3 Ways To Decide Between Buying New Or Buying Used

Dec 08, 2020

With the amount of purchases a person makes in their life, there’s a good chance that everything you’re buying doesn’t have to be purchased brand new. Especially if you’re looking to save money or have a more positive impact on the environment, purchasing things used could be a great way for you to accomplish both of these objectives.

However, it can often be hard to know if you should take the chance of a used product or if you should go with something potentially more reliable but definitely more expensive in a new product. To help you in making these decisions, here are three ways you can decide between buying new and buying used.

Easily Assess The Quality

One thing that can help you in making this decision is if you can easily assess the quality of the item that you’re considering buying.

According to Wes Moss, a contributor to The Balance, items that are more complicated or have a lot of parts and components might be better off being bought used so that you can be sure that everything is working correctly. These things would include items like electronics. But if you can easily tell that whatever you’re buying is either going to work well for you or not, like the used piano has all its keys or the home decor isn’t chipped, then it could be a great option to get these items used in order to save yourself some money.

Is It A Safety Or Personal Item?

Another thing you should consider before buying something used is if the item you’re getting is meant to help keep something or someone safe or if the item is going to be used for very personal purposes.

For example, Chris Muller, a contributor to Money Under 30, shares that things like mattresses, shoes, and helmets should generally be purchased new if you’re able. Because these things are usually used in a way that can make them challenging or unsafe for others to use them afterward, getting them used isn’t ideal. So if you need to purchase something in a personal or safety category, you might not want to shop used first.

Know Who The Item Is For

Sometimes, the user of the item should be the top consideration rather than price or value. This should especially be the case where children or the elderly are concerned.

According to Sienna Beard, a contributor to CheatSheet.com, baby gear like cribs, car seats, and strollers should all be purchased new, even if they were originally purchased recently. The reasoning for this is because safety standards and regulations change on these items very regularly, and every parent wants to do their best to ensure that their child is as safe as possible.

If you’re unsure whether something you’re needing should be purchased new or could be bought used, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you make this choice.