Food – the truth is, despite what their marketing teams spend countless hours trying to get us to believe, supermarkets are not trying to save us money and help us cut back on our food bills. Rather, supermarkets rule the roost when it comes to formulating new ways to trick us into thinking we’re getting a bargain, and spending more money than we planned to.

As with many things in life, spending more money on food does not always mean it’ll taste better, be produced more ethically or be better quality.

Many supermarket discounters were previously associated with attracting poor shoppers that couldn’t afford the ‘luxury’ of Tesco and its friends. However, as we’ve started tightening our monetary belts, a realization has occurred that these stores generally offer very good quality.
In addition, check the stores for a ‘reduced section’. Great deals can usually be found on perishables, making a salmon or steak dinner something that can fit within even the most stringent of budgets.

Beds – a high quality bed and mattress can be two of the most expensive goods you buy for the home. However, this doesn’t mean quality has to break the bank. As with food stores, there are many mattress discounters around that sell budget beds. The thing is, usually these beds are the same stock you’ll find elsewhere for twice the price; it’s just been resigned to a ‘budget beds’ store because it’s taking up space, slightly damaged or simply out of fashion.

Toiletries – open any magazine and you’ll be bombarded with adverts for the latest anti-aging cream or a shampoo that promises to give you your shiniest locks yet. However, these claims are usually no more than a clever marketing campaign and cheap brands usually contain similar or even identical ingredients.
For instance, ‘cleansing face wipes’ can set you back around $3 for a small pack. But did you know that baby wipes are essentially the same thing? Stick to the ‘store brand’ and you can get a large pack for under a dollar.

Vacations – good news, budget vacations are still available! And thanks to the power of the internet, we can now take an in-depth peek at hotels and check out the credentials of budget vacation firms before we take the plunge and book.
Tripadvisor is an unbeatable resource for finding reviews on hotels and asking questions about local areas. Use it properly and it can ensure you have a fantastic vacation for very little money.

Amy Fowler writes about frugal living and money saving tips for mattress discounters, The Original Factory Shop.

A good example is how finding great credit card deals can help you get out of debt. There’s a number of functions that a credit card offers that can help you to achieve this goal, which we’ll go into more detail about here.

Carry out a balance transfer

For many people, paying off what they owe isn’t the problem – it’s keeping up with the growing interest. Therefore, if you’ve got debt on a number of cards and are paying a hefty APR on them, consider moving to a card that offers a lengthy 0% period on balance transfers. Pay off the minimum amount in full at the end of the month and you’ll only be paying off what you owe, rather than any interest.

Work out your needs

The best credit card deal for one person might not be the best for another. So think about what it is you’re looking for. For example, if you know you spend a high proportion of your monthly budget in one store, consider taking out a credit card that offers cashback in this outlet. Or if you’re a frequent flyer, look into airmiles credit cards that allow you to claim free flights and hotel stays, saving you money on things you’d be spending on anyway. In this instance, the less you spend on your travel, the more of your money you can devote to paying off your debt. It could even be the case that the rewards on some cards lead to you spending less on days out or those little treats you allow yourself from time to time.

Find a lengthy 0% deal on purchases

When you’re in debt, it can be easy to end up a spiral that sends you further and further in the red. You may want to spend as much of your money as possible on getting back in the black, but you still need to spend on the essentials. So look at whether a card with an introductory 0% offer on purchases could give you a little breathing space and allow you to spread the cost of your purchases. 

A debt free couple is often a happy couple.

Financial issues can be a real cause for divorce in the U.S. as 20% of the separation cases take place within the first five years of marriage. Therefore, these newly wed couples need to regain control over their financial situation in order to protect their marriages. If you have incurred insurmountable amount of debt then it is advisable to enroll in a debt consolidation program to eliminate your debt.

Here are a few effective ways to manage your financial stress and guide you avoid your financial blues:

1. You should remember that splitting your debt will not solve your problem therefore you should jointly work on paying off your debt. Most cases the partner who has less debt forces his/her spouse to divide the debt in order to avoid blemishing his/her credit report.

In this situation, you should support your spouse and formulate a repayment plan so that you can jointly put money towards paying off your debt. Allot a specific amount of money each month that you can use for paying off your obligations. You can curb your expenses and postpone your honeymoon until you eliminate your debt.

2. You should analyze your financial situation and formulate a stringent budget plan so that you can tackle your financial situation effectively. You can track your monthly expenses and if your expenses exceed your income then you need to redesign your budget according to your current financial state. You should curb your extravagant lifestyle and use the extra fund to pay off your debts.

3. You should open an emergency account and deposit a specific amount from your income in your savings account. You can increase the source of your income and this extra fund can be saved to manage your financial emergencies in future. You can give a room of your apartment on rent or work as a freelancer on weekends as it will help to boost your emergency fund.

4. You can consult a financial expert who can help you manage your catastrophic financial situation. He will analyze your financial situation and suggest some suitable debt relief solution.

These are a few effective ways a couple can manage their problem without filing divorce. If you work jointly towards paying off your debts then it will help to strengthen your bond with your spouse.

Regina King is a financial writer and currently associated with Oak View Law Group. She has been consistently providing people with unique advice on investment,budgeting and debt settlement since 2007. You can reach me at: regina.king85(at)gmail(dot)com.

Looking For Netflix Alternatives? We've Compiled The Contenders Here

Discussion boards and blogs have been up in arms about the 59% price increase announced by Netflix earlier this week.

As you probably know, Netflix is splitting up their DVDs by mail business and online streaming plans and pricing each at $7.99 each.  You can still get DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming but there is no discount for having both – the cheapest plan that offers unlimited DVDs and unlimited streaming will run you $15.98.

So we thought we’d take a look at some of the Netflix alternatives available and I’ll discuss the pros and cons of each as well as the solution I settled on.

Blockbuster

A few years ago, Blockbuster released their own monthly subscription plan to compete with Netflix called Blockbuster Total Access.

Blockbuster may not have online streaming available, but they do have a few advantages Netflix can’t match.

First, a Blockbuster by Mail subscription not only includes movies and TV shows, but video games as well.

Second, Blockbusters gets new movies on the day they’re released while Netflix and Redbox must wait an additional 28 days before it becomes available in their catalog.

Third, Blockbuster allows you the ability for instant gratification by allowing you to go to the store to exchange a movie, TV show, or game for a new one up to 5 times each month.  While many Blockbuster stores have closed, most cities still have a few which means that if you get a hankering for The Notebook or the Rocky Horror Picture Show, you can drive to the store and get it as part of your membership – no mailing it back and waiting.

Cost: $11.99/month for unlimited rentals (movies, TV shows, video games) 1 disc at a time.  2 disc and 3 disc plans are priced at $16.99/month and $19.99/month, respectively, and you can get a free 2-week trial if you want to try it out.

Amazon Prime

For several years being an Amazon Prime member meant that you could get free 2-day shipping on most items that Amazon sells.  However, earlier this year Amazon added in unlimited movie and TV streaming similar to Netflix to sweeten the pot.

With Amazon, you’ll find excellent streaming quality and reliability and Amazon Video On Demand is already on many new HDTVs and Blu-Ray players.  However, Amazon Prime has a more limited streaming selection for their Prime members than Netflix though most new releases can be rented for 1.99-$3.99 each and streamed directly from Amazon.

If you do a lot of streaming, this would probably be the first option I’d take a look at but make sure you see if the movies and TV shows you want to stream are available before canceling your Netflix.

Cost: $79/yr (no monthly option – you pay for the entire year after the free trial) – You can also rent movies from Amazon Prime for $1.99 – $3.99 per movie.  Most new releases aren’t available for streaming via Amazon Prime.

Hulu Plus

While Hulu remains a completely free way to watch TV shows,  Hulu Plus is probably closer to being a true competitor to Netflix.  One advantage you get with Hulu Plus is the ability to watch this season’s TV shows and you can stream them in full HD if you like.

However, you still have to watch television commercials which for me was a deal breaker since I DVR everything just so I don’t have to watch commercials in the first place.

Cost: $7.99/month

Redbox

Switching to Redbox just might be the cheapest option out there is you can live without a few frills though you will get the advantage of instant gratification as there is probably a Redbox Kiosk in a store near you as there are over 25,000 in the U.S.

While Redbox offers movies, games, and even blu-ray discs, the fact that you’re dealing with a little box means a limited selection (about 500-1000 different titles), mostly limited to Blockbusters and new releases.  That means your eclectic tastes for movies like Stardust and Pulp Fiction aren’t going to be well served by Redbox.

However, you really can’t beat the price as long as your return the movies on time and if you can live with the limited selection, you’ll probably save money renting movies.

Cost: $1 for new releases with select movies costing $.50 for the first night.

iTunes

While I wouldn’t call it a true competitor to Netflix, iTunes does have a few nice perks worth mentioning here.  First of all, if you already use iTunes, have a Mac, iPhone, iPod, or Apple TV, iTunes movie rentals are extremely simple to use.

The one major advantage I think iTunes has is that you don’t have to stream it immediately.  iTunes will let you download the movie and give you a 30 day window to watch it.  Of course, once you start watching it, the standard 24 hour watching period applies, but if you live in an area that has a spotty broadband connection, this can give you pleasant, uninterrupted viewing or your movie.

iTunes has a large selection and like Blockbuster and Amazon, new releases are available on the day they’re released.

Cost: 99 cents to $4.99 per rental – iTunes doesn’t offer monthly subscriptions.

My Solution

I was rather ticked off when I read about Netflix jacking up the prices, but after I thought about it for a little while, I learned that I’ll actually be saving money with my solution.  I already have an Amazon Prime subscription (got it for the 2-day free shipping and the movie streaming was just a bonus) and while the movie and TV show streaming selection is more limited, I can live with Amazon’s online streaming as it’s high quality, reliable streaming and their selection is growing.   That means I’ll just switch to the $7.99 for unlimited DVDs by mail plan and save the $2/month since I’m already paying for Amazon Prime, regardless.

What will you be doing?  Sticking with Netflix?  Trying an alternative?  Canceling altogether?  Living in a van down by the river?

1.) Consumers must be homeowners in order to qualify.

This is NOT true. Debt negotiation is a service that does not involve a loan; therefore, no collateral is necessary and all consumers are eligible for the service, which can help those in debt reduce the amount they owe and avoid bankruptcy.

2.) Debt reduction lowers interest rates and consolidates all of a consumer’s debts.

This is actually the service offered by credit counseling companies. A debt reduction firm is different; it can actually lower the amount owed instead of just reducing the interest rates. It should be noted, however, that interest will keep accruing until the debt is paid in full.

3.) Debt reduction and credit counseling will not lower a consumer’s credit score.

This is also not true. While FICO, the company that calculates most credit scores, does not look at debt reduction programs or credit counseling in a negative light, many lenders do. Some even compare it to a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing.

4.) The reduction in a consumer’s credit score is permanent.

While it is true that a debt reduction program is likely to have a negative impact on a consumer’s credit score in the short term, the effect will not be permanent. Negative marks on a credit report can only be retained for a period of seven years. After that they must be removed. In addition, the positive impact of paying off debt will boost the score over time.

On September 27, 2010, President Obama signed the Small Business Jobs Act, which was designed to help boost small business across the country. Government officials and people working for the Small Business Administration are acting as speakers in the Jobs Act Tour, which is taking place around several cities in the country.

Called “the most significant piece of small business legislation in over a decade,” the Jobs Act aims to bring much needed help for small merchants who need ways to fund their businesses and save money at the same time. Savings come in the form of $12 billion in tax relief with 8 separate tax cuts. Although the legislation was enacted in 2010, it takes effect this year. And since it’s tax season, small business owners should keep these in mind:

• Increment in expense limits for 2010 and 2011 to $500,000. This applies to business owners who declare property as an expense instead of a capital expenditure (an expense that creates future benefits).
• Temporary increment of start-up expenditures that owners can deduct. This applies for taxable years starting after December 31, 2009, and must be filed under “other deduction” or “other expense.”
• General business credits for 2010 may be carried back 5 years (previously, they could only be carried back 1 year). If you have a net operating loss, you can offset that over the next 5 years with credit carryback.
• Limitations on penalties for errors made on tax reports. Changes in the law begin this year (2011), with
• Tax relief for cell phones—Cell phones and similar devices used for business can now be deducted as an expense, similarly to property.
• Small business owners have the ability to deduct health insurance costs on self-employment tax. Deductions extend to owners and their families.
• Temporary elimination of all 2010 gain taxes for those who invest in a small business. This particular section aims to give more incentive to investment in the small business community. Investors can exclude up to 100% of capital gain after selling the stock.
• Bonus depreciation—Owners can recover the cost of their property over a period of time through depreciation expense. As of 2010, additional depreciation was added for qualified property. Furthermore, the Tax Relief Act of 2010 extends first-year depreciation deduction for the years 2012 and 2013.

The Small Business Administration offers more tax incentives and deductions that apply to a wide range of business, so check if yours qualifies at the IRS website and find the forms you need.

*Photo courtesy of OhioProgressive

-Cecilia Camps
Editor & Small Business Funding Expert
www.cashprior.com

The beauty of these programs is that they’re all completely free meaning that they’re not just free trials or free scans – these are full programs and you don’t need to spend a dime on any of them.

Just watch the video below to learn which programs you’ll need and how to use them:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvMqs278bo8

How This Video Will Help You Save Money:

1. You don’t need to spend any money buying of renewing licenses for software
2. You don’t need to take your computer into a computer repair shop or have someone come to your house to fix it which can easily costs hundreds of dollars
3. You don’t need to buy a new computer.   These tools will keep your computer running faster which means you don’t need to upgrade to newer technology as often.

URLs to the products mentioned in the video:

Free Anti-Spyware / Anti-Malware / Adware Removers

I use BOTH Super Anti-Spyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and run both of them weekly.  Super Antispyware will catch pretty much everything but I like having Malwarebytes run after the Super Antispyware scan just in case it misses something (even though it rarely does).

Reduce Startup Programs

You can always just click “start” “run” and then type in “msconfig” and then click the “startup” tab if you’re an advanced user and know what you’re doing to keep the programs that startup when you run your computer to only the essentials but if you’re not an advanced user, then go with the simple solution which will do the same thing – Soluto.

Free Disk Defrag

Keep in mind your computer already has a disk defragmenter built in but we prefer Auslogics Disk Defrag over the built in one on windows.

Free Anti-Virus

One thing I hate about most anti-virus programs is that they’re such resource hogs that they’ll noticeably slow down any computer that isn’t built on the latest and greatest technology.  Personally, I wouldn’t mind paying for anti-virus protection if the programs didn’t make my computer run like molasses in winter time.  Instead, I use Avast! Free Antivirus which really is completely free, it’s just as good at catching viruses as those expensive programs from Trend Micro, McAfee, and Norton, and it’s not a huge resource hog which.

I’m talking about simple solutions that don’t require you to go out and buy a new car or anything like that.  I’m not a big fan of spending a whole bunch of money to save a little money – seems counterproductive.

I’m also going to do my best to be realistic.  Yes, it’d be great if we all could ride our bikes everywhere and just park the car in the garage and not drive it but I know that just isn’t feasible for a lot of people.

Tips For Saving Money At The Gas Pump

I might do an “extreme gas savings” video in the future but for now we’ll stick to easy tips you can start using today and that don’t require you to dramatically change your lifestyle but keep in mind driving less will make a big difference.

1)    Combine Trips Whenever Possible

This tip is all about taking a few extra minutes to plan ahead.  Need to run to the post office to mail a letter?  How about stopping at the store in the same trip (if it’s in the same general direction)?  So many people take a lot of short trips and come right back home.  Combine your errands and you’ll put less overall miles on your vehicle saving your money on gas.

2)    Slow Down – Less Aggressive Driving

This tip here can make the single biggest difference in how much you spend on gas – up to a 30% savings.  If you are constantly hitting the gas hard so you accelerate quickly and then slamming on the brakes to slow down, you’re going to use a lot more gas in your vehicle not to mention the extra wear and tear will cause expensive repairs to rear their ugly head down the road.  Slow down and accelerate more gently.

3)    Keep Up With Maintenance

While going to the repair shop for a tune-up may seem like an unnecessary expense or one that can easily be shrugged off and forgotten when money is tight, it’s actually really important to keep up with.  Having your car well maintained keeps in running in tip top shape which means it’ll use less gas when you’re driving it.  Keep in mind that well maintained cars also last a lot longer and make it less likely you’ll have costly major repairs.

You also want to make sure you keep your tires fully inflated.  All new cars have tire pressure sensors that alert you when your tires are under inflated, but many older cars do not.  You can lose over 15% of your gas mileage if you’re tires aren’t properly inflated so make it a habit to check your tire pressure on a regular basis and your bank account will thank you.

4)    Fill Up In the Morning or Evening

This one is basic thermodynamics.  Liquids like gasoline expand when they get hotter and contract when they get cooler.  That means if you fill up your gas tank when the temperature is cooler like in the morning or evening, you’ll be getting more gas for the money as gas is dispensed by volume, not density.  Granted, this tip will give you modest savings at best but every little bit helps.

5)    Get A Gas Card

Gas cards can be a great way to save money on gas.  A gas card is simply a credit card with rewards on gas, typically a 1% to 5% discount on your gas… sometimes you can save as much as 40 cents per gallon if you get a good card.

Here are my favorite cards offering gas rewards – just remember to always pay off the balance each month when you bill arrives or any gas savings will quickly be eaten up by interest costs.  If you’re not sure you’ll be able pay off your balance each month, skip the gas card altogether.

1)       Discover Open Road Card

This card has changed a lot over the years, but it’s still the best gas card and gives you cash back at any gas station plus cash back on every single purchase you make with the card.  You’ll need good credit to get this card, but if you qualify, it’s the one we recommend most.

• Free $75 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate with first purchase
• 2% Cashback Bonus automatically at any gas station and any restaurant
• 5% to 20% Cashback Bonus at over 150 top retailers through our online shopping mall
• Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on all other purchases
• 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 12 months, then the Regular APR
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then the Regular APR
  

  Apply Now! 

2)      Chase Freedom Card

The Chase Freedom card is excellent for those looking to get cash back and if you’re only planning on using the credit card for gas, this might be the one you want as you get 5% cash back on gas purchases, up to $75/quarter ($25/month).    If you spend less than $500/month on gas, you’ll stay under the maximum which even with soaring gas prices is still a good deal.

 

3)      Capital One No Hassle Rewards Card

For overall rewards, this is a great card and is a darn good gas credit card to boot.  One of the nice little bonuses with this one is that you get any image you want on the credit card which with think is a nice way to personalize your credit card.   Really, the only drawback on this one is that is’ limited to people with excellent credit so only the cream of the crop will qualify for this card.

Here are 10 items I recommend purchasing used whenever possible.

1) Cars & Their Parts

Buying a new car is often referred to as one of the worst investments you can make as the car loses 20% of its value the minute you drive it off the lot.  That means that spiffy new $40,000 SUV you just bought will only be worth $32,000 when you pull into your driveway.

These days used cars tend to have a lot of life left in them.  Starting in the mid 90s, car manufacturers really started to improve their reliability (not just Honda and Toyota though they’re among the best) which means cars today last longer than in years past.

A recent report just revealed that the average car on the road today is nearly 10 years old while in the 1990 the average car was under 7 years old.

Let someone else take the hit in depreciation – the real sweet spot tends to be in buying 2-3 year old vehicles.  Look for ones that have all their maintenance records and are clean and appear to have been well cared for.  Avoid ones that have been smoked in (no offense to smokers, but for some reason they just seem to neglect their cars more) and that have been driven primarily by teenagers.

Of course, you can get even better deals if you’re willing to go with older vehicles.  Any day of the week you can probably hop on your local Craigslist and find a used vehicle for under $1,000 that will get you from point A to point B reliably for a year or so.

Of course, it’s not just the cars themselves to buy used – for major car repairs getting used parts is going to be a lot easier on your wallet as well.  When the repair shop gives you a quote for a repair ask them if the parts are new or used and if they say new, ask them for a quote with used parts and you’ll often save money.  Even if the repair shop can only get a new part, it never hurts to ask the repair shop to lower their price a little, they will most of them time if you ask them to do better.

2) Laser Printers / Typewriters

I’m going to assume you already know that inkjet printers are a waste of money, even for home use.  If you didn’t know that, consider yourself well informed now – get a laser printer.

It’s easy to be intimidated by laser printers as they’re bigger and its always more expensive to purchase a new laser printer than a comparable inkjet printer.

However, laser printers are built to last longer and the ink for them is substantially cheaper.

In my office I have two laser printers.  One I purchased brand new for $400 and I almost never use it as it always seems to be on the fritz.  The other laser printer is one I purchased for $20 at a state surplus auction.  I’ve had it for 4 years and haven’t had to replace the toner cartridge yet despite printing thousands of sheets of paper with it.

While those deals don’t come around all that often, any day of the week I can go on Craigslist and find a quality used laser printer for under $100 – same goes for eBay.

The older laser printers are plenty fast for most homes and even most small businesses and they’ll cost a lot less  than buying new and the even bigger advantage is that the toner is cheaper for older models than new ones.

The same goes for typewriters.  While most of us don’t need a typewriter these days, when the time does come to get one, they’ve often prohibitively expensive to buy brand new.  However, quality typewriters like those from IBM/Lexmark are truly built to last decades and you can often times get them for 80% or more of the price of a new one when shopping on eBay.

3) Video Games

How many times have you played a video game, conquered it, and then never picked it up to play it again?  I’m sure over the years there have been plenty.  There are probably only a handful of titles that you play again and again.

For most games, it just makes sense to buy them used.  Why pay $50 for a brand new game when a month down the road you can get a used copy for half the price?

4) Movies / DVDs / Blu-Ray

Movies fall into the same category as games.  We only watch most of them once or twice and then they sit on the shelf.  Why pay the brand new price when the viewing experience is exactly the same when buying used?

5) Tools

Tools can be another huge opportunity to save a ton of money.   Hand tool technology hasn’t changed much in the past 50 years which means that a wrench that is 10 years old is probably just as good as a new one.

The exception here is tools that just by getting used properly tend to take a lot of abuse.  For example,  I wouldn’t buy a used sledge hammer or axe – too much risk of the head flying off one of those things and seriously injuring or killing someone.  However, most hand tools can be purchased for a song when you get them used.

Of course, it’s not just small hand tools.  It’s bigger items as well.  I remember when my parents built their house a decade ago, my dad bought a skid-steer that was 40 years old.  Today, he still uses it and it’s over 50 years old.   I think he paid $4,000 but for a comparable new one, he’d have spent over $40,000.  The same can apply to lawn mowers and any bigger piece of equipment.

6) Furniture

Buying furniture from the furniture store is expensive.  The only advantage you get is that they’ll deliver it – but not if you go to a discount furniture store.  And since people are moving all the time and need to sell their gently used furniture, you can pick it up for pennies on the dollar.  You can furnish an entire apartment for less than $1,000 and that’s for pretty nice stuff.

Heck, even if you have to rent a truck (if you don’t have a friend with a pickup truck) for an afternoon and recruit a couple friends to help you carry it up your stairs (people can be bribed with beer and pizza most of the time) you’ll still come out way ahead by buying used furniture.

This includes office furniture.  I purchased a fantastic office desk for $450 that would have cost me over $2k had I bought it from the office store just by getting it used.

7) Campers

If you’re an avid camper, you probably are already keenly aware at how expensive campers can be.  Even the supposedly “budget friendly” pop-up campers can run you over $10,000 and a fully decked out 5^th wheel can cost in the neighborhood of $100,000.

That’s a lot of money to spend on something you’ll only use a few times a year and every year plenty of people who have purchased a new camper find that they just don’t use it often enough to justify keeping it.  Buy their hardly used campers and save yourself a bundle.

Books

When it comes to getting books, I recommend the library first.  However, sometimes there are books you do want to own to keep in your own personal collection.  You can pick them up for 50% off or more online.

When it comes to getting textbook, you can get even bigger savings when you buy used.  New textbooks are outrageously expensive and college is expensive enough so save yourself some money and get used textbooks when possible.   You may even want to consider renting your textbook instead of buying it outright unless you think you’ll need the book for reference later on.

9) Specialty Clothing / Formalwear (excluding shoes)

High end clothing can get quite expensive.  For example, if you wanted to purchase a brand new Armani suit you’ll spend well over $1,000.  However, you can buy a used one online for about $150 and even after you hire a tailor to get it to fit you properly, you’ll still coming out way ahead.

This also applies to designer clothing and dresses.   Save yourself some money and buy gently used clothing.

The exception here is shoes – never buy used shoes even if they’ve only been worn a time or two.  Just bite the bullet and buy them brand new.

10) Musical Instruments

Musical instruments are two things.  1) expensive and 2) built to last for a long time.  Given the fact that a trombone made 15 years ago is pretty much identical to one made yesterday, there’s really no reason to spend a ton of money buying new when gently used musical instruments are easy to come by.

However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.  Not all used items are better to buy than their new  counterparts.  Some things shouldn’t be purchased used for health or safety reasons while others will often serve you better when purchased new.

Here are ten such items you should never buy used.

1) Shoes

While most of us would probably never consider buying used shoes, many people do.  That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.  Even when we’re talking about expensive designer shoes that haven’t been worn much, you should probably steer clear.

Even if you’re okay wearing footwear that has already been on someone else’s foot, keep in mind that once you start wearing a shoes, it starts to mold itself to that person’s foot which means a used shoe isn’t going to fit as well and is likely to be uncomfortable.

2) Computers

Often times an entire computer system can be purchased for less than $100 online.   However, there are several good reasons not to buy a used computer.  First of all, I would never buy a used keyboard.  They’re dirty and disgusting and are rarely, if ever, cleaned.

Even the computer itself is likely to be a problem.  Computers can become out of date and obsolete in a hurry and will likely be bogged down by all the crap and perhaps spyware running the system.  You’ll either want to completely wipe the system and start over or make sure to make sure the system is clean.  If you know how to do it, you’re in for a few hours of work – if you don’t you can expect to spend a couple hundred dollars paying someone else to do it for you which can quickly offset the savings of buying used.

Then there’s the matter that it will only be useful for a short time as you’ll eventually need to upgrade to a system that can run modern software.

Also, keep in mind that just like the keyboard being dirty, the inside of the system can be filthy as well.  How many people do you know that clean out the air intake areas and fans to keep them free or dirt and dust?  Probably not very many.  Not only is that a dirty job to do yourself, if left untended to it can cause the system to overheat ruining the motherboard, cpu, ram, video card, and power supply.

3) Digital Cameras & Video Cameras

When you consider how cheaply you can buy a brand new digital camera or video camera today, it hardly makes sense to buy used.

Here’s an example.  Last summer I picked up a couple of brand new HD video cameras and a wireless mic to replace my old consumer video camera.  The cost of two cameras and a wireless mic came to $450 for everything.  My old video camera, which I purchased in 2006 didn’t shoot in HD, was bigger and bulkier, and shot inferior quality video and cost $700 when I bought it.    Digital and video cameras are simultaneously better quality and cheaper than there were in years past which means buying a used camera probably isn’t a good idea.

And remember that lenses are fragile things especially if not well cared for.  It’s easy to get small scratches on the lens that you don’t notice until you’re working with the pictures in Photoshop.

4) HDTVs

Buying a used HDTV is often just a bad deal.  Much like with digital cameras and computers, the technology in this arena moves quickly and this year’s models are better than last years… sometimes far better.   Also, prices are coming down quickly on new HDTVs.   Right now you can buy a brand new HDTV that will have better features for less than half of what it cost brand new just two short years ago.

Also, keep in mind that many earlier generation HDTVs have inferior picture quality, won’t last as long, are bulkier and heavier, and will suck up more electricity than a brand new unit.

Once you consider all of those factors, you’ll probably just want to stick to buying new.

5) Mattresses

Mattresses wear out and faster than they used to.  The fact that more and more people are overweight means that mattresses don’t last as long.  Sleeping on a worn out mattress can cause back problems and result in you getting inferior quality sleep – neither of which are worth it just to save a few dollars.

Also, if your mattress is found to have bed bugs, getting rid of them can cost hundreds of dollars which would mean any money you saved quickly be offset by the cost of hiring a professional to get rid of them.

6) Car Seats

You wouldn’t jeopardize your child’s safety just to save a few dollars, would you?  Here’s why you want to buy you car seat brand new.  New car seats have better technology in them to protect your child and once a car seat has become damaged or been in an accident, it should be replaced immediately as it may not protect your child the next time.   A recent study revealed that 1 in 10 car seats currently in use had previously been in an accident.  Are you willing to take the chance that your used car seat is damaged?

New ones can be purchased for less than $50 these days and it’s money well spent to protect your little one.

7) Safety Gear & Helmets

Of course, it’s not just your child’s safety.  It’s safety, in general.  Some safety items like motorcycle helmets are only designed to take one hit and after that they’re done.  While you could easily tell if a motorcycle helmet had been in a major accident, even small things can ruin the integrity of a helmet?

For any type of helmet or padding, like knee pads, just get the new stuff.  It’ll be cleaner and have more life left in it.

Boats

You might think that with new boats being so expensive that buying a used boat would be the only smart move here.  Well, if you’re getting an absolutely fantastic deal, then maybe it’d be okay, but there are plenty of reasons to avoid used boats.  First of all, boats aren’t usually subjected to as much maintenance and care as a car.  That means there could be problems lurking in the hull or engine and if you have problems with either of those you’ll wish you had just purchased a brand new one.  A lot of other recreational items like campers and ATVs can be excellent used buys but buying used boat puts you in murky water.

9) Fine Jewelry & Engagement Rings

While brand new jewelry is often marked up significantly and depreciates quickly after being purchased, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to purchase your fine jewelry or engagement rings used. The problem is often a lack of knowledge.  We’re often relying on the person selling the jewelry to tell use everything about it and unless it has significant documentation to go along with it, it’s hard to know exactly what you’re getting.  If you’re an expert on jewelry, gemstones, and diamonds, then you can probably get a fantastic deal buying used, but if not, I’d recommend buying your jewelry from a trusted jeweler instead.

10) Vacuum Cleaners

When you consider all the dirt and junk that a vacuum is designed to handle, you may not want to bring someone else’s mess into your home.  You just never know what kind of dangerous materials might be lurking inside a vacuum and even opening it up and cleaning it can make you sick.

New vacuums aren’t that expensive – just buy a new one and be done with it.