Used, but quality works for me. I bought most of my furniture on craigslist. All of it is very nice leather, and wood furniture. I got it cheap, because the people wanted to redecorate and buy something else. : )

Buying from small local businesses sometimes costs more, though probably not as often as many people think. However, I’ve found that it is usually well worth any extra costs and then some because in many cases you can talk directly with the owner. And even when you can’t, I’ve found that the staff is usually more knowledgeable and much more available than at big box stores.

That has a lot of benefits! Not only can you get help finding something, you can learn a lot about the products and find which item is best for you — and how to get the most value out of it. Small stores may be more selective about what they sell. If something doesn’t work out, you know exactly who to complain to! If they make stuff, you can ask for custom orders. Often the shopping experience feels nicer because it has a personal touch. And if you are looking to save money, you can usually haggle and/or barter a lot easier than at big box stores. And of course, there are more benefits for the local economy.

Studies indicate that between 40% to 50% of all of our supermarket purchases are impulse purchases. They sucker us in with the loss leaders and then make their money as we fill our carts with impulse buys.

Everything comes down to value. Are you getting good value for what you are paying for. You can pay next to nothing but if derive no value from it, why buy it in the first place?