Hello. The new fridge freezer is being delivered on Wednesday, so that's good news after putting up with a temperamental one for so long. I went out and splashed the cash on this, but there are a lot of things that I would happily accept second hand, from car boot sales and charity shops. It's got me thinking about what second hand goods are acceptable and which aren't.
I've said that I am happy to keep things I find in skips, things that people give me, and things bought cheap from car boot sales and charity shops, but I think there are some things which are best bought new. I could have put the feelers out for a second hand fridge freezer, asked around, or gone on web sites to look for one, but I just didn't fancy one that someone else had used before me. I want to keep my food in a brand new appliance.
Looking around my house there are far more second hand things than new. When I moved in 18 years ago I had a new cooker, new bed, and new dining table and chairs. Then a few years later I had a new Kitchen fitted, new but bought on a budget, I assembled it and a plumber cut the worktops to size and fitted the sink. At that time I bought a new automatic washer after 20 odd years of using the same twin tub. I prefer to buy new electrical appliances which I hope will last a long time. I have a microwave which I bought new about 20 years ago, a new stereo music centre which is 15 years old. My sewing machine was bought new ten years ago and this computer new about eight years ago. My cross trainer was bought new. So mainly electrical things I buy new, because I want some sort of guarantee that they will last.
So what will I accept second hand? I think it's ok to wear second hand clothes, either given or from car boot sales or charity shops. I even wear second hand pants, they were given to me by a friend so I know they were well washed. I will wear second hand boots, I don't care that someone else's feet has been in them, in fact I like it that they are already 'worn in'. The only exception to this is my walking boots. They have to be new because they need to be well fitting to enable me to walk lots of miles.
I bought a new set of non stick pans, but I have second hand stainless steel pans that I got from a car boot sale, and a large one I got out of a skip. These can be cleaned by scrubbing in hot water, you can't scrub non stick.
I have towels and bed linen which were given to me, some bought at charity shops, and some found in skips. These can all be cleaned in the washer before use. My curtains are all second hand from various places, I wouldn't buy new. Charity shops are a good source for these.
A list of second hand things given to me.
Two desks. Bookcase. Writing bureau. Small glass front cupboard. Office chair. Pine breakfast tabe with two benches. Treadle sewing machine. Dining table. Glass top table and four chairs. Dyson. Sideboard. Electric shredder. Toaster. Toiletries.
Things bought second hand.
Car. Four piece suite. Office desk. office chair. Sideboard. Metal shelving.
I wish I had gone down the second hand route years ago. While I was earning I did the same as most people, everything had to be new bought from a shop. As kids we were brought up wearing hand me down clothes, but of course, when you get a job you want to be keeping up with the fashions. Now, the only new clothes I buy are walking trousers, can't find them to fit in charity shops, and a pack of new underpants every five years or so. When I started reducing my working hours and the cash was tight I stopped spending and started to look at second hand. I am ecstatic when I find a real bargain for a lot less money. It is my mission to pay as little as possible for things that are perfectly fine second hand, so I have enough money to buy new things that matter to me. It's a juggling game, prioritizing what's important.
So, my question to you is what do you absolutely have to buy new, and what is ok to buy second hand, or even get free, either given or from skips?
Thanks for popping in. Catch you soon. Toodle pip
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