The other day at Costco, I saw a woman with a CrockPot in her cart. I was tempted to run up to her and say, Do you know how easy it is to find one of those used? I refrained, of course. People already think I’m weird enough. So instead I just write about it on my blog.
But I know this first hand because I recently was on a quest for a CrockPot myself. I got a like-new one at a thrift store for $12, but there were dozens on OfferUp as well. I had my pick of the CrockPot litter.
It has become a hobby of mine to buy used stuff as much as possible. It’s fun, but there’s more to it than finding a good deal. Here’s why it’s important to me:
- It’s the easiest way to shop ethically. Since so much of what we buy originates overseas, I don’t need to worry as much about which brands are using slave labor if I buy things used. This is especially true for clothing, which is often produced in Bangladesh, India, or China in horrifying conditions we wouldn’t wish on our greatest enemy. If we care about human rights, this should be important to us.
- It’s an excellent way to steward our money. This is especially true with furniture. I have been dumbfounded to see the beautiful furniture available on OfferUp that’s in excellent condition and is a fraction of what it would cost new. Other than our mattress and our washer/dryer (which were floor models), we furnished our home with entirely used furniture and appliances–and I love it. Gil is amazing at finding all the kids’ sports equipment on OfferUp–shoes, gloves, balls. He recently told me that the bats he bought for $10 were worth over $100 new. Not going to lie–there’s a little bit of competition going on between us to see who can find the best deals.
- It helps to cut down on waste. Sometimes Christians are so put off by extreme environmentalism that we forget that it actually is a biblical mandate to care for creation. America is a consumer machine, so its statistics on this are dismal. The average American produces one ton (2000 pounds) of trash each year. There are over 50,000 storage facilities in the United States (more than McDonalds!). Thrift stores sell only 20% of the clothing they receive. The rest is shredded, fills landfills, or gets sent to developing countries, where the glut of cast-offs are decimating local textile industries. We should not be okay with this. James Loewen wrote, “Economically, we can only hope other nations will never achieve our standard of living, for if they did, the earth would become a desert.” Do you get that? If everyone in the world lived like Americans did, the world would be destroyed. That is a sobering thought. Should we feel we have the right to produce so much waste, or can we do better?
Dotty Myers
I buy used all the time. Growing up, my mother frequented rummage sales. I recently purchased a $40 salad spinner for $4 at the thrift store. I also use freecycle.org.
Kathy
I commend you for your shopping at thrift stores. I found some great clothes there that are in excellent condition. However, my husband feels it is beneath him to buy anything “used.” I feel as you do that we are stewards of what we own and our resources can be best used to buy “like” new items at will meet our needs. God will give wisdom to use our finances to the ultimate good. Besides, it’s like a treasure hunt when I enter the thrift stores that are close by. May God continue to bless you with all you need.
Heather
So good, Amy. Thanks again for being willing to tell us stuff that’s difficult to hear. Xo
Daryl Martin
This my favorite thing to do. I hit all the charity thrift shops. It is so much fun. It serves two purposes I reuse something and I contribute to a charity. I find hidden treasures and can turn them into gifts. Even if I pay too much for something I am donating to a good cause. We are called to be good stewards of our possessions and our blessings. Thanks for sharing this.