Saving: What to buy new, used or not to buy at all

This economy of shrinking wallets has made bargain hunting imperative.

 Most of us are battling to find the cash for things we absolutely have to have, let alone things we'd just like. But there are great deals to be had if you inject a little creativity into your purchasing habits.

Thanks to the burgeoning second-hand market as well as websites such as gumtree.co.za and auction sites like bidorbuy.co.za, there's not a lot you need to pay the full retail price for. Shops such as Cash Converters - which offer a three-month guarantee on everything - are doing a cracking trade at the moment, and excellent quality used goods at great prices abound.

But even if you get an unbelievable deal, there are some things that should never be bought used ... anything that goes in your mouth springs to mind.

Here is a list of 10 things you should only buy new and 10 things you should never buy new. And a few things you should never buy at all.

What to buy new:

• Children's car seats: a damaged car seat might not protect your child if you do happen to be involved in an accident - and if you're buying second-hand, you won't know if it has already been in a smash and its components compromised. If you are going to take your child's safety seriously, bite the bullet and buy new;
• Shoes: unless they are Crocs, shoes are notoriously difficult to clean inside. But more importantly, shoes mould to the wearer's feet and the soles wear down according to how that person walks, making them uncomfortable for anyone else to wear. It's not just that life is too short for uncomfortable shoes, it's that uncomfortable shoes can cause health issues, from corns to backache;
• Hats: you just have to stroll down the aisle at Clicks to know that people put some weird stuff in their hair. And, like shoes, hats are difficult to get really clean. But worse than oily hair products are the lice, dandruff and skin infections that you might well be "inheriting" from the previous owner;
• Vacuum cleaners tend to get worked really hard by the people who buy them. If the previous owners have had to buy a new one, chances are their old machine's had its chips. Vacuum cleaners tend to cost more to fix than if you bought them new right from the start;
• Tyres: unless you are in the trade, it is hard to tell for sure whether the tyres you are considering were in an accident and are somehow compromised. It is not worth putting yourself, your passengers and other road users at risk to save a bit of cash;
• Bicycle helmets: the same health issues that apply to hats also apply to helmets, but helmets should be taken more seriously. Most brands are made from rigid, shaped plastic filled with polystyrene, and it is not always possible to guess the state the polystyrene is in from a cursory inspection. The polystyrene in old helmets or those that have been exposed to heat might well have disintegrated;
• Mattresses: people do a lot of stuff on mattresses that just shouldn't be shared with strangers. Mattresses are also infested with things like moulds, mites and bacteria that feed on skin particles and other microscopic body parts that have sloughed off the previous occupant. Mattresses aren't meant to last much longer than about a decade before they lose their orthopaedic benefit, and it's hard to know for sure how old a used mattress is;
• Make-up: even if it is still useable, there are just too many questions about hygiene to make second-hand make-up an option, especially lipstick;
• Laptops: they get carried around, bumped, chucked onto desks and into the car, and generally kicked about. For this reason, you don't know what vital element is going to stop working just as you're about to make that all-important presentation. Also, you won't have the guarantees and tech support you get when you buy new; and
• Swimming costumes and any kind of underwear. These items can only ever belong to one person.

What not to buy, ever:

• Paper plates and polystyrene cups: Good quality plastic plates and cups are a much more sensible option, even if you do have to wash them;
• Bottled water: the water you get from the tap in South Africa is among the best in the world. Bottled water is a lazy convenience that squanders your money and creates unnecessary landfill;
• Lotto tickets: the odds are a long, long way against you. Wait until you can afford to give money away;
• Pre-chopped foods: you are paying for the privilege to be too lazy to cut up your vegetables;
• Cheap digital cameras: most cellphones have a camera that's as good or better than most cheap happy snappers; and
• Car washes: This falls into the same category as pre-chopped food. Wash your own car.

Things you should always buy used:

• Sports and gym equipment: no one, not even the most avid weightlifter, can wear out free weights. You can pick up treadmills, stationary bikes, rowing machines and almost anything else you can think of second-hand and at a fraction of the price it would be new. You might want to think a little harder about getting your mat or exercise ball second hand, but a good wash with an antiseptic soap could probably sort out the "eeeuw!" factor. Good condition, top-quality sports equipment like road and mountain bikes, golf clubs, tennis rackets, saddles and cricket bats can be picked up for a song. Have a look at www.sporttrader.co.za. If you are looking for a bike, try www.bikebay.co.za;
• Maternity and new baby clothes: these items are worn for such a short time you can often find quality second-hand clothes in pristine condition. Look at the classifieds, on auction sites and websites like Gumtree, as well as in maternity wear shops that might carry used goods;
• Books: you can take old books to one of the hundreds of second-hand bookshops and swap them for others;
• Hand tools and garden equipment: hammers, wrenches, spades, forks and anything else that doesn't have fragile moving parts should be bought second-hand;
• Cars: new vehicles, depending on their make and purpose, lose around 20% of their value in the first year, according to the Automobile Association. So let someone else make that loss. You'll save on insurance, too. Motoring journalist and second-hand car owner Thomas Falkiner recommends getting your used car from a dealership, because you'll have recourse if you run into trouble with it later;
• Office furniture: it's a sad reflection on the economy that there is so much used office furniture available out there. Go to Gumtree, hasbeens.co.za and amaoffice.co.za to avoid spending more money than you need to;
• A special outfit for a rare event. Beautiful couture clothes that have been "gently worn" are available from stores like Wizards Vintage, 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark, Johannesburg, or Stock Exchange in Kloof Street in Cape Town. Second-hand men's suits are harder to find, and renting for that once-off occasion might be your best bet;
• Timeshare: you can save up to 50% of your timeshare outlay if you buy a resale. Timeshare Junction specialises in the resale of timeshare to both local and international markets, and they have listings all around South Africa as well as outside our borders;
• Musical instruments - especially if you are just starting to learn to play, or the flute/violin/guitar is for your child who you are certain is a prodigy. You can't be sure it's going to be a passion of the magnitude that warrants a new instrument; and
• Pets: there are so many abandoned animals at shelters and the SPCA. You will save money and be a part of the solution of a big problem if you get your dog or cat from here rather than from a pet shop or an expensive breeder. These animals are inoculated, castrated or spayed and free of parasites and disease. A far better option than keeping puppy mills in business.