Things Frugal People Almost Never Buy New

I’m not a cheapskate, but I do love to save money. I also don’t consider myself a clutter bug, but I do enjoy a good thrift store or flea market.

But really those are just a couple of my identities (being frugal and frugal) that seem to mix pretty well together. Certainly there have been times when I let my spending habits get out of control because the items I was buying cost so little. It’s easy to say yes to something wherever the price is right.

But the upside to living this way is that you’ll rarely over pay for an item, and there are certain items you’ll almost never buy new. It’s just cheaper to buy them used, and they work just as well as if they were brand new.

In this article, I’m going to share a list of those items, and what makes them so perfect for the frugal lifestyle.

Inexpensive watches

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve paid full price for a watch at any point in my life. I’m not much of a watch guy anyway, but from time to time I pick one up at a thrift store because I find the style interesting. You can often find them for $1 or less.

Plastic storage bins

If you find yourself in need of a big plastic storage bin, one of the first spots to look would be a flea market. I’m not sure what it is about these items but I always see tables of them for sale at a fraction of the price you’d pay to buy them new. This goes for smaller plastic storage bins too.

Kitchen gadgets

There are certain kitchen items, like a can opener, that I’d probably only want to buy new. But most kitchen gadgets and tools are fine to buy used. The good ones are meant to last a long time and so there’s no harm in buying them after they’ve been gently used by someone else.

Children’s toys

Kids are rough on their toys, so there is a chance with a used toy that it won’t last as long as if you bought it new. But here’s the thing: kids are tough on their toys no matter what, and in our house we let them play hard. Often times we find toys at thrift stores for a small fraction of what they normally cost, and while they aren’t as fresh looking as new toys, we don’t feel bad letting our kids go wild with them. They’re meant for fun, after all, and should deliver that and not stress to the kids.

Children’s clothes

My wife and I have five kids. And you can be sure with that many mouths to feed there’s a good chance we’re not dressing our kids in new clothes very often. We regularly visit thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets to pick up clothes that are gently used, but still look great. Three of our kids are boys, and about the same size, so we have clothes and shoes that get worn by all three of them over a few year span.

Picture frames

I have a favorite local spot to grab used picture frames. There’s a store near us called Habitat for Humanity which looks like a mix between Goodwill and a furniture store. They have a huge section of used picture frames which I occasionally check for any interesting finds. I’ve picked up quite a few here over the years and found quite a variety.

Used cars

I have a rule to never buy a new car. The main reason is that new cars depreciate in value quickly, losing around 25% of their value in just the first year. I like to buy cars when they’re around 5-7 years old and hold on to them for about 5 years myself. This way I minimize my downside risk and try to get the most miles and value per dollar in those five years.

Tools

Speaking of tools, I think one of the reasons I enjoy them so much is because they age nicely. Some of my favorite tools are not the shiny new ones but older, heavier steel tools that are built like a tank. You can find tools for cheap at flea markets and thrift stores. In fact, you’ll find very few nice tools in the trash because they’re almost always useful for someone.

Books

I read so much more now that I’ve gotten back into the hobby of tracking down used books to read. This is partly because I want to get my money’s worth, even if I’m only paying a buck or two for the book, but it’s also because the physical copies are hard for me to ignore. If they are on my nightstand or on a shelf near my morning chair, then the book is in my sight and I want to read it. And finally, I just like the physical book better than any other form. I appreciate both the words and the physicality of the book together.

Dishes & glassware

You might be surprised to learn that you can often find high-quality glassware, and dishes at your local thrift store. Many of these items were built to last and you can buy sets of them for far less than they would cost new. I’ve always been a fan of interesting cups and mugs, and it goes without saying you can find an endless variety of these used.

Bicycles

As a means of transportation, bicycles are a great bargain compared to cars or motorcycles, but if you think about it, they are still quite expensive to buy new. I’ve stumbled across plenty of old bikes in trash piles, but I’ve also found that you can find really cool used models on the marketplace of any large city. Getting around on a bike is both fun and a great way to stay in shape. I highly recommend you try picking up a used one if you haven’t in a while.