6 Household Items You Should Always Purchase Used
Bargain hunters rejoice! Though you’ll probably want to buy your mattress and a handful of other things new, there is a huge assortment of household items available to buy used. Getting used items when you can saves money and gives you a good reason to visit yard sales and charming thrift boutiques. Here are 6 household items that you should always purchase used.
Home Decor
Paintings, tapestries, vases and other home decor items are typically purchased and then displayed. Whether hung on a wall or placed on a shelf, most home decorations spend their lives sitting in a single location. Because they are used so lightly, these items tend to be replaced when you grow tired of them even though they still serve their purpose. Buying these items used is substantially less expensive than getting them new and no one will ever know they were purchased second-hand.
Baby and Maternity Clothes
You’ll only need maternity clothes for a short period of time, so it makes sense to get them used. The same is true for baby clothes. Your growing infant will be able to wear clothes for only a very short time before outgrowing them. By purchasing used baby clothes, you could save 50% or more on your baby’s wardrobe. While used clothes are terrific for baby, avoid used car seats and cribs as these may present safety issues.
Hand Tools
Hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches and other hand tools last a long time when properly cared for. Some brands even offer lifetime replacements if a tool does break for any reason. An excellent way to get tools inexpensively is to visit thrift shops and yard sales. Clean the tools up and use them. If one breaks later on you can replace it with another thrifty find or exchange it for a new one under the lifetime warranty, if applicable.
Musical Instruments
Youngsters are notorious for taking up a new musical instrument and then changing their mind later. If you or someone else in your family wants to take music lessons, save yourself some money and seek out a used instrument. This makes it easier to recover your money of you need to sell the instrument later. Even if your new musician sticks with their lessons, a beginner just doesn’t need a brand new instrument to learn with.
Books, Movies and CD’s
Movies, music, books and video games are all items that can easily be acquired used. Though you may have a few favorites that you want to revisit, these items tend to be used a handful of times and then forgotten or discarded. You can save a significant amount if you buy them used. Once you’re done enjoying them, pass them on or resell them for others to use.
Jewelry
Vintage jewelry can be worth a lot of money, but it takes many years to build value. Most jewelry actually depreciates and can do so faster than a car. A diamond will shine just as brightly when it is used, however, as it did when it was new. Buy jewelry used whenever you can, especially when you’re looking for fancier pieces you won’t wear often. Buying used jewels makes more sense than filling your jewelry box with expensive pieces you’ll rarely wear.
