Be Vigilant When Buying Secondhand

Tip #285 - Be Vigilant When Buying Secondhand. One of the best ways to cut down on expenses is to buy used (rather pre-owned which sounds so much nicer). Other than consumables such as food, gas, cleaning supplies, most items have a life span that can transcend two or more people. And for most things out there, the cost of the item is most expensive in the first half or less of its life than the rest of its life. Of course, we all know that's true for a car. But it's also true of electronics, movies, books, furniture, clothing, household items, and other things. This is generally the case because people pay a premium to be the first to use something, the item is the latest and newest out there, and because the chances are close to 100% that the item works, and if not, you can usually get a full refund. On the other hand, if you buy used, er, um, secondhand most people expect a discount. They know they are not the first to use the item. They are aware that it is not the most recent edition or latest fashion, but what they may not be aware of unless they are vigilant is whether the item is fully usable, fully functional, complete, and unbroken.

If you have been trying to cut down on expenses and have started to embrace buying preowned items, make sure you are not wasting money buying things that seem to be a good deal only to find out the item is damaged. In other words, do not be so excited by your screaming good deal that you forget to check the item over. What looks like a great deal instead may turn out to be a waste of money that could have been spent toward something else. Therefore, be vigilant looking over your items before you pay. Look over everything once and then do it a second time. Here are some common things to look for when buying used:

Clothing:
--Make sure that zippers zip properly
--Check that buttons (snaps, hooks, etc.) are present and accounted for
--Make sure elastic is not stretched.
--Inspect that there are no stains (or you are comfortable with the ones you see)
--Check if stitching is not coming unraveled (or you know you can fix what you see)
--Make sure the size is accurate. Preowned clothes have often been washed numerous time and may have shrunk. A preowned size 12 may be different than a new 12, for example.
--Check that no part of the item is stretched out

Electronics:
--Do not buy unless you can test it or it's returnable.
--Make sure all parts are included (blade is in bread machine, chain is in light fixture, etc.)
--If you are at a yardsale, ask the owner how it works and then ask to test it. For example, ask for a CD to test a CD player, plug in a tv or radio, test out a video game player. If you are at a thrift store, there are usually outlets to test things. And there are often DVDs laying around that you can use to test it. Lights should light up, the motor on the blender should purr, the blade in the bread machine should spin.
--If it's a battery-operated device, battery covers should be present and not corroded. Ask for batteries to test it or better yet carry batteries in your car so you can test things.
--Make sure cords are not moth-eaten or worn and are fully intact.

Furniture:
--Make sure all legs are sturdy for tables, dressers, etc.
--Check that upholstery is not ripped or stained (unless, of course, you are planning to recover it)
--Make sure drawers slide easily, doors close
--Inspect that all pieces are presents (shelves, handles, hinges, screws, etc.)

Household Items:--For glassware, run your finger around the rim to feel if there are any chips. Run it along the handle (for mugs) and along the bottom, too. Feeling is more accurate than looking
--Look for fading on pictures, decorated kitchenware, or the color on general items.
--Look for cracking of pottery, ceramics or other breakable materials such as lamp bases, vases, dishes, glass in a picture frame, etc.

Books:--Check that the spine is not cracked
--Make sure there are no missing pages or loose pages
--Check for stains or mildew
--Inspect books for curled pages that indicate it may have gotten wet

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not add that when you get home with your purchase, look on the consumer product safety commission website to see if any of your items have been recalled. Stores aren't supposed to sell these items, but I'm sure some squeak through. And recalled items probably abound at yardsales.

The list above is not meant to be comprehensive but just some suggestions on what to look for when buying used. All of the above are typical flaws you may find when buying items secondhand. Some of the flaws may be acceptable to you or may be easily fixed. As long as you are aware of them, there are no problems. It's when you impulsively buy something secondhand only to come home and find a flaw that the purchase becomes a disappointment and a waste of money. So please when you are buying things that are preowned, allow extra time to inspect what you are buying before you pay for the item.

If you cannot check everything to your liking because you do not have the time or the right tools to do so, then only spend money on the item that you can afford to waste. Think of it as something you are willing to take a chance on.

In Real Life - I've mentioned in the past that I have joined the "buying used" bandwagon. And I have become an enthusiastic secondhand buyer. I buy most of my kids' clothes secondhand, their toys, some of my clothes, furniture, dishes, books, and, um, pretty much most everything.

This post comes from, unfortunately, a lot of experience buying preowned things that were not up to my expectations. I bought a boxed set of books at a thrift store that turned out to be mildewed and curled inside - the whole thing went in the recycling bin and about $4 in the trash (well in the thrift store's cash register). I've bought dishes that had chips that I didn't realize until I got home. They went in the trash. I've bought my children pants where I could not zip the zipper and skirts that didn't hook. I've purchased clothes that have light stains that I didn't notice. We bought a radio that we assumed would work but did not. We bought a swing that had been recalled (we were able to get a replacement through the company, though). We've bought furniture where the drawers did not slide smoothly, although it was such a good deal we didn't care nor expect it to be perfect.

And that is the key to buying used, I think. You shouldn't expect it to be perfect, because most of the items have at least been handled before or possibly used extensively. As long as price is commensurate with the wear and tear on the item and you are aware of any non-functioning or broken parts of the item before you buy, then all is good. Just make sure you look everything over before you pay.

PS. I have to apologize about my long absence. I thought I put a post up a few weeks ago explaining but I see that it is not here. I'm sure I wrote it, and thought I hit "publish post" but it's not here. Hmmm...I don't know. Anyway, I had some personal issues I needed to deal with but hope to be a more regular blogger (at least weekly) from now on. Thanks!

When Buying Used, Compare to Other Used Prices

Tip #283 - When buying Used, Compare to Used Prices. I am a big proponent of buying things used. Most of the time, buying things used will cut the cost of an item by at least 25% and sometimes as much as 95%. As long as the item is in acceptable condition and has enough life left in it, it is preferable to buy this way in order to save money. You have to find what is acceptable to you for buying used. It may include household items, furniture, clothes, toys, cars, or other things.

As with any item you buy, make sure you do the research first to find out exactly what it is you want to buy and secondly find out if you are paying the best used price for it. Most of the time, the used price will be better than the new price, but you really want to find out if the price you are paying is better than buying the item used elsewhere if it available elsewhere used.

For example, suppose you want to buy a small clock. You do your research and decide you want to buy a brand called LaPort (made up name for example). The best price you can find in the store is $79 and that is when it is on sale. However, you decide you really want to pay less than that and you scour the Craigslist ads. To your delight you find one listed on there for $40 and are thrilled. You check it out, find out that it is 3 years old and in pretty good shape. You buy it and are happy that you paid half price for this clock. So did you get a good deal or not? Well, it's really hard to say. Sure you paid 50% of retail but the item has some wear and has three years' of use on it. It would be expected that it would cost less than retail. The truth is, it's hard to tell if you got a good deal because you are comparing a used item to a new item. The best way to see if you got a good deal is to compare it to prices of the preowned items.

A good place to check out used prices for things is eBay. If you can beat eBay's price, then you are doing pretty well. Because eBay is such a large marketplace you can get a good idea of the value of the item. However, sometimes there is a bit of auction fever on there, and prices go unrealistically high. So the best policy is to look at several of your item and take the typical price your item sells for. If you are buying locally, the price should generally be a bit less than eBay's price not including shipping. So suppose after you buy the clock, you look on eBay and see that most of the used clocks are selling in the $50-$55 range plus $5 shipping, then you can feel confident that you got a good deal on your used one. But supposed the clocks are mostly selling for $25 then it appears you have overpaid a bit.

It may not have seemed that you overpaid at first because the price was better than if you had bought it new. But if you can get it elsewhere used for an even lower price, then it isn't a good deal. The reality is, used items should cost less than new ones, so the best way to tell if you have gotten a good deal is to compare it to prices on used items, not new ones. If the item is somewhat uncommon or hard to find used, then you have no choice but to compare it to new items and see if it is worth buying it at a lesser price for an item that has some wear or use on it.

Also, when buying used, there are other things to consider, how quickly you need the item, whether you can touch the item and test it out, how convenient it is to pick up the item, and the item's condition. Take all of those things into consideration, too when deciding if a used price of an item is fair. But just make sure you don't fall into the trap of only comparing the item to new prices, if it is available used elsewhere, as that is a better gauge of the true value of the item.

In Real Life (IRL) - As most of my posts come from circumstances and experiences I have had in real life, this one is no different. I am an experienced thrift store, Craigslist, and eBay buyer. I an generally a smart shopper and can gauge whether I am getting a good deal on things I buy. So I don't know what happened to me last week when I got caught up in the buying fever and overpaid for something used. Here is the story...

My son is a HUGE Thomas the train fan. All along he has been collecting the die-cast metal trains with plastic tracks. But at friends' houses and other places he has become enamoured with the wooden sets. And I was starting to see the value in the durability of these sets. So for the first night of Hanukkah I bought him a small wooden starter set (new and on 1/2 price sale) as his big present to open. I wasn't yet convinced I wanted to switch over to the wooden tracks completely but I had no other "big" gift for him, and I knew he'd enjoy it. Then one day a couple of weeks ago, my husband took my son to the thrift store. And while they were there a staff member put out a big tub of wooden Thomas tracks, bridges, and building. The price was $16 and absolutely was a steal. Needless to say, my husband bought it, and when they came home we set up all of the track on our train table.

And it was clear at this point, that we were not going to get away from collecting the wooden Thomas trains and tracks. On the next free day, I went over to AC Moore, a craft store that carries wooden Thomas trains to check out their prices. Like Michael's, they have 40% off coupons (and sometimes 50%) in the paper and on their website. I was shocked at how expensive the wooden trains were - $12.99 to $16.99 for a single train and $19.99 to $22.99 for a train with a coach. Ouch, even at half-price the cost would be a minimum of almost $7 per train with tax. The next day, I looked on Craigslist to see what people were selling. Unfortunately, most people were selling tracks or a train table which we didn't need. But one woman was selling a set that included 25 trains among other things for $100. "$4 per train?" I thought. I figured it was less than half price of the ones I saw at the store, so I went over her house and purchased them.

But after I came home I got buyer's remorse. I don't know why, as I am an experienced buyer, that I did not look around at prices of used trains elsewhere. I just compared the prices of the new trains at the store. And I only was interested in the trains. The seller included tracks and some other things that I didn't need, so while $100 was an okay price for the whole set, it really wasn't a smoking deal for just the trains. And I realized that when I started searching eBay for lots of used wooden Thomas trains. Many were going for $3 or less per train including shipping. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach that I overpaid because even though they were less than half price of the new trains, they were also significantly used. Some were missing pieces; paint was peeling on others. They should have been significantly less than new.

I was beating myself up over this purchase. How could I have been so dumb to jump on the first deal I saw? Why didn't I research the prices of used wooden Thomas trains first? I know it's because I went to the retail store first and was comparing the used prices to those prices, and it wasn't a fair comparison. If I had looked at eBay first, I would have realized that I could easily do better than $4 per used train. I feel a bit better about my purchase now because over the weekend I was able to sell off the tracks and buildings that came with that lot for $35 which brings my cost of the trains to less than $3 per train which is more in line with the going rate of used wooden trains. And I've learned my lesson when buying used.

Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle - Part 2

Tip #118 - Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle – Part 2. Today we will talk about part 2 of this triad. After we have done all that we can to reduce the amount of stuff we consume, out next step is to reuse the stuff we already have. Reducing and reusing go hand in hand. We can reuse something already in existence rather than buy something new, thereby reducing our consumption of new materials and packaging. For example, your son may need a baseball glove for little league this year. Rather than go to a store and buy a new glove with new packaging, you can find an old glove worn by someone previously and reuse that one.

But let’s suppose you are starting with a clean slate. You have nothing and cannot find a pre-owned item that you need. Suppose, for example, that your daughter needs a pair of size 6 shoes and you can’t find a used pair that works. So you buy your child a new pair of shoes. After a year, she outgrows these shoes. Then the next step is to reuse this item. This item still has useful life left in it. So you can save them for your younger daughter to wear when she grows into size 6 shoes. Or if you don’t have another daughter, you give them or sell them to someone who does.

Apply that concept to other things around your home. You receive a gift from your boss in a nice box. Rather than throwing that box away, you can reuse that box to put a different gift in. The more things you reuse or buy used, the less effect you have on the environment. And more importantly for the focus of this blog, you save money. Using an article of clothing from your first child for your second child does not cost you anything, whereas buying a new article of clothing does. Reusing books from a friend or the library does not cost you anything either. You can be creative in your reuse beyond the typical clothes and books, and you do not have to use the item for its original purpose. A food container can become a craft project. A string from a balloon can become a ribbon for wrapping a present. An old mug can become a pencil container.

Before you go to the store to buy something, think about what you have around the house that you can reuse for the purpose that you need. And remember that reusing does not have to be just from items you, yourself own. Buying used is reusing items. Places such as Craigslist and Freecycle are excellent sources for used items. Pre-owned items almost always cost less than their new counterparts. By buying something pre-owned or reusing something you already have you are cutting down on wasting raw materials and packaging, while saving money as well.

In Real Life (IRL) – I am constantly reusing what I have. In fact, other than a supermarket, I hardly ever set foot in a retail store. I mostly already have what I need and when a need arises for something “new” I usually look for it on Craigslist or a yard sale for a used version. So I guess you could say I am a big reuser.

In context of reusing something I have, I try hard to look at something before I throw it away to see if I can do something else with it before adding it to the landfill. One recent example I can think of is egg cartons. We buy eggs at the local grocery store or at Costco. And I hate to throw away the egg containers because surely they can be reused somewhere. Well, last summer I found out where. At a pick-your-own farm we went to I saw that they sell fresh eggs and people bring them empty egg cartons to use. So now I have a pile of egg cartons in my garage to bring to them this spring. In the meantime I was able to use one for starting our indoor garden.

Things that I cannot use anymore I give away hoping to keep the items out of a landfill since there is still useful life left in the article. By giving things away, I often get things in return too. A friend with a son 9 months older than mine often gives me clothes. I, in turn, pass on clothes to a different friend with a son 9 months younger than mine. If I don't give it away, I sell it. Giving things away or selling them helps the environment and makes or saves me money, too.

Check Out Kids' Consignment Sales In Spring And Fall

Tip #76 - Check Out Kids' Consignment Sales Each Spring and Fall. Every spring and every fall in many areas across the USA, preschools, moms groups, churches, civic groups, and private organizations hold kids' consignment sales. These are not yard sales or rummage sales, and they are not consignment stores. They are seasonal sales put on by a group, usually associated with children. Here's how they work:

In advance of the sale, members of the group or from the general public bring children's clothing, toys, baby gear, outdoor play equipment, etc. to sell. The owner decides on the price she wants for the items; she tags them as such, and leaves them with the consignment sale staff to be sold.

Then on a given weekend, the consignment sale is held. It is usually held on a Saturday, but some are also held on Sundays or on Thursdays and Fridays. Some sales may be a week-long. Buyers from the area shop at the sale, buying items that are tagged from all different sellers. Usually items are 50% to 75% below the original retail cost. Real bargains can be found as some sellers tag their items far below retail value. The great benefit for the buyer is having all of these children's items in one location. A full season of clothing, toys, and gifts can be purchased from one or two consignment sales.

After the sale is over, the seller collects the money from the consignment sale staff for all of her items that sold. Usually, she splits the sale price with the group sponsoring the consignment sale - often a 50-50, 60-40, or 70-30 split. The group cleans up their sale location and they don't hold another sale until the following consignment sale season - usually in the fall and spring. The seller goes home happy because she made some money on thing her children don't use anymore. The buyer goes home happy because she bought things she needs for far below retail value. And the consignment sale sponsors are happy because they have made some money for their group.

If you have never been to a kids' consignment sale and are interested in either selling at one or shopping at one, there is a site called Kids Consignment Sales that has a general list of seasonal sales in different parts of the country. There is also The Bargain Watcher site. Click on your state and city in either site to find sales in your area. These sources are not comprehensive, but they are a good place to start. In the DC area where I live, there is a site called Our Kids that has a pretty accurate list of sales in Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland. I'm sure other cities have local lists, as well. Sometimes when you are attending consignment sales you can talk to other shoppers and find out what other sales are in the area or which ones are bigger, have better prices, have more items, etc.

As a seller, seasonal kids' consignment sales are a great place to make a few dollars on things you don't use anymore. You can usually price things higher than you would at a yard sale. While you have to split the proceeds that you make, you will often get many more targeted buyers so you should sell much more than you would at a yard sale. Also, you might be able to sell with a group whose cause you believe in or to help out a local preschool.

As a buyer, you will find that prices are often higher than at yard sales. But rather than spend every Saturday all summer long looking for bargains, you can find thousands of items under one roof. Typical items at kids' consignment sales include: strollers, clothing from infant to teen, outdoor toys, highchairs, bouncy seats, board games, dolls, sheets, sports equipment, shoes, books, videos and dvds, computer games, baby toys and items, maternity clothes, puzzles, etc. The prices are generally cheaper than at consignment stores. Also, you will often find a large price range for items since items are priced by various individuals. Furthermore, many of these sales will have a 1/2 price day the last day of the sale or a 1/2 price hour for the last hour of the sale. This is often a good time to snag some bargains on items that didn't sell.

If you have never been to a kids' consignment sale before and if you have children, I urge you to check out the sales in your area. You will find them to be a great place to make a little extra money or to save some money on items you need to buy.

In Real Life (IRL) - I love, love, love kids' consignment sales. Every winter I look forward to the spring time when I can start attending them again. They are already marked on my calendar. My husband knows that Saturday mornings in March and April are mine (as well as Saturdays in September and October). Sales in my area usually start at 8 or 9 AM. I try to get there very early to get the best things. And if I can't get there early I will often wait to go to the 1/2 price sale if there is one. While the large ones have a great selection. I find that the smaller ones often have better prices.

I have been attending these sales for about 5 years and in the past I have bought name brand dresses such as Gymboree and Little LuLu. I have bought American Girl doll clothing and accessories. I have bought vintage toys. I have bought Daisy and Brownie uniforms as well as the handbooks for my daughter. I have purchased a whole season's worth of clothing for each of my children. I have found a vintage Little Tikes Dollhouse filled with dolls and accessories. I've bought crib sheets and a changing pad, socks, jackets, and shoes. I've bought board games and toys. The list goes on and on.

During the fall sales, I usually buy things for the upcoming holiday season and my daughter's birthday. In the spring I look for outdoor play things and for my other daughter's birthday. In both seasons I also look for things to resell on eBay. Each sale has a wide variety of things that I rarely leave empty-handed. If you want to see a picture of one of the sales I've attended in the past, check out this website for Dani's Duds. They are one of the largest sales in the DC area. And while they now have an entrance fee to attend, most sales do not. But it will at least give you an idea of what types of things are sold and the scale of these sales (remembering that this sale is bigger than most). If you get a chance, check out a kids' consignment sale this spring. I think you'll enjoy it.

Resist Temptation

Tip #23 - Resist Temptation. It's very hard to not spend money when everyone around you is. When your friends are eating out, you want to join them. When your family buys the latest things at the mall, you wish to go, too. When you hear about neighbors' vacations to Carribbean islands, it's hard to not want to fly away also. But try to resist temptation. He who laughs last, laughs loudest. The more you hold on to your money, the more security you will feel and the more you will have later to do what you want to do.

If you know that friends of yours are eating dinner out at a fancy restaurant and you wish to go along, try to resist by making a special meal at home. Or find a coupon 2-for-1 that makes the cost of eating out pretty cheap. You hear about your family's trips to the shopping mall buying the latest gadgets. Resist by telling yourself, most of them will be sold at a garage sale for 1/4 of the price within a year or two. If you have an urge to shop, go to the cheapest thrift store you know about. A lot of retail therapy can be had for $2 or $3. Or if it's yard sale season, spend the morning going to yard sales. And smile each time you pay $1 for an item that was $10 or $20 last Christmas season. When you see your neighbors come back with tans after Christmas vacation, tell yourself that you will be the tan one in retirement. Or if you really, really want to do a dream vacation, then forgo a vacation for a year or two to save up for a big, expensive one. Or find a cheaper alternative than an island at Christmas time. The Florida beaches in the first two weeks of December or during the month of January is much cheaper than the week of Christmas or in February. And if you can drive there, the vacation can be surprisingly affordable.

Try to resist the spending temptation. Stay home more. Find cheap or free activities. But if you can't resist, give in cheaply. You'll be thankful later on.

In Real Life (IRL). Shopping at the mall does not entice me. Not one bit. I am a mall hater. I hate the crowds, the indoor air, and the prices. Ugh. Give me a thrift store any day over a mall. I never know what treasures and bargains I will find. And the cost is a fraction of the mall. But I know that some people love the mall and the fact is, the more you shop, the more you spend. So if you love the mall or shopping in general, then you just have to stay out of the stores if you want to save money. Or learn to love thrift stores and yard sales. While it is sometimes tempting to buy things you don't need at a thrift store or yard sale because the prices are so good, you usually don't waste a lot of money doing it. And if you do, you can always use earlier advice I gave you and sell what you don't want.

Eating out is a temptation of mine. It's nice to not have to cook and even nice to not have to clean up. And frankly, the restaurant food usually tastes better than my cooking. But when I realize the mark-up on restarant food, I try hard to resist. We generally try to eat out (or take in) just once a week. It gives me a much-needed break and allows us to get the eating out need fulfilled. We always do something that is a good deal. Like we get coupons for Baja Fresh in the mail every few months. They have $5 off $15 deals. We usually get off by spending just about $12 for a meal for the 5 of us. It gives us a break and a change of food for not a lot of extra money. We usually eat Chinese about once a month or when our parents visit. We like it and I cannot recreate their food at home very well. With lot of people, the cost per person isn't too bad (usually about $5 per person) with leftovers for another meal or part of one. We do other deals when we see them - coupons for Indian food or pizza, etc. When a meal is $15 or less for our family, we usually do that for our one night per week of eating out. This one night of eating out is in our budget so it's fine for us to do it. The one thing I often resist is girls' night out events that some of my mom friends partake in. If I go, I know I end up spending much more than I'm eating and because I don't drink, I often pay for others' drinks. I end up not having a good time because I know the evening will be an expensive one, so I often just bow out.

Vacations are a big temptation for me. I hate the cold, and the thought of a warm island in winter sounds very good to me. But Florida is even better - financially, that is. We always go in January when our kids have a 2-day school holiday. For some reason, "high" season in Florida is February. We usually drive to Florida from our Virginia home in about 15 hours. We usually spend one night on the road at a decent hotel for in the $60 range. We've also stopped in Orlando for a day or two and gotten hotels for $75 per night. We just spend one day at the park and then go on our way to visit family in South Florida. Hotels there cost about $100 per night including breakfast. For activities we go to the beach which is free. Swimming at the hotel is free, too! We go to some nature preserves - also free. Flea markets - free or can be money-making if you find some goodies to sell on ebay. We even just enjoy going to playgrounds in the sunshine. That is a big treat in January! For a week's vacation to Florida in January, we spend about $300 in gas (if it's $3 a gallon). We spend about $125 for hotels on the ride down and back. And $500 for hotels while we are there. Breakfast is included in the hotel cost. Lunch is often sandwiches that we buy at the local supermarket and dinners are eaten out. I will admit that our family usually treats for dinner, but even if we pay, restaurants are very cheap in South Florida. There are diners and delis and all-you-can-eat places that are $6 per meal with kids even cheaper or free. Our whole vacation costs about $1000 to $1200 for a family of 5 for a week. Not bad when you consider it's a getaway to sunshine in the dead of winter. Plus we get to keep our heating bill down back home (we lower the thermostat but don't turn it off). This vacation is in our yearly budget not just because it's a getaway for us but because both sets of our parents are there so we like to visit them once per winter.

By taking a cheaper way of doing things you enjoy, you can resist more expensive temptation. You will fulfill a need but not spend a lot of money. Make sure that even these "cheaper" items are in your budget, too.

Buy Used

#3 Saving Money Tip - Buy Used. Go Ahead. You can do it. Don't be afraid. Seriously. Buying used can save you up to 90% of the retail cost of something. There is no shame in it anymore. In fact, it's cool to buy used. If you're embarrassed, just say you are doing it to help save the environment. What to buy used? Well, let's see, if it's your first time, you want to start with things that don't gross you out. Hmm...how about lawn tools and equipment? That can't bother you. Need a lawnmower? Go to Craigslist and just look. Go to the farm and garden section and look under lawn mowers. Find one that looks good. Then go to one of the big box stores' sites and check out their prices. Would it save you money buying used? You betcha. Of course only if you need it and you were in the market for a lawnmower anyway. Other good places to buy used are thrift stores, yard sales, and consignment shops.

Once you are comfortable buying used things such as outdoor tools, you can look for more personal things that you were planning to buy such as a t.v., a purse, books. It may take awhile to become comfortable owning something that was owned by someone else but once you do, you will never look back. After all, you use used things all of the time. Ever go to a restaurant? Have you eaten on their dishes? They're used and used and used by thousands of people before you. Ever go to the airport and wait for a plane? That seat - thousands of tushes have sat on that seat before you. And the doctor's office? That magazine you are reading in the waiting room? Read by dozens of others before you got there. So seriously what's the difference if you buy it for your house? Most things can be cleaned thoroughly. And once they're cleaned, they become yours. Once you become used to buying used, you'll thank me. And there will be more money in your bank account, too.

In Real Life (IRL) - I used to be scared of buying used things. I was taught that used was second best or for poor people who couldn't afford new. I was taught wrong. I was first introduced to buying used things by my husband who likes to scour thrift stores in search of Meisen figurines (he's yet to find one). That was acceptable to me because he wasn't really buying for his use. Then I was next introduced to buying used when I had a baby and made friends with some other new moms. Some of them were buying used strollers and Eek - used baby clothes. I was horrified.

Then I went to one of those kids' consignment sales with one of the said friends and looked around. Hmm...lots of other people - nice middle-class people were buying used. But I still couldn't do it. I found one item that looked new and almost bought it, but in the end I put it back down. I'm not sure what my first used item that I bought finally was. I think I decided it was okay to buy something used that would be kept outside. After all, things get dirty out there anyway. I also decided that big plastic toys that can be cleaned easily were okay, too. Clothes were still a no-no. Yuck. Then one day I went into a consignment store and saw this adorable pink outfit - shirt and pants that I thought would look very cute on my daughter. I still remember exactly what I did. I picked up the outfit and then I called my mom on my cell phone and said, "Mom, I've crossed over to the other side. I'm buying used clothes." And once I did it, I was hooked!

I now go to garage sales nearly every weekend in spring and summer. I look forward to kids' consignment sales with a passion! I went to two sales yesterday (tell you more about that in a minute). My husband and I don't drive buy a thrift store without stopping and I scan craigslist almost daily for things we need. To show for it, my house is filled with craigslist furniture:

--a dining room set from the 1950's bought for $500. It includes the table, six chairs, a buffet, and a china cabinet. It's beautiful and I love it. I wouldn't have found one I like so much in a furniture store and even if I did, I would have had to shell out $2-$3000 dollars for it, I'm sure.

--a television armoire bought for $30. It matches the furniture style of my living room, has lots of storage and was sold by a motivated seller. It does the trick.

--A computer armoire in like new condition bought for $150. Same exact ones sell at those office stores for $500. Love it. I close up the thing and no one knows I have a computer in our den.

--Two bookcase bought for $80. I was looking for bookcases to match the style of our den and was shocked at the prices at those office stores. Two bookcases plus shipping would have cost over $200. We found two of the exact same bookcases (from two different sellers) on craigslist. And we pocketed the difference.

I could go on and on - two of our kids' bedroom furniture, our reel lawnmower, our beautiful outdoor shed.

Now back to yesterday's sales. I bought a Brownie Girl Scouts skirt for my daughter for $1.50. These are over $20 new! I saved more than 90%! And I bought a Brownie Handbook for 50 cents. They are normally $11 new - again I saved over 90%. I also bought a shirt for my son that he needed to match an outfit he has. It cost me 75 cents. Seriously. I don't care if he wears it once and it rips.

These are all things we needed and would have bought new had I not come around to the idea of buying used or as we like to say "preowned." Try it.