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Secondhand, in plain English

Good things, second time around, for a lot less.

Plain-English guides to buying secondhand with confidence, what to check before you pay, what to always buy new, and how to sell what you no longer use, safely.

Compare new vs. used What to buy used

One season of secondhand finds

  • Solid wood dresser$650$120
  • Kids' winter coat$80$12
  • Commuter bike, tuned up$450$140
  • Stand mixer$380$90

Kept in pocket$1,198

Helmets and car seats? Always new.

An illustrative example. Prices vary a lot by area and condition.

Start with one of these

CalculatorNew vs. usedThe real yearly cost of each. GuideBuy used or new?Category by category. ChecklistSecondhand SmartSixteen habits for buying and selling.

15 secondhand guides

Buying used

Stay safe

Selling your stuff

Where to look

Free download, no email needed

The Secondhand Workbook

Inspect before you buy, keep a wish list for secondhand hunting, check recalls, list what you'll sell or donate, and log your sales.

Get the free PDFSee the Secondhand Smart checklist

Coming soon

Buy used with confidence. Sell what you don't need.

Secondhand Smart Course: a short course on what to check before you buy, staying safe, and pricing, listing and selling your own things, with a checklist for every step.

$19 once, for all 6 lessons. 30-day refund.

See the lessons