Windows 7 on the Cheap

Saving money on Windows 7, Microsoft's latest and greatest operating system, is getting harder to do, but still possible. Saving money on Windows 7 makes good financial sense (and cents), since prices start at about $200, and go up to more than $300. There are, however, ways to get it cheaper (and legally!). Here are the best ways to save money on Windows 7.

Windows Anytime Upgrade. If you bought a computer with Windows 7 but would like a higher-level version that can do more, what do you do?  For example, you bought a netbook with Windows 7 Starter Edition, which is pretty limited in functionality, and you'd like to move up to the Home Premium edition.

The best way is to use Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's a lower-cost alternative to buying a new version of Windows 7. This is a good time to consider it, because retailers are now offering Anytime Upgrade discounts. For instance, moving from Starter to Home Premium is being discounted from $79.99 to $49.99, and moving from Home Premium to Professional will save you $10, as the price has dropped from $89.99 to $79.99.

Special Offers Site. Microsoft offers various deals at various times to spur Windows 7 sales. In fact, it has a special website set up to let you know about the current offers. If you're taking your time looking for deals, I'd recommend bookmarking the site and checking weekly.

Be a Student. If you're a currently enrolled college student, chances are good that you're eligible for a significantly cheaper copy of Windows 7. The promotion, which Microsoft says is good for qualifying students through the end of 2010, is for a copy of Windows 7 Professional "Upgrade" edition (i.e. you already have a computer with Windows XP or Windows Vista) for $64.95.

eBay. There are hundreds of copies of Windows 7 available on eBay. And from my perusal, most of them look legitimate. If you go the auction route, there are a number of things to check on:

• Make sure it has a Certificate of Authenticity, or COA. This guarantees that it's genuine, and will allow you to upgrade it in the future with Service Packs and other important additions.
  
  
• It's best if it comes in a new retail box or other legitimate packaging.
  
  
• Confirm that it has an unused product key. You need the key to make the whole thing work. If the key has been used before, you will at the very least need to call Microsoft and explain why this particular copy of Windows 7 has been unlocked before. At worst, you won't be able to use it at all.
  
  
• Don't buy it if it's offered for $5 or less. That means it's a burned copy from an original disk, and you're essentially stealing it. Bad boy.