So we all want to buy the latest things, gadgets, cars, furniture… but unfortunately not everyone has the money for these luxurious items and especially in a recession people don’t have the cash to splash. My vice happens to be gadgets, mainly phones, laptops, games consoles and mp3 players. If I was to buy first hand from a shop, everything I have bought in the past few years, I would be in serious debt. It’s not even funny! Well Thankfully I found a medicine to sooth the financial effects of my cravings, and I’m sure this advice will help many of you out there!

Buying second hand items will save you a lot of money, especially if your like me and love electronics. Well not only do they have a website and a magazine, they have absolutely everything! Cars, pets, gym equipment, clothes, freebies, electronics the list goes on. There are numerous websites out there for buying and selling goods online. I suggest search Google for “Buy and Sell in {insert your country/state here}”, and you should have a few good options to choose from.

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, basically people want to sell things, so they advertise them on these websites along with a description (and if they are nice, a photo!) and also some sort of contact information. As the goods are second hand (occasionally brand new, unwanted gifts for example), the price will be lower compared to the shops selling them brand new, and everyone loves a good bargain!

But be cautious, because there are some chancers out there who will try to sell you any old garbage just to make a quick buck. And you wont have any come back – after all you just bought it off a stranger, not a reputable shop. I have some pointers as to what to watch out for from my own experience purchasing items this way.

– be sure your getting a good price. For heavens sake don’t pay over the RRP (recommended retail price).
– meet in a public place
– make sure its the item you want, cause “Tixy taxy no swap backsy!” is the normal arrangement.
– If its in bad condition below your expected standards, don’t buy it! Or you will regret it, trust me.
– If its something like a laptop of phone, inspect it, hake sure the camera works, keys work, screen okay etc.
– Beware of stolen goods out there, ask the seller if they have a receipt, or reason for sale, usually your intuition will tell you if the person is trustworthy and genuine, or if they are a bit dodgy and should be avoided.
– This one isn’t really ‘advice’ it’s just how I operate. I try to buy things that have either been unopened and are brand new, or else have been used for a short time only. I hate having someone else’s scratches on my gadgets!

I have been having a great time buying things second hand, especially in the last two years. I recently got an iPhone 3g for a great price, it was literally brand new. I mean no scratches, not even turned on before, and as most people know, iPhone normally means an expensive contract, or else very expensive price for a Sim freeversion. All I needed to do was unlock it and shazam. Also this netbook I’m using, bought 6 months old, it is in pristine condition and also, for a great price. But I have had one or two bad experiences… but you gotta take the good with the bad I guess.

In conclusion, think about buying goods second hand, if its not for you, that’s fair enough, but if you really want to save a nice bit of money, give it a go, just keep my advice in mind and also use your common sense:-) Also in some upcoming posts, I’ll let you in on some secrets on buying things, adding extra functionality, sprucing them up, and make a tidy profit on it!

Source by Dave Kennedy