I bought a 20-year-old Volvo a little over two years ago, and I just finished making payments on it in August. And God willing, I will probably drive that little car 'til it just won't go another mile. Why? Because it gets me where I want to go, and I don't owe a dime on it. I love the feeling of not having a car payment. It's great!
I feel the same way about clothes. I buy most of my clothes at the local Goodwill. Yes, someone has worn them before. But they've still got a lot of wear in them, and I intend to wear them out! My kids love the hoodies I bring home for $3. I've also had really good luck with T-shirts for them.
I find lots of great stuff for the house there - dishes, decorations, lamps, toasters, coffee makers, printers. And you can't beat the price on books - 50 cents for softcovers, $1 for hardcovers.
My point? These are all things that someone else didn't want or need anymore. But they still have lots of life in them. And in these tough times, being able to squeeze every drop out of what you have is important.
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