5 things NOT to buy second-hand

Every good rule needs an exception and buying used gear is... well, no exception. While in general, it’s best to source most of our purchases from the pre-owned market, sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and get your credit card out. So, here are five items you should never get second-hand.

1. Mattresses

The issue here is hygiene. We’ll include bedding in this category for the same obvious reasons. As a species, sleeping accounts for approximately a third of our lives and that’s a lot of time to be in the same place. As we sleep, we excrete all sorts of stuff from dead skin cells to sweat, and other bits we’ll leave to your imagination. Simply put, even with the best cleaning agents in the world and a forensic team of professional scrubbers, there’s no way to completely remove the detritus and residue left behind from years of someone else’s slumber. So, next time you need something new to sleep on, keep the emphasis on ‘new’.

2. Helmets and safety gear

We all like saving a few bucks and 90% of the time buying used gear is the way to go. However, when it comes to saving something a good deal more precious, namely your life, you can’t afford to skimp. We all need to treat anything designed to prevent injury or harm with the gravitas it deserves. Maybe you could save a few bucks buying a second-hand motorbike helmet, but it could be a decision you may not live to regret. The same rule applies to hard hats, lifejackets, climbing ropes and harnesses, and anything with the potential to prevent injury. So, bite the bullet and spend some cash.

3. Hygiene products

Fortunately, there isn’t a huge market for used cosmetics, smellies, and that sort of thing, but if you ever do come across such a listing, do the wise thing and keep on scrolling. The pros of such a transaction are exclusively a few more bucks in your wallet while the cons are many and horrid. The first issue is your health. Old makeup and other hygiene products can harbour and nurture bacteria and other lovely infection-inducing treats. Then, there’s the danger of counterfeit products. We don’t know what shady chemicals and vile substances dodgy operators put in their ‘products’, but we’re confident you don’t want them anywhere near your face. So, if you need new eyeliner, bubble bath, or something to pamper yourself make sure you don’t end up in A&E.

4. Little Ones' needs

We’re back to hygiene on this one. As we grow, we slowly develop our own defences against the nasty stuff in life. From colds to cold sores, we each grow and upgrade our immune systems over time. Therefore, the time we are most vulnerable is when we’re young, which means the last thing we need is a bombardment of someone else’s shenanigans because our parents were too cheap to buy us a new crib or a baby bottle. Sure, we all remember hand-me-downs and heirlooms, but keeping it in the family is different from getting it on the internet. So, if you want what’s best for your baby, then you’re going to need to spend some cash.

5. Portable media (flash drives USB sticks, and hard drives)

While it might sound like an obvious way to save a few bucks, buying second-hand storage can cost you a lot more in the long run. With the rise in cyber crimes over the last few years, we should all be more careful when it comes to who we let access our devices. Now, while you may have all the virus protection in the world on your laptop, it can’t save you from yourself. If someone can convince you to add a device like a thumb drive preinstalled with malicious software, then you can probably see where this is going. Never buy anything second-hand that can access your data or your computer. Even if you find one on the street, in fact, especially if you find one on the street, don’t allow it to connect to your system under any circumstances. Devices like these can harbour nasty black market software that allows hackers into your devices. Once a hacker has access, they can record you, take pictures and movies, access all your personal information and even gain access to your online finances. So, if you need extra space, spend a few extra Euros and get some peace too.

Thanks for listening folks, and remember you can always sign up to Riloop and set alerts for second-hand goods you DO need!