The guide to buying secondhand

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that buying anything- Clothes, CDs, books, cookware, cars, baby and kid equipment, sports gear,and countless other items, will be cheaper if you get it used, or secondhand. Luckily for both the frugal and eco-conscious the Internet has made access to second hand merchandise so much easier!

Just a few years ago, the only readily accessible places to get secondhand clothing were charity stores such as Goodwill, Deseret Industries, and the Salvation Army. With direct seller-to-buyer online communities popping up everywhere, the notion that an item that has already been used is somehow inferior, has disappeared. Take notice and start saving hundreds buying secondhand. We have put together a guide on what to buy, what to avoid buying, and where to go.

Great items to get secondhand

• Clothing- Gently used clothes can work just as well as brand new, hot off the racks, articles.
• Sportsgear- Perfect for children that pick up a new sport every season. Try Play it Again Sports
• Cookware- Quality pots and pans are undoubtedly expensive. Thrift stores usually price name brand cookware at $5.00 or less.
• Furniture- There are specialty stores that clean the furniture, which is great for full households. Low-budget singles and students should check out the more famous thrift stores, and clean the items on their own.
• Timeshares- Timeshares are perfect to buy secondhand.  The first owner pays the highest price possible in a pressure sales situation.  Buying secondhand from a site like rci.com, timeshares.com, or myresortnetwork.com, you can compare prices for timeshares within the same hotel property. That means competition, which drives a better deal for you.
• Cars- They lose value the second they leave the lot, and up to 12% of their value for each year. Now, you can make sure you're not getting a lemon deal by checking out the potential car's history at Carfax.
• Bicycles- You will save over 50%. Some children's bikes are as little as $7 at thrift stores.
• Jewelry- For inexpensive jewelry you can get unique and vintage items while saving money. Always buy valuable gems used, should you ever need to sell it you probably won't get more than 1/3 of the price that you got it for.
• Toys- A super discount, and a great idea considering children's constantly changing minds, and age groups. Try Once Upon a Child for used toys, as well as cash offers for taking your gently used children and babies items.
• Books, DVDS, and assorted media- Check the items before purchasing to make sure they aren't damaged or missing pages. Half Price Books is great, and will give you cash for your used media. They also recently added an online Amazon store.
• Gardening supplies- Hedgetrimmers, shovels, and flowerpots can be gotten very cheap secondhand. After a big store, walk around a beach and collect stones for gardening.
• Cookbooks- Great recipes don't change with time. Cookbooks also make great gifts for chefs and homemakers.
• Home decor- So many unique portraits and vintage items are to found. It also cancels the risk of seeing that mass-produced portrait in your best friend's or in-laws living room as well.
• Halloween costumes- Seriously, do you ever wear it more than once a year? Added bonus: Non-cheesy drug store costume, that actually looks authentic.
• Video games and computer software- The "coolest" ones change so fast, its just not worth spending $50. Try Gamestop,in these stores you can get the video games and the consoles used, as well as sell the ones your family no longer uses

Things to avoid buying secondhand

• Car seats for babies and children- You can't tell if the item has been in a crash or not, and these items are often recalled. Defiantly worth the money to ensure a child's safety.
• Underwear and cloth diapers- No explanation needed.
• DVD players- These  wear out over time, and will cost more to replace and fix.  You can buy a basic new player for $29 or less now.
• Automobile jacks- older models may not meet todays safety standards
• Bicycle helmets- According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, a crash would most likely damage the pads on the inside (which may not be visible). Its worth the money of getting a brand-new one to ensure safety
• Mattresses- You don't know whose slept on this before. Allergens and skin diseases ( or worse ) can be transferred.
  
• Laptop computers- They have most likely suffered some wear and tear. If you want to get a used computer, get a desktop version simply because they haven't traveled around nearly as much as a laptop. 

Tips and precautions to use when bargain hunting

• Try Craigslist and for great deals on furniture, cars, sports equipment, clothing, and just about anything you can think of.
• Search for garage sales in your area using either the aforementioned Craigslist, or through local papers in the classified advertisements.
• Before you leave the house, calculate how much you are willing to spend. Just because it's secondhand does not give you an excuse to go stir-crazy.
• Leave the plastic at home! Many thrift stores (and no garage sale I've ever been to) will accept anything but cash.
• When going out to thrift store, be prepared to spend a little bit of time in there. You will have to endure piles of junk before you find your gem.
• For large items, try to picture where exactly in your home it will go. If it table is just too big for your apartment, and you end up giving it away it wasn't really a bargain, was it?
• Some stores let you bring in your old stuff for cash or credit, for stores that you shop at frequently, use credit. They usually give you more store credit that they would cash.
• Check for wood rot in used furniture.
• At a garage sale, haggle with the owners. Remember, they want to get rid of this stuff and will probably let you talk down the price.
• Some places may not have dressing rooms. Wear a tight fitting shirt or top so you can try things on over it.

For a great list of thrift stores to your area, simply type in your zip code at TheThriftShopper.