It does not make sense to waste your money buying new when there is such a huge market of gently used items that are just as good as new--for a fraction of the price. Here are the top 9 things you will be better off buying used:
Timeshares. Most people I know regret having purchased a timeshare new. No wonder. They are guaranteed to lose 30 to 70 percent of their value right off the bat, says Liz Pulliam Weston, MSN columnist. If you are convinced that a timeshare is for you, buy it used as a resale. According to TimeSharesUSAResales.com, a site that deals in the secondary timeshare market, you will save on average 67 percent of the new price.
Pets. Buy a purebred puppy from a breeder in California and you will spend at least $700, plus vet bills. Adopt a previously owned puppy from the animal shelter for about $175 including spay/neuter, vaccinations and fees. Savings? Oh, about 78 percent, according to SmartMoney.com.
Software and console games. Games for consoles like the Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation can often be purchased used for half price. Ditto for popular software. Sure you will have to wait awhile after its release, but by then you will know for sure which game or program is a winner, and which are considered losers.
Office furniture. Sadly, many start-up businesses fail before the second year. And many of them invested in fancy furniture. Never buy new office furniture. Check CraigsList.org or local classifieds to find the goods.
Sports equipment. Lots of people buy all kinds of sports equipment from basketballs to ski outfits and everything between--planning to use all of it, of course. And there it sits gathering dust. Find a Play It Again Sports consignment store in your area, (PlayItAgainSports.com) or check out yard sales and newspaper ads.
CDs and DVDs. Used CDs, DVDs and books are quite available. Find the latest releases in pristine condition at discounts of 30 percent or more at websites like Half.com and Abebooks.com. Even if you think you cannot wait, take a look to see if by chance what you want is available used.
Cars. Want to know what happens the second you drive that new car off the dealers lot? Edmunds.com says it loses about 12 percent of its value. That is horrible because if you just financed it for 100 percent of its value, you are upside down before you can even show it off to your friends. Why not let someone else take that upfront depreciation hit by buying a used car? There are so many good, late-model, used cars on the market. It makes no sense to buy new.
Toys. Youngsters grow out of , their toys about as fast as their clothes and that is very good for you and your toddlers. Yesterdays cast-offs are waiting at a yard or tag sale near you. Start looking around. You will be astonished to find nearly new, name-brand toys at a mere fraction of their new price.
Jewelry. Because gems and fine jewelry are marked up so significantly (100 percent is common), you can find great bargains on previously owned fine jewelry at pawn shops for half-price, says Weston. Just make sure you are dealing with a pawn shop that has been in business for a while and has developed a good reputation in the area.
Check out Mary's recently released revised and expanded edition of The Financially Confident Woman (DPL Press, 2008).
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