10 Things You're Better Off Buying Used

http://www.businessinsider.com/things-that-are-better-used-than-new-2011-10?op=1

Pets
Books
Clothes for Your Tot
Bicycles
Furniture
Fancy Formal Wear
Houses
Jewels
Designer Duds
Toys for Your Tot

Again, you need to research both the car and model, but unlike a new car, you have a track record

:shrug:

Or, for that matter, furniture.

Not that I haven't done both. :)

And even get some free pets in the process.

There may be certain tax advantages to having livestock.
OTOH, livestock may violate zoning laws.

one DUer posted about her bedbug infestation after getting a "cheap" used mattress set. The pest control process were a lot less cheap.

There are some tax advantages to owning livestock
:+
Nevermind the bites or itches. That just goes with being an insect Farmer.

There are guys who drive around neighborhoods picking up old stained bed bug infested mattresses. They re-cover them with new looking fabric and sell them for next to nothing. It's nasty.

:shrug:

with all used furniture, not just mattresses. Unfortunately.

:puke:

I always worried about what might be ON that furniture:)

wooden furniture is different.. a good cleaning/stripping etc takes care of "growies":)

and never ever a used mattress:puke:

All of my solid-wood furniture is "used". Some of it for over a century or more.

I know folks that always bought a car one or two years used. The theory was that they take the most depreciation hit the first and second year, so you get a car in pretty good shape for a really good price.

I'm not sure why, but that may not be as true as it once was. People are keeping their cars longer, so the supply of gently used cars is down and the demand high. You take a chance of getting someone else's lemon if you buy on the street, with not much recourse. A "certified" used car from a dealer is safer and warranted, but the cost benefit is less, as well.

While used cars is USUALLY true, the used car market is sort of in the twilight zone right now. The dealers are still offering huge incentives, used car prices are WAY above the norm, and the quality of new cars has gone up considerably. When you consider the differing interest rates for financing new and used, buying a new car is actually a better idea for many people.

I've been looking recently because my wife and I need to replace her (poorly) aging minivan, and I was a bit shocked to realize how narrow the price difference is between late model used cars and new cars. Once we factored in the higher interest rates that are standard with used car financing, the payments were virtually identical. When you factored in dealer incentives on top of that, the new car became a better deal.

I thought it was a local fluke until a few weeks ago, when I heard Clark Howard discussing it on the radio. He was talking to a caller about it, and described it as the oddest car market he'd ever seen, and said that we were in a unique market that probably wouldn't be repeated in our lifetimes. He's usually a huge fan of buying used, but actually told the caller to do her research because buying new may be a better deal right now.

I bet there's less demand for mid 2000s gas guzzlers in the current economy.

...one can buy about seven 1985 Chevy Sprints for less than the battery pack in a Chevy Volt, and still get the same 35mpg in the city (assuming one routinely outruns the base charge in the Volt's batteries, which can happen in half an hour of driving).

So there's no disparity in fuel consumption, and no second system to fail and drag the whole thing down, like that combination VCR/TV you've already thrown away. The price disparity between used and new, however, is an order of magnitude in this case. There's just no way a hybrid can pay for a difference like that, particularly since econoboxes of the '80s and '90s cost less than the fuel an average driver will put through one in a year. (Below a certain income bracket, safety is no longer a valid consideration, either: we poor people cannot afford to be safe.)

Don't get me wrong: if I could choose which car were to fall in my lap for free, I'd pick a hybrid. But if I have to pay for it, I'm going to go for the econo-shitbox, every time.

And it shows that Howard has the tendency to be a bit of a nimrod.

The reason used car prices are so high right now is because of the "Cash for Clunkers" program. That removed over one million units from the used car market because all the vehicles that were turned in during that program were crushed, NOT sent to auction, as they normally would be.

THAT'S why used car prices are so high compared to historical norms. Supply and demand. They took a buttload of units out of the supply.

New cars take a deep hit in value the minute you drive them off the lot. Traditionally, used cars were always the best deal. The problem in the present environment is that nobody can afford new cars, so when the old jalop caves in, they are forced to replace it with something used. As a result, used-car prices are insanely high.

it. I've only had to change the battery, clutch, and exhaust. The car is butt ugly, but has served us well.

None of our vehicles was manufactured in this millennium. We have a hand-me-down '97 Lumina at about 210k miles which my son may have just totaled (waiting to hear from insurance), a '93 Volvo at 200k miles I bought used for $2k in 2007, a '96 Voyager we bought for $1500 last spring also in the 200k mile neighborhood, and we just bought a '99 Camry for $1500. So we've spent about $5k in the past decade on cars, plus some substantial repairs that maybe double the total. A recent model used car will be a big fraction of that total $10k outlay, and that's just one vehicle.

I don't need to be driving something new-looking, and I haven't had a car payment in over a dozen years. I'd love to get a Volt for the sheer technical coolness, but I can't see spending 1/3-1/4 the cost of my house on a car.

one of those pine tree deodorizers at no extra cost. I've only bought two new cars my whole life. I buy used and drive them until they are falling apart. My faves were a 1932 Fiat Balilla, a 1938 Lancia Alpina, a VW beetle, and a 91 Honda Civic. The Fiat had shrapnel damage from WWII. The Lancia had suicide doors that would open when I cornered hard. Loved those cars.

Since I think most cars lose something like 50% of their value the second you drive them off the lot. Why not let someone else take that hit and pick up one that's only a few years old and still works fine. One of the few things most people buy that they could save literally thousands of dollars on.

... should be at the top of the list.

I also like to let someone else work the new house "bugs" out before I move in.

And years of wear and tear, undisclosed little problems (or big ones) and pay more on top of it all for appreciation that the prior owners feel they deserve for living in the property?

They're much more likely to appreciate in the future than newer, cookie-cutter, slapped-together houses.

Only cookie cutter, slapped together houses or 100 year old houses that are rotting from the inside out or have termites.

Either way, if you're looking for a bargain or to be mortgage free, the answer is neither.
Build your own then you know what you're getting and you're not paying for contractors profit and overhead or the banksters profit.

and real foundations with sturdier construction. New houses are often made of spit and tissues.

And used furniture that is vintage and with good lines will appreciate, as opposed to the new junk that is made poorly.

Used pets are the best!!!

formal wear, designer duds?
:rofl: :rofl:

on ebay. I mean really, it was only worn once? what's the point of spending the ridiculous amounts for something like that?

Anyone that knows me understands that Formal wear and me are mutually exclusive.

:shrug:

What should I look for?

TlalocW

Deering Goodtime Banjo

I'm sure, with a little searching, you can find a used one.

And it's made in America!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/folk-traditional-instruments/deering-goodtime-banjo

:hi:

are usually better off buying a used one. You lose money when you drive a new car out of the lot.

If you have a good mechanic check out your car before you buy it, you can get a good deal.

Look at cars, and then once you find one you think you like, pay your mechanic to take a look at it.

There is no guarantee, but that is true of new cars too. If you get a lemon, you have a big problem whether the car is new of used.

You can get great used clothes, especially professional clothes too.

I would watch on buying toys for tots. Depends on the age of the child. Kids 2 and under (and in some cases older) put everything in their mouth. Washing toys may or may not work well enough.

:thumbsup:

I converted part of my garage (insulated) into a gym a while back.

Treadmill, $150
Elliptical, $175
Complete free weight set, $50
Bike trainer, $50
Full resistance band set, $25
10' x 10'x gym floor mat, $30
24" LCD TV, $50

If I'd bought new, I'd have invested thousands of dollars in all that gear, but I'm only in about $500. That treadmill alone cost the original owner about $1200.

IMHO. You can save thousands on a few pieces alone.

Appliances can be a good deal too, if they work. I just saw on someone's lawn today "washing machine, free, works great! Don't want a top loader anymore" I hope someone who needs it gets it!

Philippine farmers cash in on civet coffee dung

LIPA, Philippines — Philippine farmers used to hunt and kill the civets that ate their coffee beans -- until they realised the animals' droppings were worth a small fortune.

Now the ravenous nocturnal raider with the pungent faeces has a status akin to the fabled goose that lays the golden eggs among farmers like Rustico Montenegro, who cleans up after the weasel-like mammals.

"Never in our dreams did we suspect that we could make money out of them," said Montenegro, 44, who switched a few years ago from picking ripe cherries on coffee trees to gathering the undigested seeds excreted on the forest floor.

The small, tree-dwelling palm civet eats the outer fruit of the coffee bean but passes the rest through its stomach.

It is there that the enzymes and acids in the civet's hyper-active digestive system remove the normally bitter aftertaste of the coffee bean and give it a distinctive fruity aroma.

"It has no acidity whatsoever, very full-bodied and the taste is very complex... there's a little bit of spice, a little bit of fruitiness," said chef Jude Mancuya, a civet coffee fan, as he sipped on a cup at a Manila cafe.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hFd2xnC52XXF1F15jxHSA3kMQqgA?docId=CNG.ff0172f0852a5c400262824e98a2e0b3.3e1

oops wrong place.

His previous owners were moving and couldn't take him so they gave him to the local no-kill shelter where we snapped him up a few days later.

I'm pretty sure in these cases the owners just moved without finding a home for them. I've seen it before in other places I've lived.

Their owners apparently didn't care enough to take care of them.

You don't know why your pets were given up. My dog is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. The family home was destroyed in the storm and they couldn't find affordable housing that would allow pets so they had to give him up. In this economy, people losing homes and jobs, another mouth to feed or finding housing that will take pets can be a crippling burden. Personally, I'd rather live in my car with my dog than give him up (living in the car would be a bonus to him), but if it came down to feeding my dog or providing housing for my human child... I only thank God I never had to make a choice like that.

that since I didn't get them in a shelter, their owners didn't care. One dog was found living under a car in the middle of a rural park, so emaciated, and so badly mange-ridden that he'd have probably died in a few days, said my vet.
The other dog lived under a bridge.
The third walked up to our house. A purebread teacup chihuahua, filthy, unneutered, with claws curling around.
A dog I had that has since passed on showed evidence of having been used as a bait dog.
None of that is evidence of dogs who were ever cared for. I deal, in my spare time, with rescue groups. What I see is ungodly mistreatment of dogs and cats.

That's different. Bless you for reaching out and saving your little fellow-travelers. :hug:

but spoiled rotten monkeys now :)

One was "used" in that she was thrown out of her old house when she was a kitten and ended up adopting me. She gave me a free "new" kitty, who've I had his entire life. Both are sweethearts.

Pets - I don't have pets
Books - I prefer electronic licenses for which there is no concept of new or used
Clothes for my tot - We didn't buy used, but we got lots and lots of hand-me-downs
Bicycles - I've bought used ones for myself and my wife, but new ones for the kids. I couldn't find good, used kids bikes.
Furniture - Mixed. You can't always find what you want used.
Fancy Formal Wear - I'm an odd size. I have my formal clothes made. It's more expensive, but much, much easier.
Houses - Mixed. We've built custom and bought used. Lots of trade-offs.
Jewels - I don't have any.
Designer Duds - Don't have any.
Toys - Mixed.

These types of posts are going to be rammed down our throats as the super-committee prepares to take away our strongest safety nets.

Full disclosure - I buy/sell on eBay, have a rescue dog, believe in re-using etc... but I will not have the wealthy 1% gorge themselves in luxury while the M$M they own prepare us for their pro-austerity agenda with tidbits like this.

from "on high" about eating rice and beans, scrimping, and ratcheting down expectations on just about every aspect of life: people who get pensions don't deserve them, not everybody is meant for homeownership/it's good to rent, federal student loans should be ended and replaced with multiple after-school jobs, etc. This isn't friendly "how to get through a recession" advice, this is the 1% telling us that we have more than we deserve and need to adjust to a standard of living that's lower than what our parents and grandparents enjoyed.

What the agenda is. I've been seeing these stories all over the media in an increasing fashion over the last few months.

By the way - all those things you are supposed to buy 'used' you can buy new for cheap if you know what you are doing. I used to dress my kids in higher end kids' clothes. I worked the sales in such a way I rarely bought at less than 60% off, which made the clothes only slightly more expensive than walmart clothes. Then my kids would wear the clothes and because they were better quality, I was then able to consign the clothes (or sell on ebay if they were a 'hot' item. I got $50 for a used outfit once - more than I paid for it) once my kids outgrew them. I saved the ones that weren't in pristine condition for the next kid (I have 4 of the same sex). As a result, I clothed my children in designer duds for very very cheap. The consignment stores I've been in charge quite high prices for designers that are in high demand. For me, it's cheaper to buy new.

As someone else pointed out - in many places it is cheaper to buy a new car than a used car. My parents always used to buy the used cars that were lease buy-backs, because they'd save quite a bit of money. Now it's only a few thousand difference, and with new cars you get 0% financing and a 5 year warranty. For them, after doing the math, they came out ahead with a new vehicle. My dad even gets free oil changes for 5 years.

The whole 'renting is great' crap pisses me off. It's only great if you move a lot, and don't like doing any home maintenance. I am renting for the first time ever, having owned homes since I was 20 years old (divorce, my ex trashed my credit). It SUCKS. You are at your landlord's mercy. You throw away money every month. It's definitely not a way to get ahead. Can you imagine? Large amounts of renters and land/house ownership concentrated in the hands of a few? Woohoo! It's the 1700's all over again!

than at discounters. Shoes, especially--consistently cheaper (when on sale) than going to Kohl's and Famous Footwear. Also home goods, like quilts, throw pillows, towels, etc. Better quality, too. Like you said, just have to shop the sales. I never bought used clothes for my kids, anyway--I only have two of them and never found it necessary. Kid's clothes have never seemed expensive to me. We sometimes buy new cars, sometimes used--our truck is used, because new trucks are out of our price range. As far as renting: yep, unless you are young and starting out, plan to move soon, or are unsure about your job picture, I don't see the advantage of renting. Renting blows, especially when you have kids. I feel that there's a drip-drip-drip from various sources telling us not to expect what we used to take for granted, to become complacent with less and less, and that's bullshit.

yes that is exactly what they are doing - and I see it on this website quite frequently as well.

Nothing wrong with growing fresh veggies, shopping at thrift - if that's what you want to do. I'm sort of a creature of habit so I'll reuse things and I'm perfectly happy with soup every lunch. But should we all be forced to live on slave wages so the wealthy 400 families can have one more yacht? This is getting ludicrous.

Is the super committee reading here? If so I have a message for them.

Never mind, I'm trying to ratchet back on recreational billingsgate.

good point

No one is shoving this down anyone's throat. I like to save money on clothes, old furniture was made of real wood, and no one needs a pedigree dog. I just got two wool Harve Benard skirts and a Harve Benard jacket and I saw a hand-tailored Japanese suit coat for a man at a Goodwill. It probably cost the guy a couple of thousand dollars to have made for himself. None of my kids need a jacket now, so I left it for another person.

It's hard to argue that Americans have over-consummed for decades. There's an argument that can be made in terms of the economy and the environment that advocates moving radically away from our traditional unlimited consumption.

One of my favorite quotes from the Depression Era: "Use it up, wear it out, make it due or do without."

That constant need for new new new is what fuels the 1%.

:sarcasm:

first round of shots and first checkup along with it, which is always cheaper than paying for those things yourself.

Spay/neuter, shots, exam. $83

I went to the Human Society, got all for $100

then pass that on.

Get it from your main county shelter or other shelter (we have both Humane Society and county run facilities here) all of that stuff is included with the adoption fee which is quite low.

What a bargain!

I ran a dog rescue for 4 years, and had to stop because I was destroyed financially. I spent every single penny I made on vetting, spay/neuter, transporting, and my vet even gave me a break. I was not a "rescue," I was a Rescue. Don't give rescues a bad name, please. Thanks.

other type of facility is called. I am using it quotes not for sarcasm but for clarity.

Our local shelter won't adopt to you if you have any kids under 8. I know that when there are young children in a home, I have to be super careful what dog/pup they get, but most hounds are wonderful with everyone, as are labs. Blanket rules are stupid. Oh, and BTW, my rescue fee is $50 less than the local SPCA's fee. And they are spayed/neutered from me, too.

The last time I tried to adopt, the "rescue group" gave preference to families with children and wanted to do house inspections to all the applicants to make sure of whatever. And they wanted $500 because afterall this was what they called a "designer dog" or what "The Shelter" refers to as "Poodle Mix"

But this will be my last reply onthe subject. I'm no longer checking in to this thread because I don't like the growing hostility. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the lounge.

I don't know what it's like where you immediately are, but that's very, very rarely the case with an actual rescue.

Your quotes around rescue groups aside...

And I used quotes for clarity, not for sarcasm. People here are too uptight. I'm just going to go back into the Lounge and not come out. Have a nice day.

washed. I have no idea who would buy a used couch or mattress, for example.

a new one.

Pets - Last five pets have been used and free and all ferrets
Books - About 50-50 on this
Clothes for Your Tot - No kids! I'm totally ahead on this!
Bicycles - I have two unicycles so I guess that makes one bicycle. One half was a gift from my mom. I'm actually looking at buying a bicycle, and I don't think the brand I'm interested in I'll be able to find used because it's high-end, and it folds up when not in use.
Furniture - I bought a good, firm new mattress for my back over 10 years ago, and it's still holding up exceptionally well, and there are no pee stains on it.
Fancy Formal Wear - Where do I have to go that I need this?
Houses - I hate cookie-cutter McMansions
Jewels - Never been a jewelry wearer
Designer Duds - See above answer
Toys for Your Tot - 100% ahead on this!

TlalocW

the Goodwill for months upon months.
Spending spree====$20. :blush:

Granted, I haven't had a car at ALL in nearly 4 years, but still--we always bought used cars when we were still driving.

:evilgrin:

Okay, maybe not those.

I have military rifles in my collection that are over a century old, and still work perfectly well. With proper care, they'll be good for another century...at least.

Some previous-year high-end models can be found for ~$200.

...okay, maybe not so much.

Now it's sitting on their porch.

Real scenic. :sarcasm:

The stupid decisions stupid people make around here just astound me.
Those decisions cost them money and time.

I have an old Singer, made of metal, that was my great-grandmother's.



It does fancy embroidery and everything!

I'm betting the new plastic model my daughter bought won't last her lifetime, let alone three other lifetimes!

Like this one, all steel Slant-o-Matic, circa 1957:


Or an all steel Featherweight:



I have 2 Slant-O-Matics and one Featherweight.

along with a table with a cutout it fits into.

I finally bought a replacement when I couldn't go use my mom's machine for buttonholes anymore (no zigzag on the Featherweight and I don't hand sew buttonholes).

this office chair I'm sitting in right now cost me five bucks and about five minutes with a needle and thread.

I bought a 16 ft trailer for $600 and rent it out to a guy down on his luck for dirt cheap. Its amazingly nice inside. I insulated it a bit more and fixed a leak. It doesnt take much yard space. No hot water or shower but better than a bridge

Too many chances for things to fail.

I'm typing on a 10-year old Thinkpad that I bought refurbished for 75 bucks. I stream news, music and teevee on my IBM NetVista all-in-one that's 9 years old. I've got a Thinkpad 560X that still works like a little champ - all I've ever had to replace on it was the keyboard.

I buy used computer hardware and frankly see no reason to purchase new - aside from replacement peripherals and whatnot.

it got my wife through grad school....posting on it now.

As opposed to "new?"

Even better...perhaps CHILDREN should be at the top of that list.

I remember the Thomas the Tank Engine recall due to lead paint.

Pets: We don't have a pet, but when that day comes, we'll get a shelter or rescue dog.

Books: I get them as gifts, get them from my local used bookstore, or on Paper Back Swap: www.paperbackswap.com (Check it out!)

Kids' Clothes: Consignment, eBay, or with gift cards. I ask for them for holiday gifts.

Bicycles: I got my daughter a mountain bike on Craigslist for $50.

Furniture: If it's not upholstered. I'd buy that new.

Fancy Formal Wear: Why?

Houses: We love our built-in-1970 house. Well-construcetd, good neighborhood, good schools.

Jewels: Estate jewelry is great!

Designer Duds: Don't have any.

Toys: I have great consignment stores near me. They get our outgrown toys, too.