Buying secondhand is a smart and sustainable alternative to spending your money on new goods. You might not be able to buy everything this way, but the more you do, the better it can be for your wallet, the planet, and your local economy. Here are six benefits of buying secondhand.
1. It's Cheaper
The first and most obvious benefit of buying secondhand is that it is cheaper. Depending on what you're buying and where you're buying it, the price difference can be enormous. Oftentimes, secondhand items are in just as good condition as their brand-new counterparts, or at least close to it. Whether you're looking at thrift stores, garage/yard sales, or a site like eBay, there are many great deals to discover on items you may have otherwise purchased new.
2. It's Good for the Environment
Buying secondhand is also helpful for the environment. It reduces waste in landfills, decreases demand for new production, conserves natural resources, and lowers your carbon footprint. When you buy secondhand, you're putting something to use that may have otherwise ended up at the dump. It also cuts down on packaging waste. Imagine finding something in a thrift store that you otherwise would've had shipped from a site like Amazon.
3. You Can Support Small Businesses
Buying secondhand can also help your local economy. Consignment shops are common small businesses that are worth browsing.
As Sabrina Jowders writes at Simple Consign*, "Secondhand stores, including consignment shops, often source their inventory from local communities. This supports local economies by keeping money within the community and helping to sustain local jobs. Supporting local, independent-owned businesses is really important to keeping a healthy cycle in our global economy. Particularly when buying from a charity shop, not only are you helping reduce the growth of immense profit for big corporations, which tend to pay unfairly, but you’re also supporting an amazing cause and multiple individuals in the process."
4. You Can Find Interesting Items
You never know what you're going to find when you shop in places like this. Even if you don't go with a specific purchase in mind, you can find things you love, but would've never even thought to look for.
"While you may prefer to visit secondhand stores only when you specifically need something, that’s not to say you won’t find an amazing deal you haven’t hoped for," says Habitat for Humanity.** "In that sense, shopping secondhand provides a great level of excitement similar to that of a true treasure hunt. While this is not a place where you may find the latest trends, it’s definitely a hot-spot for rare and unique pieces that can speak to you on a more personal level."
5. You Can Find Goods That Are No Longer in Production
Not only can you find interesting and unique items when shopping secondhand, but you can also find items that are no longer in production. This can be especially fun if you are interested in nostalgic items, but also goods that you like, but just aren't available any longer. Think about vintage clothing, discontinued electronics, antique furniture, out-of-print books, or even classic cars.
6. You May Make Less Impulse Purchases
When shopping secondhand, you might save yourself from making expensive impulse purchases. You are more likely to make thoughtful purchases. It takes increased effort to find items you really want, which gives you more time to think about purchases. That's not to say you won't be tempted to make impulse purchases. If you do, however, they will likely be less costly than if you were shopping for new items.
Buying secondhand has quite a few benefits, not least of which is the money you'll save, which you can put toward other things like savings, retirement, debt, charity, or big purchases. You can also feel good about your secondhand purchases, because it's better for the environment and can help local consignment store owners. Plus, you never know what great items you'll discover!
* https://www.simpleconsign.com/blog/5-earth-friendly-perks-of-secondhand-shopping
** https://habitatbroward.org/blog/benefits-of-buying-things-second-hand/