Growing up, I never frequented antique stores or flea markets. I bought my clothes at TJ Maxx and sat with my mom in furniture stores whenever she deemed an upgrade was in order. Suffice it to say, when I moved out on my own, thrifting was a new experience for me. Now that I have dipped my toes in how to save money and be frugal, I may never go back. 

One super simple secondhand shopping experience I have loved has been Facebook marketplace. It is free to use and connects me with people close by. I can also survey a seller’s profile for any sketchy photos before I agree to meet in person. 

Only buy what you need!

To maintain my frugality with such easy access to cheap goods, I still make sure to only buy things I sought out in the first place. Each time I get on Facebook, I could easily take a browse and fine a cute teacup or a sleek picture frame for a few bucks, but if I do not need these things, I will only increase my clutter and thin out my wallet. 

With self-restraint in place and a clear goal in mind for each of the following purchases, I have managed to save $6000 compared to if I had bought these items new. I also ended up with higher quality pieces than I would have splurged on if I was paying full price. Another huge bonus is that I already avoided the brunt of the depreciation of these items by buying secondhand. When you pay rock bottom prices to begin with, it means reselling will likely be possible at a similar price in a few years. If I am lucky, I may even turn a profit on a few items.

My Frugal Finds

• Elliptical Exercise Machine (this one!)
  • Paid: $125
  • Transport: Free
  • Original Price: $1300

Wanting to reap the benefits of routine exercise is a pretty standard desire for most people. Actually having the discipline to go to the gym is a whole other story. Using my university gym involves an uphill walk and the risk of being spotted by my students mid-run. I decided to bring the gym to me instead. After a quick search on Facebook marketplace, I found a barely used elliptical selling for quite the steal. I have yet to find out how to change the programmed name from that of the previous owner’s, but for such a low price and no signs of prior usage, I do not mind being called Adrian now and again by my new machine. 

• Paper Shredder (this one!)
  • Paid: $5
  • Transport: Free 
  • Original Price: $90

My desire to protect my financial life from identity theft compelled me to purchase a paper shredder. Sticker shock got the best of me when I learned these contraptions sometimes go for triple digits! Luckily for me, an angelic soul who won an unneeded paper shredder at an office party sold me hers for only $5. While she advertised it as never used, I found quite a few pieces of paper stuck in the shredder (hmm…weird). Sometimes sellers are not honest, but in this case, I had only $5 to lose and a pile of papers to shred, so I took the risk and plugged it in. It has now been going on 3 years and working great despite its questionable beginnings. 

• L-shaped Sectional Sofa 
  • Paid: $100
  • Transport: $50
  • Original Price: $5000

This sofa had some visible wear and tear. The previous owners had two cats who seemingly mistook the back of this couch for a claw sharpener. The cushions had a few holes, and stains were apparent even when strategically positioning throw pillows. It is not the most beautiful, but boy is it comfortable. For such a low price, I can get past the physical imperfections, especially because my two cats did similar damage on my (not so frugal) $400 futon within the first month of purchase.

While the more sophisticated among us (i.e. those of us without pets or children) may want a less well-loved couch, for a frugal grad student in a temporary apartment with two demonic fur babies, I can rest easy knowing this couch will be loved until its last breath (or until I move). If I am lucky, I can pawn this monstrosity off to another like-minded student in a few years for $50 so he or she can enjoy the joy of a good deal. 

Updating an Office Space

• My partner’s goodies:
  • Solid wood bookcase
  • Two work tables
  • Mini fridge
  • Microwave

My partner recently upgraded his workspace from a 100 square foot room to a 1000+ square foot suite. Like the frugal entrepreneur he is, he turned to Facebook marketplace to furnish his needs. He took what could have been a costly move and bought a few select necessities for pennies on the dollar. The items look as good as new. Surprisingly enough, his clients have never once remarked their displeasure at his choice in having two slightly different colors of wood finishing on the furniture as they wait. 

For more frugal ideas, learn about how to save money on your period here!