchase.

If you still want to use the roundup method you can use Wesabe to track your spending and transfer in your rounded-up amounts at the end of each week, just like one of the commentators over at the Online Savings Blog. Personally, I'd rather automatically transfer a specific amount to an online saving account after each paycheck than base my savings on how many times I spend money. If I saved based on a roundup of every transaction I'm too worried that I would use the savings to justify purchases I don't need to be making!