I Saved Over $700 on 5 Purchases by Shopping Secondhand

There are amazing deals to be found if you take the time to look.

I'm the type to save up my money for something big that I truly want, and I like to do a little research first to make sure I'm getting the best deal. I guess I've always enjoyed the feeling of security I get when I see my savings account balance grow. This mindset has led me to really enjoy secondhand shopping. It can take a little more effort, but when I find something practically brand new at a fraction of its original cost, it feels like I've stumbled on the sale of the year.

Secondhand isn't a bad word

Here are a few of my notable wins from shopping secondhand.

• Le Creuset butter crock: Credit to my husband for finding this one at our local Goodwill. It was quite clearly never used, and after a quick wash, we now have a very fancy home for our butter. An online search tells me these retail for $42. Our price? $1.
• Ralph Lauren shirt: I came across this one by accident while I was standing in line to check out at Goodwill. I glanced at the shirt rack nearby and saw this crisp, tailored button-down. $5 later, it was mine. Retail price: $89.50.
• No.6 clogs: I'd had a particular pair of shoes in my sights for a couple years but couldn't justify the $310 price tag. Eventually I searched around on the clothing resale site Poshmark and found the exact pair I was looking for. After a brief back and forth with the seller and photo confirmation that the shoes truly were like new, I completed the purchase -- for $220 off the retail price.
• Lululemon leggings: I love a comfortable pair of stretchy pants as much as the next person, but I can't bring myself to pay $100 for something that I'm just going to work out or lounge in. But when I found a Poshmark seller who agreed to part with two never-worn pairs for $15 each, that seemed just right to me.
• MacBook: Two computers ago, I was shopping around for a new day-to-day laptop and balking at the prices. I ended up going with a refurbished MacBook through Apple's website, which saved me about $200 off the regular price for what was essentially a brand-new machine. Granted, a refurbished deal isn't always available for the model you might want, but I'd definitely recommend checking it out before buying new.

With just these five purchases, I've saved over $700. That's money I can put into my emergency fund in case I ever need it. Or I can invest that cash in a brokerage account and watch it grow over the years. But no matter what I do with it, I know that I'm $700 richer without any loss of quality or enjoyment, and that's something to be proud of.

Some purchases are worth the splurge

While I love a deal, I also believe there are some things that are worth paying full price for. Last year, I bought running shoes at a local store where an employee recommended a specific pair for my foot shape and running style. That was worth it to me, because I want to avoid any injuries that could result from a pair of shoes that don't fit quite right.

My husband and I recently bought a pizza oven that we've been talking about for over a year. We make pizza dough about once a month, so this splurge was worth it for us, because we know we'll use it and enjoy it. (Although we did decide to build the table for it, rather than buy one for twice the price!)

And I always believe that saving up for special vacations is worth it. This might be my favorite thing to spend money on, because a great trip is an experience you can keep with you, rather than just a thing you may grow tired of. I still look for good deals on flights and places to stay, and I try to use my credit card travel rewards to pay for at least part of each trip. But I feel good about spending the money to visit a new city or country because I've budgeted in other areas of my life to balance it out.

I recognize that everyone is different, and where I value vacations, someone else might enjoy dining out multiple times a week. There's no wrong way to spend your money as long as you're doing it wisely. If you can save for the future and stay out of unhealthy credit card debt, there's absolutely nothing wrong with buying new. But if you like hunting for deals and want a little bonus savings, I'll meet you at the secondhand shop.