Does it have to be new? We live in a world where anything we ever want to buy is at the tips of our fingers. Open your phone and in a few taps, the box is on your doorstep the next day. Looking for a good deal is easy: open a search, type in what you’re looking for, click the shopping tab, find what you want for the right price.

You can find it cheaper though. With a few tricks and a little patience, you’ll find what you’re shopping for, but for less. All you have to do is accept that it was previously used by someone else.

1. Cars – The moment you drive a vehicle off the lot, it loses value. Models are only refreshed every few years and overhauls every decade or so. A vehicle a few model years old is the same as brand-new when it comes to style and trim.
     
2. Books – Textbooks especially are expensive when new; buying used can save a ton of money. New versions are often minor updates, meaning older versions are just as good. But books, in general, are a great used-buy. Even a little beat up, they still serve their purpose. Bonus: used textbooks often have notes in them already. And used books in general tend to come with notes or cute historical artifacts from the previous reader. And if you really want to save on books, the library is still free.
     
3. Furniture – Buying a new couch is an investment. They are not cheap. A used couch is going to be pennies on the dollar. A quick trip to an upholstery shop and you have a statement piece—and enough money left in your pocket for the rest of the house. With a little effort, some time, and a bit of elbow grease you’ll have amazing décor with furniture that has some soul.
     
4. Children’s clothing – Kids grow fast. Trying to keep up with the latest fashions is near impossible. Not to mention, children are renowned for creating stains. Why spend thousands of dollars on clothing that will get covered in colors you don’t want to know where they came from? Resale shops and thrift stores are always full of quality hand-me-down clothing that was probably only worn a time or two.
     
5. Appliances – How often do you actually use your blender? Your toaster? That stand mixer you just had to have on your wedding registry? Paying full price, or even sale price, for home appliances you rarely use is throwing away your money. They rarely break, and even if they look a little dinged up, they’re going to work just fine—possibly better than new ones, actually. Those fancy stand mixers are built like tanks; the older ones are even more robust. Find one used and it will last you your lifetime and a bit more.
     
6. Kids toys – Some toys are collectibles: Lego tends to resell better than gold, dollar for dollar. However, most children’s toys are basically worthless the moment they enter your home. Thrift stores and second-hand shops are full of children’s toys that barely have any use on them.
     
7. Wedding dresses – Wedding dresses can cost tens of thousands of dollars. They are worn for a few hours and then, at best, put in a box after dry cleaning. Even if you want to wear the latest trends at your wedding, you can find them used; and often cheap. Want a vintage dress? Ask family if they have a dress you could have. Take it to a tailor and you have the perfect dress for you.

Buying used sometimes takes a little more effort, but when you get into the groove you start to find places that often have the things you’re looking for. The bargains are out there, you just need to discover them.