Posted on 06/29/2010 9:20:40 AM PDT by MissTed
If you're looking to get the most value for your dollar, it would do your wallet good to check out secondhand options. Many used goods still have plenty of life left in them even years after the original purchase, and they're usually resold at a fraction of the retail price, to boot. Here's a list of 21 things that make for a better deal when you buy them used.
1. DVDs and CDs: Used DVDs and CDs will play like new if they were well taken care of. Even if you wind up with a scratched disc and you don't want to bother with a return, there are ways to remove the scratches and make the DVD or CD playable again.
2. Books: You can buy used books at significant discounts from online sellers and brick-and-mortar used book stores. The condition of the books may vary, but they usually range from good to like-new. And of course, check out your local library for free reading material.
3. Video Games: Kids get tired of video games rather quickly. You can easily find used video games from online sellers at sites like Amazon and eBay a few months after the release date. Most video game store outlets will feature a used game shelf, as well. And if you're not the patient type, you can rent or borrow from a friend first to see if it's worth the purchase.
4. Special Occasion and Holiday Clothing: Sometimes you'll need to buy formal clothing for special occasions, such as weddings or prom. Most people will take good care of formal clothing but will only wear it once or twice. Their closet castouts are your savings: Thrift stores, yard sales, online sellers and even some dress shops offer fantastic buys on used formalwear.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
It all depends on who owned them before and how they treated the animal. My experience with 2nd hand pets has been very mixed, some have been nice and well behaved, some have been borderline psychotic. I don’t buy from stores though, I generally get them from the vet, he gets a lot of kittens and puppies, so you get the good parts of a rescue without the potential for a history of abuse.
Is Bubba Clinton still donating Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea’s underwears for a tax deduction?
While not exact, it is a reasonable likeness of me. I wish. ;^)
I agree. I always adopt grown dogs (used) because you can tell their personality. You get a puppy at a pet store - you have no idea what their personality is.
I like mellow, non-destructive and obedient dogs. I don’t like hyper, destructive animals whose only goal is to get out of the fence and run off. Who knows what kind of personality that cute little puppy will end up with?
Besides, so many animals are killed every year - these used animals need homes.
Yeah, but have you checked out the used prices?!!
Lot 49009 1955 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst Guitar, #9577.... (Total: 2 )
Opening Bid : $10,000
Motorcycles other than sport bikes. Most 3-5 year old, adult owned bikes are low miles, in good shape and much cheaper than new. It’s pretty easy to tell if they have been mistreated or tipped over. As long as the bike is clean, unmodified, and shows no signs of abuse, it’s a pretty good bet it is fine.
I’ve never been in a Ikea store, but people seem to either love it or hate it.
“They forgot underwear. Nothing like that broken in feeling.”
Always remember to put the brown stripe out!
I’m definitely willing to buy used real wood furniture, that kind of stuff is built to be heirlooms anyway, you’re just benefiting from the people not having smart kids. But anything pressboard (which is what IKEA trades in) is living on borrowed time after 3 or 4 years, I once had a pressboard bookshelf disintegrate in the truck when I tried to give it to a friend, we emptied it, carried it out of the house, put it in the truck and all the joined parts became unjoined in a series of popping sounds. Pretty funny to watch.
>>>Ikea Furniture: Why bother assembling your own when you can pick it up for free (or nearly free) on Craigslist and Freecycle? <<<
Yeah, used furniture. Hoo boy. Covered in animal hair, broken and splattered with who knows what kind of fluids. Ugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_s5-R_JE4c
VW Golf commercial where the two ambiguously gay dudes pick up a chair...then notice it smells.
I thought crotchless panties were supposed to be “sexy”.
What’d you say?
This one will save thousands - lots of used Timeshares in Florida right now...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2543688/posts
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.
Never, Never buy a used monkey. It could be very bad.
B.C. Woman Hits Moose on Way to Visit Sister Who Hit Moose (National Post ^ | June 22, 2010)
She and her husband were in two cars last Friday afternoon. Everitt, in the first car, was going around a corner near 70 Mile House, B.C., when she saw a brown blur.
Later, at the hospital, the physician also noticed a brown blur.
BTTT
Rarrrr! You will surely be banned for this post! :)
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