The rate at which consumers are buying second hand goods is steadily increasing. And for good reason. There are plenty of benefits to buying second hand, from saving money to helping combat the increase of waste. So by purchasing used items, we can help both our wallets and our planet.
Save Money
One of the many reasons to buy second hand is to help yourself to save money. There are plenty of amazing objects you can find that are used, from furniture to electronics. One of the most common objects that are often bought second hand is vehicles and for good reason. You can easily find a used vehicle that is in like-new condition, and there are many benefits to buying a vehicle used. A pre-owned vehicle is often cheaper to insure, and the value of a used vehicle depreciates at a slower rate over time compared to a new car. This same concept applies to many other objects as well.
Waste Not, Want Not
By buying second hand, you’re also helping to reduce the amount of waste that gets dumped into our ecosystems. In America alone, only about 30% of recyclable trash actually gets recycled. That equals a large amount of waste that could have been saved! One great example is by buying second-hand clothes. Americans alone throw out over 15 million tons of waste in clothing and textiles, which can easily be combated by buying used clothes. And if you have some old clothes yourself you want to get rid of, consider donating or selling them.
Flip It Around
Another great reason to go second hand is that you can buy something in poor conditions, fix it up, and sell it for a profit. This is called flipping, and many people are able to make a living out of this. There is a wide range of things you flip, from furniture to gadgets to even jewellery. You can sell these items on places such as eBay or Etsy, and make a good chunk of change from doing this. Not only will you be saving money, but making money as well.
There are many amazing benefits to buying second hand. Not only will you save money (and in some instances can even make money) but you are helping to clean up the ecosystem by doing this as well. Our planet is a beautiful gift and the last thing we want to do is take it for granted. Plus just think of the thrill you get when you buy a great item at a huge discount. This is the reality of buying second hand.
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