[discostu]

Some of these they’re right, others they’re just plain wrong. Don’t buy used IKEA furniture, it’s disposable and doesn’t last. Used toys and games have a similar problem, kids tend to be pretty rough on toys and lose parts of games. Never buy a “used” pet, you have no idea what the previous owners have trained into it. Craft supplies it all depends on if it’s a one off project (go ahead and buy used) or you’re a crafter (buy new, you’ll use it up on your own). Way too many consumer electronics have unreplacable batteries which lose a good chunk of their charge holding ability every year, buying used to get you something basically useful.

[balticseaviking]

I respectfully disagree with your comment on pets. My wife and I have rescued 6 dogs, four of which are still with us and we never had a moment when they where not well behaved and loving. A rescued dog will love you, of course you have to show it kindness and love in return. A pet bought in a pet store? you had better know what was bred into that dog.

[woodbutcher1963]

I agree with high quality hardwood furniture. I bought two Harden solid cherry end tables at a yard sale for $10 each.
I refinished them and they are still beautiful 15 years later. They would have been hundreds each brand new.
However, you need to buy better quality than IKEA.

Same story with dogs. The shelter is a great place to get a mutt. There is nothing wrong with a good mutt. However, most purebred dogs that end up in a shelter are there for a reason. They usually have a behavoir problem or they came from a pet store.
Any good breeder will take back any puppy if there is a problem.

[balticseaviking]

I respectfully disagree with your comment on pets. My wife and I have rescued 6 dogs, four of which are still with us and we never had a moment when they where not well behaved and loving. A rescued dog will love you, of course you have to show it kindness and love in return. A pet bought in a pet store? you had better know what was bred into that dog.

[hennie pennie]

I agree with you on the IKEA furniture, I wouldn't even purchase it new, it's so lightweight it can't possibly last very long.

I'm very cautious about garage sales, and most particularly about estate sales. I advise that BEFORE you go out to estate sales, watch a few episodes of HOARDERS-type reality shows; then also do a short search on "senior hoarding" at google, and learn that it is a big and ever growing problem in this nation.

I advise to be VERY careful what you purchase used or secondhand, particularly at estate sales for you never know if the original owner was a packrat who purchased that "brand new" looking only 25-cent bottle of shampoo over a decade ago and added it to their stash of 326 bottles of shampoo.

With the exception of books and dvds/cds, I don't purchase anything used UNLESS I can fit it into my washing machine and launder it --- or in some way totally submerge it in soapy water and totally sanitize it.... like dishes.

I didn't realize that some of those very well organized estate sales which were bursting to the seams with 1000s upon 1000s of items still in the original packaging with tags were representative of a deceased hoarders' filthy MESS - NOT indicative of a "collector" and were obviously professionally cleaned up by the estate sales company conducting the sale.

Since craft items are invariably on the list of "most frequently hoarded items" I would never buy them at an estate sale because who knows how old they are and what conditions they were stored under. Ditto for containers of any type, bags of any type, and magazines. (They are always mentioned in articles about hoarders, LOL)

Watching all the many documentaries about hoarding has really turned me off to the re-sale market and to thrift stores in general and made me VERY cautious about what I bring into my home.

[Richard Kimball]

This is a list that's probably a good thing to check, but sometimes people spend five dollars to save a dollar. On vehicles, I've bought both new and used. Used isn't necessarily a better deal. My last pickup was a Chevy. By going to a lower based trim, getting a 2K Chevy loyalty discount, 2.5K end of year discount, and a 2.5K GM Card reward and getting the dealer to knock 2K off of the retail price, I drove off the lot in a new extended cab with a full warranty for less than I could buy a used one with around 40,000 miles on it, and I know my truck hasn't been hot rodded or wrecked.

On tools, I don't buy a tool unless I need it. If I need it, I know that Lowe's is going to have it. I don't know if the Goodwill, or the garage sale or the local consignment store will have it. So, I can shoot a couple of hours and a couple of gallons of gas wandering around consignment shops hoping I can save five dollars on a $15 hammer or I can go to one store, buy the hammer, and get back to work. The other option is to buy a used tool you THINK you might need later when you happen upon it. Course, you might not ever need it, which means you saved five bucks off retail, but spent fifteen dollars you didn't need to spend.