CNN || Should I buy the extended warranty?

It's getting to be that time of year again: The leaves change, the temperature drops, and we redecorate our living rooms, desks, cars, and backpacks with shiny new electronics.

A recent survey by the Consumer Electronics Association found that respondents plan to spend, on average, $222 each on gadgets this holiday, an 8 percent increase over last year. And among teens and adults, computers and video games are the most wished-for items this year after clothing.

One of the grand traditions that goes along with buying electronics is being asked at the register, "Would you like to purchase the extended warranty?"

Some will always say "No" out of principle, while others are torn by the snap decision it requires.

Here are some things to consider this season when it comes to extended warranties on consumer electronics like laptops, TVs, cameras, MP3 players, and more.

I always get asked to buy an extended warranty. Is it worth it?

It depends on what you buy, what the standard warranty covers, and the cost of the service. But for most people, no.

There are several things to consider: The standard warranty that comes with electronics covers parts for one year and labor for 90 days. And certain devices often come with more, like hard drives or TVs.

A year is going to be plenty of coverage for most electronics, so make sure you know what the manufacturer will cover before considering paying for extra coverage.

The extended warranties often offered by retailers, which cover parts and service normally for up to two or three years after the standard warranty expires are basically pure profit for them, and it never hurts them to hit you up after you've just laid out a lot of money. But it usually doesn't make sense for most customers for several reasons.

First, the majority of gadgets won't ever need to be repaired -- though retailers and device makers don't usually share statistics about how often they break, Consumer Reports has done studies and found that 3- to 4-year-old gadgets don't need repair all that often.