8 Things You Should Always Buy Used To Save Money (2024)

Buying new has its benefits, but you’ll get a better value for your money by buying these things secondhand.

Jill Nystul·March 2, 2024


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When I think back to my days as a young mother, I realize how much I relied on our local thrift store. As a stay-at-home mom, I don’t know how else I would have kept our four rapidly growing kids clothed on our one-income budget!

And even though I’m in a much different situation now, I still love thrift stores and secondhand shops. Shopping at these places is a great way to save money and cut down on waste, no matter your financial situation!

This post is an ode to buying used. Check out 8 things you should consider buying used below, along with explanations as to how they can save you money.

8 Things You Should Buy Used To Save Money

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1. Baby Clothes

As parents, we want the very best for our kids, right down to the clothes we dress them in! But babies grow so fast that you won’t get much mileage out of brand-new baby clothes.

Look for gently used baby clothes at local thrift stores, garage sales, and resell shops like Kid to Kid. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding great deals on used baby clothes in like-new condition!

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2. Cars

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a reliable car in good condition, but that doesn’t mean you have to limit your search to new cars! A car that is slightly used (like last year’s model, or one that has a few thousand miles on it) may be thousands of dollars cheaper than its brand-new counterpart.

To learn more, check out this Money Crashers article about the benefits of buying a slightly used car.

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3. Hand Tools

Whether you’re replacing one of your hand tools or you’re starting your first collection, buying them used can be a great way to save money. There’s no reason to pay more for new ones when a used hammer, wrench, or screwdriver works just as well! (However, motorized and powered tools do wear out over time, so you’re probably better off buying those new.)

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4. Furniture

You’d be surprised at how many nice pieces of barely-used furniture I’ve snagged at our local thrift store over the years! It can take time and effort to find the right piece of used furniture, but it could easily save you hundreds of dollars over buying it new!

And even if something isn’t exactly your style, there are plenty of options for customizing the look of your furniture. Try painting old laminate furniture, or cover a dated-looking sofa with an attractive slipcover!

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5. Gift Cards

Buying pre-owned gift cards at a discount (even if it’s a small one) is an easy way to save money on purchases you were already planning on making. For instance, say you planned to go get a few new things at Old Navy.

On a site like Raise, you could buy a pre-owned $25 Old Navy gift card for around $20 to use on that shopping trip, saving you $5 instantly!

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6. Books

It isn’t just college students who can save money by buying their books used! Used bookstores are a great place to get the most bang for your buck on new-to-you reading material.

You can also find used books on Amazon and eBay. And when you’re done reading them, you can always resell them to make some money back to buy another used book!

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7. Sports Equipment

Leave the premium prices of top-of-the-line sports equipment to the pros! Whether it’s for you or the kids, you can save a small fortune by buying used sports equipment instead of the new stuff.

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8. Jewelry

Cars aren’t the only items that rapidly depreciate — jewelry does too! You can find great used jewelry pieces at pawn shops, auctions, and on eBay. Take any used piece to a jeweler for a thorough cleaning and it’s sure to look good as new! :-)

Great Places To Shop Secondhand

What do you buy used to save money?

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8 Things You Should Always Buy Used To Save Money (2024)

FAQs

8 Things You Should Always Buy Used To Save Money? ›

The premise of the 30-day savings rule is straightforward: When faced with the temptation of an impulse purchase, wait 30 days before committing to the buy. During this time, take the opportunity to evaluate the necessity and impact of the purchase on your overall financial goals.

What is the 30 day rule? ›

The premise of the 30-day savings rule is straightforward: When faced with the temptation of an impulse purchase, wait 30 days before committing to the buy. During this time, take the opportunity to evaluate the necessity and impact of the purchase on your overall financial goals.

What is the best thing to save money for? ›

  • Emergency fund. Nearly a quarter of savers who take the America Saves pledge chose “emergency savings” as their first wealth-building goal.
  • Large Purchase. ...
  • Car. ...
  • Vacation. ...
  • Retirement. ...
  • Debt Repayment. ...
  • Education. ...
  • Homeownership.

What should I spend my saved money on? ›

What do people spend their money on?
  • Housing. Housing is one of the major things people spend money on. ...
  • Food and groceries. ...
  • Transportation. ...
  • Healthcare. ...
  • Clothing and personal care products. ...
  • Pay off high-interest debt. ...
  • Build up an emergency fund. ...
  • Invest the money in a low-cost index fund.
Apr 8, 2024

How to save in 2024? ›

A good place to start is to look at your spending and cut out memberships and services you haven't used or can do without. A side hustle and freelance work can add an income stream that goes directly into your savings account — as long as you keep your spending in check.

What is the 50/30/20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

What is the 9o day rule? ›

In other words, staying more than 90 days on one stay, then leaving the country and returning, resets the “90-day clock.” To avoid breaking the 90-day rule, an applicant must wait 90 days since their most recent entry to the United States before marrying or seeking to adjust their status..

How to save 100k in 3 years? ›

Five tips to help you save $100,000 faster
  1. Live below your means and cut frivolous spending. ...
  2. Be hyper-aware of every monthly expense and ruthlessly cut back to save faster. ...
  3. Pay down high-interest debts like credit cards first. ...
  4. Find the financial institution that will get you the highest interest rate.
Mar 27, 2024

Is $5,000 a good savings? ›

Saving $5,000 in an emergency fund can be enough for some people, but it is unlikely sufficient for a family. The amount you need in your emergency fund depends on your unique financial situation. Consider these rules of thumb and other factors to calculate your ideal emergency fund amount.

What are the 5 things to buy to be happier? ›

After basic needs are met, science confirms that intentional purchasing in areas like experiences, health activities, time efficiency services, hobbies, and education provides more well-being than material goods.

What can I cancel to save money? ›

Consider cutting these 13 recurring expenses to keep your budget on track:
  • Streaming Services. ...
  • Delivery Memberships. ...
  • Credit Card Interest Payments. ...
  • Data Storage. ...
  • Cable Bill. ...
  • Unnecessary Insurance. ...
  • Pricey Gym Memberships and Exercise Classes. ...
  • Costly Gifts.

How to save $1000000 in 5 years? ›

Saving a million dollars in five years requires an aggressive savings plan. Suppose you're starting from scratch and have no savings. You'd need to invest around $13,000 per month to save a million dollars in five years, assuming a 7% annual rate of return and 3% inflation rate.

How does the 30 day rule work? ›

The so-called 30-day no contact rule is a different category because people tend to think that there's this magic number of days to where your ex is ready for you to contact them and that's sort of what it's suggesting, that if you just wait 30 days then you can contact your ex.

What is the 30 day rule money? ›

The 30 day rule is simple. When you feel the urge to spend money on a 'want' you have to put the amount you'd spend on it into a savings account. Then you wait 30 days. At the end of this period, if you still want to buy the item, you can.

What is the 30 day wash rule? ›

Q: How does the wash sale rule work? If you sell a security at a loss and buy the same or a substantially identical security within 30 calendar days before or after the sale, you won't be able to take a loss for that security on your current-year tax return.

What is the 30 day rule for capital gains tax? ›

1) Use or lose the annual CGT allowance

If you do this within 30 days, then you would be deemed to have bought it back at the original cost and not realised any gains. This tax avoidance rule is sometimes known as the 'bed and breakfast' rule.

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