10 Things To Buy Used And Never Brand New (Yes Really!)

If you’re looking for a list of things to buy used, here it is!

Ten Items you should always buy used instead of brand new to save loads of money!

In a dream world, it would be lovely to have everything shiny and new but sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to spend the extra dollars purchasing something new and expensive.

Thankfully many things are much less expensive – but just as good – when you buy them used instead of new.

 

Here are 10 items that are smarter to purchase used over new (if your goal is to keep more money in your pocket):

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #1

1 – Your pets

I’m not sure about you but where I live animals are expensive!

We have King Charles Cavalier that would typically cost $2500 from a pet store while we purchased our dog Scooter for $1200 from a breeder.

Even that sounds extravagant to me now and if I could go back in time I would revisit our puppy idea by first going to a rescue shelter.

With all the animals that are readily available, it doesn’t make sense to spend massive amounts of money on an animal elsewhere when more than 3.5 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year.

• If you just have to own a pure bred animal, you’ll be happy to know that 25% of shelter animals are pure bred.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #2

2 – Books

I confess, I went through a time in my life where I bought a lot of books – like seriously a lot.

At one point in time, I probably had more than a thousand books in my personal library.

Part of this collection came after I discovered used bookstores (best discovery of my life!) and realized that a used book (often donated after reading it once or twice) is really no different from the new book I was paying ten times the amount for.

Crazy!

But even the cost of used books adds up and do you know what is even cheaper than cheap?

It’s free! Please, please don’t overlook the value of your library.

When I was a child obsessed with books, I had no choice but to go to the library every week to borrow books because the alternative was my parents spending $100 a week to keep up with my voracious reading habit. (That was never going to happen!)

Later when it was obvious that my library was overflowing and I need to part with some of my beloved collection, I made the decision to go to the library from thereon.

There I could read books until my eyes bled (just kidding) and not have to spend a cent!

So try these two options before buying brand new – visit the library or a used bookstores.

There is nothing better than buying a preloved book for only a few dollars.

Don’t forget you can also buy textbooks this way and sell them back when you’re done which makes their final cost even less!

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #3

3 – Bicycles

I’ve done both in the past – bought a brand new bike for $400 and a second hand one in excellent condition for $100.

Guess what?

They both ride the same.

There are a ton of used bikes for sale on eBay or Facebook Marketplace that haven’t seen a lot of use.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #4

4 – Your home

Existing construction is usually considerably less expensive per square foot than new construction.

I know it sounds like a great idea to build a home from scratch but many new homes actually lose value over the first couple of years.

So finding a nice home in an established area can save you lots of money.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #5

5 – Children’s clothing

Ooh I wish I had discovered tip this earlier.

When my first child was born it never crossed my mind to buy her clothes second hand, especially for baby clothes.

It would sting when her barely worn were outgrown in a few months before she had a chance to get her wear out of them.

For the record most of her clothes were more expensive than my cheap buys (sigh, that’s sad).

Second time round I was a lot smarter.

I accepted hand me downs if they were offered to me and I passed everything I received along to help the next mommy with a younger boy.

I discovered the value of discounted brand name baby clothes that looked brand new but were a fraction of the price.

Used clothing stores are everywhere, and you can save a bundle on second hand clothing off eBay and FB marketplace.

• Remember to also ask co-workers, friends, and family: the best clothes are free clothes!

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #6

6- Furniture

Ooh I understand full well the value of used furniture because we recently gave away a lot of ours either for free or very cheap.

It was all in excellent condition so whoever scored these bargains was super happy.

You can do the same.

There are plenty of people who sell their practically new furniture when they move or are downsizing or simply want to change.

Check out Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or look at your local classifieds for yard sales and great deals.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #7

7 – Vehicles

My dad taught me from a young age NEVER EVER buy a brand new car and I have always followed his advice.

It’s estimated that the car loses as much as 20% of its value the moment you drive it out of the showroom.

A car that’s a year old with 10,000 miles on the odometer can be as much as 30% less than a new car and still has plenty of time left on the warranty, too.

My rule of thumb is to look for a car that is less than five years old (as I just feel more comfortable with a newish model).

But you can pick a used car of any age, if you do your research and have it checked out mechanically beforehand.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #8

8 – Toys

Sigh, a lot of money is wasted on new toys in this world!

I know because I have wasted some of that money too, though I ditched that practice pretty quickly when I discovered the value of used toys.

Used toys are widely available everywhere at a fraction of the cost of new toys.

Even better, you can still get some classic toys secondhand that aren’t available in the shops anymore.

Keep your eyes open and you’ll be seriously surprised at the bargains on offer. Look for them at charity shops, online auction sites and yard sales.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #9

9 – Jewelry

Just like cars, new jewelry is much more expensive than used.

That diamond ring you see in the jewelry store right now?

The moment it walks out the door the buyer will be lucky to get a fraction of its full price.

Use this information to your advantage. You could get a great piece of jewelry for 50% less than new.

THINGS TO BUY USED ITEM #10

10 – Tools

Tools are one of those hardy things that seem to live forever.

That’s because most tools don’t get a lot of use.

If you’re not in a hurry, you’re likely to find any tool that you need for a lot less money.

Check out flea markets, yard and estate sales, pawnshops, and the classifieds as they always have used tools for sale.

So there you have it – 10 items that are definitely better to buy used rather than brand new.

I encourage you not to be afraid to purchase used items.

I have done both in the past and really there is usually no difference in the quality of the item.

The only difference is the amount of money you have left in your pocket at the end of the day, after buying something used.

Remember you work hard for your money – it pays to spend it wisely!

The key to getting a really great deal is being aware of what things are really worth and being patient.

I personally LOVE hunting around for a great deal.

I never, ever buy what I don’t need and if I need something the goal is to buy it for the best price possible.

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