Computer Repair That Calculates to Savings -- Savings Experiment

So there you are, happily humming away on your computer when suddenly it crashes. And crashes again. It won't restart. There's a DVD stuck in it. Or you look over at your glass of Diet Coke and see a telltale puddle on your keyboard.

That's when your brain's panic program boots up. But before you go spending hundreds of dollars on a digital goose chase, what factors should weigh into your spending decision? We'll calculate and formulate the answers in today's Savings Experiment.

Understand this about computers: Whether you're a Mac guy or a PC gal, these machines are finicky under even the best of circumstances. And when it comes to getting them to work right, you have to keep your priorities straight. Let's start with data recovery.