Most likely you have a computer somewhere in your home that is shared by most or all members of the family. A “family computer” can get messy, especially during back-to-school season when students are doing homework and parents are looking for deals on school supplies and back-to-school clothes.

If you’re starting to feel the congestion around your family PC, it may be time to consider getting the kiddos their own device. Let’s face it, tweens don’t need all of the bells and whistles that come on a state-of-the-art laptop, but it would be nice if they could have something for their basic computing and online needs.

Netbooks or the classmate PC are affordable options for tweens who need Internet access and word processing functions. At under $400, these can give your kids the portability and functionality they need without completely breaking the bank!