The way we shop has changed drastically over the last 5 years and buying used and second hand goods is no longer frowned upon.
It has been embraced by most and has been helped tremendously by the number of sites and social media pages that have been set up to do just that!
Gumtree.ie, Adverts.ie, eBay, DoneDeal.ie, BuyandSell are to name but a few of the many sites you can buy and sell used goods these days. And now more and more Facebook pages are being set up within communities in order to buy, sell, swap or even give away unwanted items to people in your area.
And everything and anything is for sale! Clothes, jewellery, electrical items, toys, ornaments, books, cars, musical and exercise equipment and even boats! Nothing is too big or small.
Most of these sites even have a ‘free stuff’ section where people just want to off-load items free-of-charge (as long as you come and collect it).
There are some things that you probably shouldn’t buy second hand, things like underwear, mattresses or dental equipment! Here are the top 10 things you should consider buying second hand in order to save you a lot of money:
1. Cars
Used cars aren’t for everyone, but the potential savings are huge. Cars depreciate most quickly in the first three years so even buying a car that’s a year old can yield significant savings. The same holds true for things like boats and motorcycles.
2. Baby and Maternity Clothes
Given how fast both of you will be growing, investing as little as possible on clothes is a smart bet if you’re a mother-to-be. Because of this fast turnover, these clothes should be in great condition and hardly worn by the original owner.
3. Books and Textbooks
5. Furniture
The main reason for buying used furniture it not only to save huge amounts of money but to also find unusual, vintage and retro pieces. Unless a furniture shop deals specifically in selling bespoke and vintage items, most will have the most modern and up-to-date styles. To get something a little quirky or unique get yourself online!
6. Sports and Fitness Equipment
Buying a bike or a kayak with a few miles on it, or a weight-training circuit that’s been sitting in someone’s attic collecting dust can save you hundreds of Euro.
7. Tools
Whether you need a lawnmower, weedwhacker or saw, consider shopping second-hand. You just need to check the quality before you hand over the money. Check blades are sharp, any electrical items are working and you get all the accessories for drills etc.
8. Musical Instruments
Most stores that sell musical instruments sell both new and used equipment. Again, just check that the quality of the instrument is still high and that any electrical equipment isn’t faulty in any way.
9. Home Decor
The same reasons for buying used furniture apply here. If you don’t want a generic home filled with items bought from the same places that everyone else buys their items, then buying used home decor online or from car-boot sales or flea markets can really dig up some unique and fascinating objects. You’re guaranteed to find pieces from all over the world and from every kind of era.
10. Formalwear
Formalwear is notoriously expensive! You’re also pretty much guaranteed to only wear it one or twice in a year unless you go to formal events and VIP do’s on a regular basis! So you can probably get away with a secondhand version of a garment you’re only going to wear once or twice at most. And buying secondhand wedding and bridesmaids dresses is definitely the in-thing these days. By doing so you’re probably going to knock a couple of grand off the price tag.
