how to buy a cheap laptop

there are lots of stores offering second hand gadgets, you can check them out on your local malls and electronic shops. you can also check out ebay or other online bidding site and look for the specs and price.

Not sure how cheap you are talking about. I saw a decent Dell laptop in Wal-Mart for about 500 dollars. That's a reasonably good deal I think. I would look on major retailers websites for closeouts, or find a local store that refurbishes laptops and ask them if they have any for sale or have any recommendations. Is it possible for you to get financing on it? If so, I would get one directly from the manufacturer, it makes it much easier when you have problems with it and the warranty information is already on file. If financing is not an option, do not just buy it from some random person. I would only buy it from a place where you have recourse if it does not work properly, ie a retailer like Best Buy, Circuit City, or a refurbishing business.