Buy Used

How long do things stay new? It depends on your definition of "new," but technically it is the moment right before you get your grubby little paws on it. So if that's all it takes to label something "used" instead of "new," people should consider buying discounted used products rather than their fully priced brethren. Sure, there is a whole litany of things that you don't want to buy used (underwear, mattresses, and bathing suits come to mind), but many of the larger ticket items people purchase can be obtained at a bargain price in the used market.

Back in the day, if you wanted a used TV you had to either comb through the newspaper to find the weekly garage sales or drive to the "affluently challenged" part of town to find a dilapidated old building with bars on the windows where a guy named Snake sat behind the counter with jailhouse tats on his arms, a cigarette in one hand, and a shotgun in the other making you an offer you can't refuse (literally!). Well thankfully, gone are the days. The internet has brought every corner of the globe closer together. Now it is easy to find almost any used item you could possibility want either locally on Craigslist or nationally on eBay.

If you don't mind not always having the “latest and greatest,” there is substantial money to be saved by being slightly behind the technology curve. As a rule of thumb, if I can find what I want new and on sale (a real sale, not the 10%-20% variety), then I typically don’t bother with used products. But some things are hard to find on sale, so the used market offers another avenue to get what you want for a fraction of the sticker price. Here is a list of a couple things ol’ Franco loves to buy used:

• Cars. This is bar none the biggest money saver when it comes to buying used instead of new. There is so much to cover here that we’ll hit it up in a future post.
• Golf clubs. Every three to four years I like to change out my clubs for newer used ones. If you have a half decent set of clubs already, you can sell your current set and buy a newer, used set for a couple extra hundred bucks instead of the grand plus you would have to drop on a brand new set. If you like to try things before you buy them, utilize the many demo days club manufactures will run at golf courses or driving ranges in your area.
• Baby Stuff. Let’s face it…babies grow up fast and it can be very expensive to keep them clothed and happy. Mrs. Franco and I just celebrated the birth of our first child in December and since then my house has turned into a veritable treasure chest of baby stuff. We received a lot of clothes from friends and family, and the rest we bought second hand (that’s a fancy way of saying “used”) from a local consignment store that was going out of business. As far as car seats, jumpers, cribs, changing tables, play pens, and high chairs go, we got them all used from people in our area off of craigslist.com. It may behoove you to check the recall list on any used products you are considering buying.
• Furniture. Lots of cool furniture can be obtained used for a fraction of its original cost. As long as it still looks good and serves its purpose, I say go for it. Furniture is heavy to ship, so stick with the local used markets rather than ebay (unless you do a localized search).
• Tools. Every man loves tools (even if we don’t “need” them) and tools can be expensive. I like to buy quality, name brand used tools instead of cheap, new knock-offs. It may just be personal preference, but it allows me to experience the quality of a good tool for the price of a knock-off.
• Wedding Dress. This one is obviously a “bonus pick” from Mrs. Franco, but she makes a good point – a weeding dress is something you will only wear once in your life, so it doesn’t make sense to spend thousands of dollars on a new one if you can find a used one you like. They key is to find one you really like…just don’t get caught up in the fact that it is “used” instead of “new”. After all, it’s new to you ;).

Things I don’t buy used:

• Computers. There are so many deals to be had in the new computer market and computers become obsolete so fast, that it doesn’t make sense to buy them used.
• DVDs. Just say no…rent don’t buy. Want to watch it more than once…rent it again! It just doesn’t make sense to buy DVDs with rentals being so cheap (Netflix, Redbox) and video on demand picking up steam.
• Books. Okay, I do buy used books (and sometimes new) but 9 times out of 10 I use the library. Your tax dollars are paying for those books, so you might as well use it.
• Clothes. This one actually can go either way. I typically buy new clothes off the sales rack or better yet the clearance rack, but if you like to treasure hunt, some pretty sweet vintage digs can be found at the Goodwill, Salvation Army, or local consignment store. Also, keep your closets clean by donating your used clothes to non-profit organizations and taking the tax deduction from Uncle Sam.

That’s all for tonight, but more to follow on buying used cars and budgeting as previously promised.

Ciao!
Franco