Saving up for eternity to buy yourself a swanky new, branded item? Ever considered buying a pre-used version of it only for a fraction of the original price? Give it a thought.
Buying new things sure feels good. However, a lot of them are way too expensive and some of them turn obsolete soon. Since living in Singapore is already so expensive, why not save on these items you can buy used. You will not have to compromise on the quality in any way and will save a fortune! Take a look.
Read also: 52 Ways to Save Money Because We Live in the Most Expensive City in the World
1. Baby gear
Remember how fast your baby outgrew that super-expensive bassinet you bought? That sure burned a deep hole in your pocket. Head straight to CraigsList, Shopee or Locanto to buy used baby and kids’ goods. From bathtubs to strollers and from highchairs to baby suitcases, they have them all. You will find the best brands here for steal-worthy prices.
You could also check out various Facebook shops such as second-hand marketplace for Moms (Singapore) and Preloved Baby Goods Singapore where you can buy as well as sell baby clothes, gear, nursing gear, and much more. There are also apps such as Bakipa and Carousell, which are convenient platforms to sell pre-loved baby items.
2. Designer bags, shoes, watches, dresses
Every girl dreams of owning a Hermes bag or a Cartier watch someday. The bad news is that not everyone can afford it. However, the good news is that you don’t need to spend your life savings on buying a designer bag. You can buy an ‘almost new’ or a ‘gently used’ one for an unbelievable price.
Websites like Yoogi’s Closet sell pre-owned luxury items for almost 80% of the original cost and assure brand authenticity. Moreover, the products are backed with a 30-day return policy, so you have enough time to check the authenticity yourself or even take it to a local retail outlet to confirm.
Another website selling pre-used luxury fashion items is StyleTribute where you can buy designer bags, clothes, jewellery, shoes, and accessories. Madam Milan is a hub of used designer bags, which has an outlet at Raffles Place as well as a website. Most of these websites have sales so keep an eye out for discounts.
3. Exercise equipment
If you want to implement your New Year resolution to stay fit (even though you are a bit late if you haven’t started yet!), but are unable to do so since the gym membership will break the bank, why not consider buying exercise equipment for using at home? And you could save a ton if you buy pre-used ones.
Head to Homefitness, a leading supplier of pre-owned commercial and home gym equipment. On their website, you can buy biggest fitness brands such as AIBI and Kettler for up to 80% lower than the original retail price. Singapore also has other marketplace options such as homegym.sg and Gumtree where you can buy as well as sell pre-used gym equipment.
4. Electronics
We all know that a new Apple iPhone costs an arm and a leg. But don’t we all lust after it? There is no need to break the bank over a phone! Why not buy a used one? Websites like Gumtree, eBay, Craigslist, and Carousell have heaps of pre-used electronics on sale. People upgrade their tech sets frequently and you could be picking up a ‘barely-used’ one at low prices.
One popular gadget that can be picked up at low costs are fitness wearables. They are usually barely used or unwanted gifts.
Also consider display sets that have been opened and used specifically for roadshows. When you’re eyeing something at stores like Best Denki, Courts or Harvey Norman, always check with the salesperson if there are near-mint display sets. You can save up to 30% and still be entitled to the warranty.
5. Furniture
If you plan to decorate your new house or give a facelift to the current one, we are sure you will worry about overshooting your budget. We know how expensive new furniture in Singapore is! That is why you should head to one of the many shops that sell pre-used furniture. Most of these shops will give you an option to buy vintage pieces that will add a distinct spunk to your pad.
We love the armchairs and retro sofa sets at Hock Siong, a store that proudly says, ‘we embrace imperfection’. They display the talent of their craftsmen who refurbish used furniture to give it a new look and life. Online stores such as Long Long Time Store and KB Living are worth checking out too.
If you are looking for sophisticated and minimalistic vintage furniture, head straight to Noden. They have beautiful dressers, bookshelves, and a variety of items that you will instantly fall in love with. Along with their retail outlet, they have an online store too. The only caveat is that these Danish pieces are usually not cheap.
Related: 7 Items You Should Never Skimp on, No Matter How Tight the Budget
6. Car
Want to buy the car of your dreams but compromising on a cheaper model since it fits the budget? Don’t do that! Instead, buy a used version of the model you love.
Considering how expensive it is to buy a new car in Singapore, it only makes sense to invest in a used one, which will save you around 30%-50%! However, make sure you keep in mind a few points before jumping on the car-owners’ bandwagon.
A new car depreciates the most in the first three years. So, make sure you buy it post that. Don’t opt for a very old car though, since you will end up spending a lot more on the maintenance.
The best part of buying a used car is that you will be able to drive it a lot sooner than a new one, considering how long the COE bidding process is! It would be safe to buy used cars from authorised dealers such as Toyota Certified Pre-Owned (TCPO). Other options are SGCarMart.com and Speedo Motoring.
On your OCBC card, you can get a loan to buy used cars at an interest of 2.98% p.a. with a flexible repayment tenure. Check out other car loan options here.
7. Books
Nothing beats the heady smell of an old book! If that isn’t a good enough reason to buy used books, let’s talk about the price. Consider this; buying a new copy of a book in the ‘A Game of Thrones’ series will cost you around S$20 and buying a second hand copy of the same book will only come up to around S$3-S$4!
So, instead of paying almost five times extra for one book, think of how many books you can buy in that amount! Apart from novels, various websites and outlets also sell second hand textbooks, foreign language books, and many rare books that you generally wouldn’t find in a bookstore.
Check out UsedBooks.sg and Carousell. Evernew Book Store and GOHD Books will have some great gems as well.
Used textbooks and other study material can be bought and sold on Zookal, a platform created by Australian students in 2011 to help the student community save up to 70% cost on buying study material. Students can also rent books from BookRenter and select from a wide range of subjects and editions along with saving a lot.
Related: 4 Ways to Hoard More Books without Going Broke
8. Musical instruments
Suddenly inspired to learn the guitar or the keyboard? We get that too. It’s always tempting to invest in fancy music instruments when you’re feeling all inspired and fired up. But let’s face it, your passion might not last more than a month.
Through websites like Music Warehouse, you can rent any instrument for short or longer durations and satiate your age-old itch without burning a hole in your pocket.
Options include a wide variety of guitars, drums, keyboards, and so on. An acoustic-electric guitar will cost you only S$69 for up to one month rental with S$69 refundable deposit.
And when you’re really sure this is your passion, check out second hand instruments on Carousell or Gumtree, or dedicated music stores like Dennis Music Shop. Get something affordable before trading up as your skill improves.
New is usually nice but used doesn’t mean it’s bad. What else would you recommend that Singaporeans buy used?
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