Part 12 (1/2)

Buying used stuff can elicit extreme opinions, usually fro secondhand But buying every ite su cars New cars can lose 30 percent of their value in the first year of ownershi+p So, if you're talking about a 30,000 vehicle, the difference between a new car and 1-year-old car is 9,000 If 9,000 is a lot ofused stuff is for you

How to Buy Used Stuff, 1-2-3

1 Get over the ”yuck” factor

2 Evaluate price and quality

3 Keep it simple

1 Get Over the ”Yuck” Factor

The first step in saving h a ht not be pleasant to read it in black and white, but some people think used merchandise is:Broken/tatteredDirty/smellyNot worth my ti so used doesn't enerally inferior, and I'nht a suit for 25 that I wear during television appearances I bought a pullover windbreaker for 2 I splurged on two pricey silk neckties, 8 each

How do you get over aused? Just do it

This is another of the rare occasions where I advise you to spend n that you ear, even if it's only a scarf or belt Alternatively, buy a set of drinking glasses or plates The point is to buy so used that you have a very personal interaction with This way, you can confront your fears about buying used merchandise If you have a pleasant experience, your aversion to buying used stuff will dissipate, if not disappear You will get over the ”yuck” factor

Then a whole neorld of retail opens up to you You can consider used itee sales, flea markets, thrift stores, and newspaper classified ads

QUICK TIP

Add to your barrier-breaking errands a stop by a local dollar store The merchandise isn't used, but it is cheap Dollar stores can be ideal outlets for junk food, such as cookies, pretzels, and chips I've bought such things as an iPod case, calculator, greeting cards, and printer USB cord at a dollar store Just avoid cheap electric or electronic items for fear of a fire hazard

2 Evaluate Price and Quality

Buying so for a product of lower quality than you can get new That's fine for many purchases nobody can reasonably expect to buy the best of everything

On the other hand, buying used her quality If you have 500 to spend on a living rooher quality: a new one fro used soet a superior product

Siet you a luxury brand with more features Go back to the automobile example Would you rather have a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt subcompact or a 2-year-old Honda Accord? Or, for that matter, a 2003 Lexus ES 300 or BMW 3 Series? They all cost the sa used ite new So, it's always important to evaluate prices and quality

3 Keep It Simple

Some items are not functionally different whether new or used, assued These include aarden shovel or hammer is preferable to buy used, rather than a rototiller or circular saw The si

Other exa, toys, and ht be used for a short tiolf clubs, assu

Of course, autoory of a ”sio 150,000 miles with only routine maintenance So a corollary of the ”simple” rule is to favor used items when they're reliable

QUICK TIP

An often overlooked source of free used items is your local public library Besides books, many have a wide variety of periodicals, movie videos, and music CDs

Refurbished Electronics

One way to purchase electronics cheaper is to buy them as ”refurbished” Contrary to its name, refurbished often does not mean the iteht undergo tighter quality control than a new item because someone has checked to make sure the machine works

The reason an item is classified as a ”refurb” could beOr, ht the item but returned it because he didn't like the color or couldn't figure out how to use it

Consunificant, 10 percent to 50 percent off retail price