Items to Always Buy Used When on a Budget

how to budget money on low income guy in a plaid shirt holding cash Middle Class Dad

If youโ€™re money cautious and like tracking your spending, buying second hand is an excellent way to save money. Unlike what many people think, buying second hand isnโ€™t necessarily a bad idea. It doesn’t mean youโ€™ll go rummaging through an old and dusty thrift store.

 Youโ€™ll be surprised at how well-kept some pre-owned items come. Itโ€™s even hard to tell some apart from new ones. If youโ€™re wondering what some of these things are, keep reading.

1.    Hand Tools

It’s easy to find a wide variety of used hand tools at a significant discount rate. Sites like Craigslist and some local garages usually have great deals for slightly used second-hand tools. You can ask to test it on-site before paying for it when buying from someone in-person.

2.    Anything with a Lifetime Warranty

Buying an item and paying some extra cash for the warranty can sometimes be an expensive affair. When you purchase a previously owned item, it means that the owner already met the cost of the warranty. You get to reap the rewards of the product without any extra cost.

 Your risk is minimal because the manufacturer will still fix it if it has an issue. Some brands youโ€™ll find on Amazon have impressive lifetime warranty programs. However, be wary of products whose warranty is only valid for the original owner.

3.    Gently Used Clothing and Accessories

Itโ€™s easy to get good-quality menโ€™s dress clothes and watches at thrift shops. Youโ€™ll find them almost in their original condition because most men no longer dress up for work. Instead, office wear today is defined by khaki pants and a golf shirt.

Unfortunately, casual clothing in good shape isnโ€™t easy to find in thrift stores. Men can wear their jeans until theyโ€™re threadbare.

On the flip side, women tend to cycle through clothes fast, and it’s not hard to find some decent used wear. Children’s clothing is also easy to find in some online stores.

 Youโ€™ll find Pre Owned Watches at very affordable prices, some of which are quite costly when new. Some are antique pieces with a timeless style, but you won’t find them in modern stores.

4.    Espresso Machines

Thereโ€™s joy in the morning when the smell of coffee hits the air. However, the best coffee makers donโ€™t come cheap. But, if you search widely, you can find a used coffee machine on Craigslist and other stores at a lot less than the original cost.

5.    Cars

Some online resources have made it easy to find a used car at affordable prices. For example, CarGurus.com is the home for pre-owned vehicles, with over 2 million listings available at any one time.

 They rate the cars available with notions of โ€˜great price,โ€™ โ€˜good priceโ€™ and โ€˜fair price.โ€™ This lets you find a price that matches your budget with ease. However, remember to do some due diligence before paying.

Take Away

If you hadn’t given thought to how much you can save by buying used items, now you know. Some things are best bought used, especially when money is hard to come by. Secondhand items won’t reduce the quality of life; neither do they imply poverty. If you come across well-kept items, it’ll be hard for anyone to tell they were pre-owned. 

 

Jeff Campbell

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