Kings and Pawns: Five Things You Can Buy Used and Save Money

Aside from the obvious things like houses, boats, cars and clothes, there are quite a few useful items you should always buy used to save money. When it comes down to the bottom line, there are few reasons to buy these items brand new.
Books

There are stacks upon stacks of used books sitting in thrift stores and on garage sale tables just yearning for some one to turn their pages. With the advent of e-books, hardly anyone buys real books anymore, which makes the used market even sweeter. Instead of walking out of a book store with one book, you can buy enough to keep you reading for weeks.
Sports and Exercise Gear

Why not take advantage of children outgrowing their gear quickly or well-intentioned people who hardly used that exercise equipment they purchased as a New Year's resolution? It's easy to find barely used sports and exercise equipment at a fraction of the price of new. Local ads, sports shops and yard sales are all good places to shop and save.
Jewelry

If you knew what the markup is in jewelry stores, you would never walk into one again. Classic and vintage jewelry is always in style at a mere fraction of of the cost of new. Try pawn shops for some of the best buys on used jewelry.
Kitchen Utensils and Gadgets

Don't fall for those late-night television ads offering some gadget at an outrageous price. Wait a month or two and someone who got it as a gift will be unloading it in a yard sale or donating it to a thrift store. If you don't absolutely need a matching set of everything, kitchen utensils are extremely cheap in thrift stores, and you can get better quality for much less money.
Tools

From the garden to the workshop, quality tools can be found for pennies on the dollar if you take time to look. Flea markets and estate sales are excellent places to find tools of all sorts. Power tools from pawn shops are a good bet because they have usually been tested.

Save money buying top-end used items for less than you would pay for a lesser quality brand new. Be careful of buying used items online, because you can't test them and may end up losing your money. It's safer to buy from places where you can examine the merchandise to ensure its condition, like Deerfield Pawnbrokers. Where possible, companies with a refund or return policy also protect customers.

Want to Keep Collecting and Save Money? Here's 5 Places You Should Look

For collectors, it is always a constant task to look for new treasures and add them to a growing collection. This is a pleasant and enjoyable hobby for many, even (and perhaps especially) at an older age. However, at times, it can be difficult to know where to find the best pieces and easily expand the collection, especially if you're on a budget. By frequenting the most popular places to look for collectibles, it can make for a great way to find rare products at a great price. 

1. Antique Stores 

Antique shops are an ideal place to find unique items that are still in great condition and are well-preserved. It can be an enjoyable experience to scour the store and be able to view hundreds of incredible items, while having the opportunity to ask questions about the history of each item.

For those who want to purchase a number of collectibles, antique malls are an ideal place to frequent and find dozens of merchants in one location. This is a great place to barter and negotiate with sellers. If you ever spend over $20 at an antique mall, ask for a 10% discount—you should receive it. This little secret can end up saving you lots!

2. Pawn Shops

Pawn shops only sell items that have value, making it easy to find historic products that can increase in value. Jewelry is a high commodity, along with coins, stamps, and musical instruments for plenty of like items. If an item is too expensive, it's appropriate to ask for a cheaper price, as well as pawn a separate item to be able to make the purchase. If you're looking at boats, vehicles, or aircraft for sale, you should keep in mind that the pawn shop will probably rack up the price higher than they bought it for (so be willing to pay more).

3. Garage Sales

It may take a bit of work and energy to dig through another person's personal belongings, but garage sales are one of the best places to search for valuable finds after people often clean out the garage or attic. Better yet, you'll probably find collectibles at their cheapest here. Precious dolls, pocket watches, and antique spoons are a common find for those who frequent the weekend deals.

For older products, estate sales often sell hundreds of items that may be worth even more they are selling for. Keep on the lookout for items like this. If you live in a neighborhood that doesn't hold a lot of garage sales, go to a local thrift store. You can find things for very cheap there, and quite often there are hidden treasures amongst all the junk.

4. The Internet

For those searching for a specific item to add to their collection, the best place to look is online where a basic search can pull up hundreds of websites. Online sellers often sell specific products, making it easier to purchase a gem for a convenient process that beats driving around town. You can try sites like eBay for online auctions; often you can get a really good deal that way, and you can control how much you pay. If you're looking for larger items, such as collectibles cars or planes, you can try trade-a-plane.com. Sites like these will have Trade a Plane airplanes for sale which you can find for a good price. Make sure you don't outbid yourself and end up paying more than you wanted.

5. Flea Markets

Flea markets are an upgrade to garage sales, making it easy to shop in one place for rare finds that are hard to find in stores. Flea markets are often a place where the work has been done for you by merchants who scour garage sales and then sell their best finds. You can barter here as well and get a good price on a valuable item.