The second-hand lifestyle has been in existence for many years. It was neglected, but today people are patronizing thrift stores more than ever and it can only increase.
Many years back, it was uncommon to patronize second-hand items. People who do are known to be poor and are called so. A few decades back, this has changed.
Those who choose to buy second hand are conscious spenders. Like me, I put many things into consideration, of which one is the value of my hard-earned money before every penny is spent.
There are many reasons why I opt for second-hand. So many people are going for the used product rather than a brand new one and I think you should give that a try.
Reasons why you should patronize second hand
1. Uniqueness: one of the reasons I like second-hand is because I buy something different from what everyone else has. It sounds nice when I hear my friends say girl, where did you get that from? I feel they admire my taste. The best part of it is they can’t find the exact design most times even if it’s the same store. So, It’s common to find a design you have not seen before.
2. Affordability: I could remember when I was in high school, I needed nice heels for a birthday party but had few dollars left. That was when I considered second-hand for the first time. I got a nice pair with tag and still had enough left to spend for the week. Brand-new items will cost twice or more than the price of a second-hand product. This makes it budget-friendly that an average person can afford. You can have what you need without going off budget.
3. Re-circulation. It makes a product enter another phase of usage, making it useful for a longer period: second-hand products are in good shape (most with a tag on). So why should I destroy what is perfectly useable? It could be the owner wants another brand, who knows? Your choice, my gain!
What could have been burnt or destroyed can be used for a longer period by different users, allowing the item to enter into another phase of usage.
4. Encourages debt-free life: guess what? You don’t have to service a loan for years for a car purchase. For example, a car that cost $25000 can be gotten less than half of the brand new with a good number of miles in it.
You can save for months and buy cash rather than on credit. With this, every money you earn is yours. So, you can focus on other important things that may pop up, and plan your life without being pressured. Life is easier with avoidable debt.
5. It reduces environmental pollution: there are thousands and one thing to be burnt ordinarily. Therefore, burning functional things could only cause unnecessary environmental pollution, which is very bad for our health.
6. Encourages saving: second-hand lifestyle will save you lots of money. I do say to myself, I don’t need the latest kinds of stuff to feel great. Buying a second-hand phone for example will make you save for something more important like a house mortgage. yeah! that’s right. I could pay off my mortgage faster, saving money by patronizing the thrift shop or charity store. Every money saved will be used to service my mortgage. I do tell my friends, assign duty to money before it comes and by so doing, it can never be wasted.
Conclusion
In this world, there are many things to worry about financially. So, being frugal cannot be employed enough.
You can check out charity stores, thrift stores or other online second-hand stores. Therefore, when next you go shopping for a car, furniture, accessories, kitchen wares, books, electronics etc. try second-hand deals