See other Miscellaneous Articles
Title: 5 Things To Always Buy Used
Source:
Wealth Wire
URL Source: [None]
Published: Sep 20, 2012
Author: Aaron Crowe
Post Date: 2012-09-20 03:18:20 by Tatarewicz
Keywords: None
Views: 276
Comments: 22
Other than a new smell and the satisfaction of being the only owner, buying something new doesn’t make sense for some things. Buying used items can save you a significant amount of money, which can make up for the fact that you don't get the joy of opening a virgin product. If you can live without the smell of a new car or a new book and don't mind not having the original tags to cut off new clothes, you can easily spend half as much while getting quality merchandise. Here are some things you should always buy used: 1. Furniture. For the amount of damage that furniture takes from everyday use, you'd think it would be difficult to find good used furniture. Consignment and estate sales are good places to look, especially in retirement communities where retirees either die or are trying to downsize. "The problem is most people don't have the imagination" to see a piece of furniture that needs to be refinished, which is relatively easy to do yourself, said Suzanne Condie Lambert, who lives in Goodyear, Ariz., and regularly buys used furniture. Besides, she said, older furniture is often built better than the stapled-together, pressed fiber products of today. “It might look nice, but it’s not going to last you very long,” she said of that type of new furniture. 2. Cars. The value of a new car drops by about 20% after you drive it off the lot, and it drops more five years later. Kelley Blue Bookis a good starting point for determining how much a used car should sell for. A used car that's five years old can typically be about a third of the price of a new car, and the insurance is a lot less than it would be for a new car. You likely won't get a warranty with a used car, which was reason enough for Suisun City, Calif., resident Brad Stanhope to buy a new car once among the 13 cars he's bought in his lifetime. He bought a 1988 Hyundai new for $8,000. Since then, he and his wife have bought 10 used cars and have kept them until the vehicles have died -- from two to three years for junkers to eight years for a good used car. “We haven't had a car payment in a long time,” said Stanhope, who has always paid cash when buying a car and has used the savings for living expenses. However, be sure to test the marketplace before blindly plunging into buying used, said LeeAnn Shattuck, who buys cars for her clients through Women’s Automotive Solutions. Demand has been high for used cars during the past three years, while supply has been low, leading to some record-high used car prices, Shattuck said. 3. Baby clothes. Infants grow so fast that it doesn't make sense to buy new clothes that you'll get rid of in a few months. If you've ever had a baby, chances are that some of the new clothes that arrived as gifts were outgrown before they could be used. There are plenty of cute and clean baby clothes at used clothing stores that sell for at least half as much as they do new. 4. Kitchen items. The best kitchen items to buy used are plates, glasses and other dishware that have a vintage look and have a better back story than something you bought off the shelf. If your grandma doesn't need her dinnerware anymore, ask if you can give it a good home. (However, you don't want to buy used appliances such as toasters and blenders that have a limited lifespan or big wooden spoons and other cooking utensils that are cheap enough to buy new and wear out quickly.) 5. Electronics. This isn't for everyone, but buying used laptops, TVs, computers, tables and phones can save you up to 40%, according to the website TechBargains.com. Like buying a used car, you're unlikely to get a warranty -- or maybe one for a year if at all. The Apple store, for example, offers the same one-year warranty for its refurbished items that comes with its new gadgets. Some refurbished electronics are strictly returns that have never been opened. A TechBargains.com back-to-school survey found that half of the people it surveyed would buy refurbished or used electronics to save money. Being the first person on the block to own the latest gadget can be fun, but it isn't worth the extra cost if the manufacturer has bugs to work out -- or if the price will drop when a newer version is released just a few months later. The Investing Answer: Before buying something new, shop for it used to see how much money you can save. If it's enough money to make the risk of it failing worth the cost, then give it a try. There are plenty of places to buy used items online, such as Craigslist or eBay; go with a trusted site and one with a refund policy. If the deal looks too good to be true, don’t buy it. If you’re thinking of buying a used car, hire a mechanic to check it out. Check for defects when inspecting items at consignment or other stores that sell used items; ask the owner the history of the item. Buying from neighbors with an app such as Rumgr lets users take a picture of a used dining room table, for example, and set up a meeting for the exchange. *Post courtesy of Aaron Crowe at Investing Answers. +9
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
The thing I would add to this piece is to always be patient when looking for good used stuff. I spent 6 months waiting for the right lawn tractor to hit Craigslist, but eventually it did. I got a 46 inch MTD with a 17 1/2 horse B&S industrial electric start and fluid drive for $450, about 2 grand less than a comparable new one. Then I spent another 3 months waiting on a wood splitter. Many a time I was tempted to settle for Home Depot junk, but then one day, there she was. A 30 year old homemade 10 HP Kohler engined splitter than can cross cut oak it is so strong. Ugly as a bastard, built from a mobile home axle, the front end from an old Case lawn tractor, and an I-beam, it is heavier than a tank. I got it for $750. More than I wanted to spend, but way more of a splitter than I expected to find, and still several hundred less than the Home Depot shit.
Calling Ron Paul an isolationist is like calling your neighbor a hermit, because he doesn't come over your property and break your windows. - Dave Hebel Ford Mustang Forums
#2. To: Tatarewicz, christine (#0)
i couldnt disagree more with buying used junk. the value of an auto is not merely a "resale value". the value is a reliable clean machine. ask christine about her used car nitemare story. i stupidly bought a used car ONCE Against my better judgement.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#3. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
whotf needs to buy some used couch? Why?? people deserve decent things. unless one doesnt mind someone elses used stuff. to each their own i suppose, but yeesh.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#4. To: Artisan, 4 (#2)
CarProUSA.com will help you with your vehicle purchases.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#5. To: Lod (#4)
weve discussed this before.The value of a new car far outweighs the so-called blue book resale value. noone knows whats infecting or plaguing some used car despite precautions. I use Edmonds.com. Paying a small profit for a new car is no problem,imo.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#6. To: Artisan (#5)
That's why you should check out the CarPro as well as CarGurus.com - Edmunds and Kelley are so yesterday...
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#7. To: Lod (#6)
haha! are they for new or used? basically edmunds just lists the invoice price for every feature. dealers take the offer. thousands off msrp. since i keep my new cars forever, im not in the market any more.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#8. To: Artisan (#7)
CarPro has his recommended dealers while the Gurus do price comparisons by pricing in specific zip codes of used vehicles. Both will save consumer plenty bucks. Both are free.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#9. To: Lod (#8)
a friend of mine worked as a salesman for a new car dealer & they gipped him of pay. he said he is shocked at how evil they are. well, theyre car dealers, whatd he expect lol. he took them to the labor board & is suing them in small claims to recoup.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#10. To: Lod (#8)
the story of christines used car. it was some horrid smell permeating from deep insde. i forget the details. i had a similar problem with mold that landed me in the hospital 12 yrs ago. We have more important matters to attend to.Lesson= F the used shit.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#11. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
Used furniture can have bedbugs.
#12. To: strepsiptera (#11)
But there is no extra charge for them.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" 
#13. To: Artisan (#5)
I've only bought one new car in my lifetime, the others have been used and they've been great vehicles. I bought a 1989 Honda Civic with 60,000 miles from an airline mechanic and ran that sucker up to 250,000 miles with no major repairs and no leaks. I traded it in on my current truck which was less than 1 year old and had 10,000 miles on it. I've currently got 220,000+ miles on it with no major repairs and no leaks. I guess I've been lucky......
-Alex Kurtagic
#14. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
I think, before buying used upholstered furniture, keep in mind that there was a bedbug crisis a couple of years back. Be very careful that you are not bringing tainted furniture into your home.
#15. To: Lod (#6) (Edited)
A used car dealership nearby my house is selling used cars for as much as $14,000.00. I am looking for a used car but not around this town. They want too damn much money. I am familiar with the Kelly Book. I heard from a taxi driver, that one lady got ripped off from a used car dealership in my area and the laws in my state say that Lemon laws don't apply to used cars. So, for somebody like me looking around to buy a used car is one hell of a task. I'm trying to get a car so I can find a better paying job.
#16. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
I don't pay for anything since I steal everything. Although, it is hard to get the gas taste out of my mouth from siphoning all those tanks.
I sense a disturbance in the farce. Much gnashing will ensue.
#17. To: X-15 (#13)
i'm glad youve had no problem. for me, ive always dreiven a lot & drive the hell out of my cars. Used for me is a no go.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#18. To: purplerose (#15)
from my experience years ago, buying a used car in CA, more consumer protection laws cover used cars from new car dealerships than the mere used car lot. so if u biuy used, buy from a new dealer that has a used selection.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#19. To: Artisan (#18)
But how will that protect me if State law does not protect me from used cars soon discovered to be a lemon found in new car dealerships? so if u biuy used, buy from a new dealer that has a used selection.
#20. To: purplerose (#19)
That is a good question. state laws vary, but i know in CA, the laws governing car dealerships and the recourse consumers have, specifically differed depending on whether you bought from a new dealer or used dealer. i dont remember the details though. But it seems like a better bet to buy from a large new dealer that has more to lose. if youre gonna spend any decent amount of money though i would definitely buy NEW and not used. car dealers are desperate and will give outstanding deals. I use EDMUNDS.com to buy all my new cars. it is free, great site.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
#21. To: Artisan (#10)
and the car had little tiny bugs too! we finally got rid of those, but that was gross. otoh, i bought my Lexus RX350 used (certified preowned) and couldn't be happier. it was so fresh, it looked like it was brand new and could have just come off the showroom floor. it's a 2008, but, i have to say, everything the Lexus dealer in Austin does is A++--a real class organization.
#22. To: christine (#21)
Im glad you got a great car after the other experience. After the mold nitenare many yrs ago, I learned everything there is to know about buying new & used cars. that was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. mold can be a killer, Shikes.
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest