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21 Things You Should Never Buy New
Wise Bread ^ | 6/28/10 | Lynn Truong

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 ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: frugal; frugality; secondhand; used
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To: balticseaviking

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.


41 posted on 06/29/2010 10:14:36 AM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: Revolting cat!; Slings and Arrows

Is Bubba Clinton still donating Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea’s underwears for a tax deduction?


42 posted on 06/29/2010 10:14:43 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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To: Young Werther

While not exact, it is a reasonable likeness of me. I wish. ;^)


43 posted on 06/29/2010 10:15:03 AM PDT by MissNomer
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To: balticseaviking

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.


44 posted on 06/29/2010 10:16:04 AM PDT by ozarkgirl
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To: MissTed
9. Musical Instruments: Purchasing new musical instruments for a beginner musician is rarely a good idea.

Yeah, but have you checked out the used prices?!!

Lot 49009 1955 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst Guitar, #9577.... (Total: 2 )

Opening Bid : $10,000

45 posted on 06/29/2010 10:16:45 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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To: MissTed

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.


46 posted on 06/29/2010 10:17:24 AM PDT by Poser (Enjoying tasty animals for 58 years)
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To: a fool in paradise

I’ve never been in a Ikea store, but people seem to either love it or hate it.


47 posted on 06/29/2010 10:17:24 AM PDT by MissTed (Never buy products from ACME.)
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To: Lance Romance

“They forgot underwear. Nothing like that “broken in” feeling.”

Always remember to put the brown stripe out!


48 posted on 06/29/2010 10:19:13 AM PDT by dalereed (in)
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To: woodbutcher1963

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.


49 posted on 06/29/2010 10:19:50 AM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: MissTed

>>>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.


50 posted on 06/29/2010 10:19:59 AM PDT by Malsua
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To: MissTed

I thought crotchless panties were supposed to be “sexy”.


51 posted on 06/29/2010 10:23:32 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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To: Professional

What’d you say?


52 posted on 06/29/2010 10:24:48 AM PDT by Andonius_99 (There are two sides to every issue. One is right, the other is wrong; but the middle is always evil.)
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To: MissTed
20. Timeshares: Buying timeshares isn't for everyone, but if you decide that it suits your lifestyle, purchasing the property as a resale would be a better deal than buying it brand new: on average, you'll save 67 percent on the price for a comparable new timeshare. If you're new to timeshare ownership, give it a test run first by renting short term.

This one will save thousands - lots of used Timeshares in Florida right now...

53 posted on 06/29/2010 10:25:34 AM PDT by GOPJ (More people are killed every year by falling vending machines than by holders of concealed-weapons)
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To: a fool in paradise
Depends on the crotch.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2543688/posts


54 posted on 06/29/2010 10:27:43 AM PDT by MissTed (Never buy products from ACME.)
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To: discostu
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.

55 posted on 06/29/2010 10:28:03 AM PDT by hennie pennie
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To: MissTed

Never, Never buy a used monkey. It could be very bad.


56 posted on 06/29/2010 10:29:10 AM PDT by correctthought (Hippies, want to change the world, but all they ever do is smoke pot and smell bad)
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To: dalereed
Always remember to put the brown stripe out!

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.

57 posted on 06/29/2010 10:30:40 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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BTTT


58 posted on 06/29/2010 10:30:49 AM PDT by DollyCali (Don't tell God how big your storm is...Tell the storm how big your God is!)
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To: Young Werther

Rarrrr! You will surely be banned for this post! :)


59 posted on 06/29/2010 10:33:35 AM PDT by rj45mis
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To: DustyMoment
Toyotas - new or used.

You watch too much CNN. They get very good reliability ratings.
60 posted on 06/29/2010 10:36:59 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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