It’s out with the new ...and in with the old!
Could you sleep on someone’s old mattress, or clean up with a used Dyson?
Most people wouldn’t think twice about buying a secondhand car but, as the financial squeeze hits this winter, maybe it’s time to buy other stuff second hand too?
People are saving hundreds by shopping online for pre-owned and refurbished goods. This not only saves us lots of money, it helps to save the planet too.
Buying second hand is no longer a source of shame… it’s something to be proud of. After all, if you buy a second-hand device, that’s one less iPhone or laptop being churned into landfill.
Refurbed – which describes itself as ‘Europe’s fastest growing marketplace’ for revamped products – is making inroads in Ireland thanks to this phenomenon.
In fact, it has already sold a device to ‘one in every 50 households here, just since it came here in March last year’, says Pádraig Power, marketing manager for Ireland.
‘More and more Irish consumers are engaging with the circular economy, and we provide sustainable solutions to cater for all tech needs,’ he says.
Buying refurbed reduces carbon emissions by 70%, compared to manufacturing new electronic devices, he adds.
Here are a few ways to join the circular economy – and also save a packet (and not just the one encasing that iPhone you might otherwise buy new!).
Get on your (kiddie’s) bike
A musical turtle, kiddie’s bike, scooter, ‘random small jewellery items’, plant stands, floor lamps and an unidentified yoke for a bike (the owner admits having no idea what it is)… these are just some of a treasure trove of items up for grabs on Olio this week.
Olio is known as a food-sharing app but, as part of its campaign to make the planet greener, it also enables people to give away all kinds of items – for free.
All you have to do is sign up for the app and collect them. You can even put in an order on the wanted section by specifying what you want.
Wheeling and (Done)dealing
You can get anything on second hand websites – most famously a second-hand grilled cheese sandwich with the image of the Virgin Mary.
That sold on eBay for $28,000 – and I’m guessing it wasn’t that tasty. So maybe that’s a bad example for our money-saving tips (unless you have a pancake that looks like the Pope, which you’d gladly part with for a few tens of thousands smackeroos, perhaps?)
But there are plenty of great bargains too, especially if you identify genuine private sellers rather than traders out to make a fast buck.
Most people are just trying to get rid of stuff from their attic or garage and will take literally any kind of reasonable offer for it. So don’t be afraid to haggle.
And while you’re at this moneysaving lark, why not go all the way and snap up something that’ll save you a fortune, as well as economising on energy use in the kitchen.
Air fryers are all the rage now as they use a fraction as much electricity as an oven.
They are pretty pricey to buy new, but can be snapped up from €25 on Adverts.ie (Adverts seems to have more genuine personal sellers than some other sites that are often
clogged with commercial advertisements).
However, make sure you don’t buy a tiny one that doesn’t suit your needs.
Pressure cookers are another must-have item for the energyconscious chef – even more efficient than air fryers.
They can be got for just €20 on Adverts, although a big one from a decent brand, still in the box, might cost €50.
Refurb your phone
Why spend €1,249 on an iPhone 13 when you can get an iPhone 12 for €495? Is the 13 Pro Max really nearly three times better than the one immediately preceding it? I doubt it.
Irish customers can now use Refurbed.ie to shop for their kitchen and household essentials, although it seems to involve mainly high-end coffee makers and food processors when I checked.
Refurbed products go through up to 40 steps until they are as good as new.
The company says its devices are 40% more affordable than new ones, and the company offers a 30-day trial period for each device with a minimum 12-month warranty beyond this.
Vacuum up a bargain
A brand new Dyson vacuum cleaner may be every neatfreak’s dream buy – or if you’re an Apple-holic, it could be a MacBook Pro. But such high-end devices can be pretty pricey.
And that’s why big brands are selling refurbished products alongside their pricier new models.
You won’t save as much as you would with a cheaper secondhand model bought on the private market, but you have the added comfort and security of buying from the manufacturer, with a guarantee that’s sometimes as long as what you get with a new piece of kit.
Dyson sells refurbished vacuum cleaners online. A refurbished Dyson V8 Animal was available for €319 on the Irish site – about €80 cheaper than the advertised new price.
Sites like Ebay also have refurbished sections.
A refurbed Dyson V8 Animal, for example, can be bought for €299.99 (direct from Dyson apparently).
Apple also has a refurbished section which offers savings of up to hundreds of euros on the new price.
A refurbished MacBook Pro was advertised at €1,699 – taking a €530 bite out of the new price.
In your Facebook
If you want to get more personal about buying, collecting or even swapping stuff, use your own social media contacts. Most people have a list of friends – each of whom has a list of friends – making a network that would rival that of many a small local newspaper. This is probably a safer zone than open online marketplaces – though it’s not completely secure, so be careful.
Facebook marketplace is another option, but it seems to have become quite commercialised and I know there are many scammers operating through these pages and others. At least, in most cases, they’re weeded out fairly quickly.
Festive baubles that will not break… the bank
Buying second hand needn’t mean having a second-rate Christmas. In fact, it could be classier – just at a reasonable cost. This week, new Newbridge Silverware Christmas decorations were priced at a tenner each on Adverts.ie
There were plenty of other collectible Christmas items and lots of cheap ones as well.
And there’s nothing wrong with low-cost decorations – as long as they haven’t lost their sparkle.