Archive for the ‘second-hand’ Category

• Basic Set-Up Costs: Buying second-hand Part (6)

  Date: 2012.01.29 | Category: Basic Set-Up Costs, second-hand | Response: 0

  At auction

  Buying second-hand goods at auction is really different from buying them from a dealer or privately—it is really serious stuff. When you intend to bid for something at an auction, the first thing you need to do is register; you may have to sign some sort of agreement that will contain the rules of the auction. Read the rest of this entry »

• Basic Set-Up Costs: Buying second-hand Part (5)

  Date: 2012.01.25 | Category: Basic Set-Up Costs, second-hand | Response: 0

  There is no home delivery—which means that you will probably have to organize a trailer or truck to pick it up in, and then find some mates to help you get it up the stairs. Along with this, the majority of items that you buy at a garage sale won’t come with a warranty or safety guarantee. Read the rest of this entry »

• Basic Set-Up Costs: Buying second-hand Part (4)

  Date: 2012.01.21 | Category: Basic Set-Up Costs, second-hand | Response: 0

  If you are a bit strapped for cash and are prepared to put in a bit of hard work, garage sales are a good place to hunt down cheap furniture and appliances. Most garage sales take place on weekends, with Saturday being the most popular day. They are advertised in the classifieds section of the paper, in alphabetical order by suburb. Read the rest of this entry »

• Basic Set-Up Costs: Buying second-hand Part (3)

  Date: 2012.01.17 | Category: Basic Set-Up Costs, second-hand | Response: 0

  Privately

  No matter who you are buying from—whether it is your parents, a friend, from a garage sale or someone who has advertised in the Trading Post—you really need to check out what you are buying, maybe even get a second opinion from a friend or relative, before you hand over the cash. Read the rest of this entry »

• Basic Set-Up Costs: Buying second-hand Part (2)

  Date: 2012.01.13 | Category: Basic Set-Up Costs, second-hand | Response: 0

  • Try to determine whether the item is going to last for a reasonable length of time—you don’t want something that will fall apart as soon as you get it home.

  • Whether the dealer is prepared to give you some kind of warranty on the item—not as silly as it sounds; remember that car dealerships give warranties on second-hand cars.

  • Whether the item will fit into the allocated space—be especially careful with the width and height of a fridge, as there is usually only one place it can go. Read the rest of this entry »

• Basic Set-Up Costs: Buying second-hand

  Date: 2012.01.09 | Category: Basic Set-Up Costs, second-hand | Response: 0

  There are basically three ways of buying second-hand—through second-hand dealers, through private sellers like the ones you find in newspapers like the Trading Post, or through auctions.

  Second-hand dealers

  Second-hand stores are a bit harder to come by than regular shops. But if you do take the time to track them down, it can end up being very worth your while.

  Remember that when we are talking second-hand stores we aren’t talking antique shops. You will get a rude shock if you walk into an antique store and ask the prices of their ‘second-hand’ dining tables. I’m sure they will be a bit more than you are prepared to pay. Read the rest of this entry »