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- Vacuum cleaners. Here's another item that's particularly prone to abuse and that may cost you more to fix than if you'd simply bought new. Consumer Reports says a good, basic upright can be purchased new for less than $100, and that the fancy features that push prices higher often aren't worth the extra cost. Just make sure to buy one that you're comfortable pushing and that has a decent filtration system to prevent dust from kicking back out into the air.
Exception: You're handy and don't mind teaching yourself vacuum repair.
- Camcorders. Someday they'll build a camcorder out of rubber, so that it'll bounce when you drop it, which is almost inevitable. The damage from a fall may not be obvious when you buy used, but it may soon require a costly repair. Camcorder motors can also wear out and may cost you a couple hundred dollars to replace.
If you want to save money on a camcorder, consider buying last year's model.
Exception: You're buying a refurbished model that comes with a warranty. RefurbDepot.com, for example, posts many models that still carry a factory warranty.
- Shoes. Poor-fitting shoes can cause everything from bunions to back problems, so don't buy footwear that's already been molded by someone else's tootsies. This is particularly important for kids whose feet are still growing. Shop sales, buy last year's models, but don't give in to the temptation to save a buck now that's going to cost you more in pain and hassles later.
Exception: You're buying old cowboy boots to turn into lamps.
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- Mattresses. Think of all the stuff you do on your mattress. Now think of sleeping in someone else's stuff. Ewwwww.
Unfortunately, you may already be spending the night with other people's mold, mites, bacteria and bodily fluids. Dishonest retailers sometimes ignore federal requirements that used mattresses be labeled as such, often covering a secondhand cot with new ticking to disguise it. If you want an all-new mattress, the Federal Trade Commission recommends looking for a tag that promises "all-new materials" and requiring that the retailer write the word "new" on the receipt. (That can make it easier to prove your case should you find you've been sold a used mattress on the sly.)
There's also the fact that mattresses aren't meant to last forever. Even the good ones typically have a life span of just eight to 10 years, and it's hard to know for sure how old a used mattress may already be.
Exception: When "used" is really almost "unused," such as a mattress from someone's rarely visited guest room. Still, you'd really have to trust the buyer to know, and disclose, everything that's happened on that bed, which is why you're still probably better off buying new. You shouldn't ever pay the list price, because haggling is expected. Consumer Reports suggests you need to spend about $800 to get a good-quality queen-size mattress and box spring set. That works out to about 25 cents a night -- a small price to pay for cleanliness and comfort.
- Wet suits. These spongy coverings tend to lose their ability to keep you warm over time. If you're a scuba diver, the constant change in water pressure will eventually take its toll.
"As a suit is used, the neoprene compresses and become thinner, losing its thermal properties and buoyancy," said master dive instructor Gerrard Dennis of Simply Scuba, an online scuba store based in the United Kingdom, where the need for warmth is crucial. "Also, ozone attacks neoprene suits so they become less stretchy and more likely to tear with age."
If diving, snorkeling or other water sports are your passion, a good wet suit will set you back $100 to $400.
Exception: You're surfing, rather than diving, exclusively in warm waters. If you're trying to outfit a growing child and don't want to pop for a new suit, consider renting from a reputable shop that sanitizes the suits between uses.
- Helmets. Like a car seat, a helmet is meant to protect against one accident and no more. A crash typically crushes the foam inside the helmet casing, according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, so the damage may not be visible.
Since you usually can't tell if a helmet's ticket has already been punched, you're smarter to buy new. Kid's sports and bike helmets retail for about $20; you'll pay $30 to $40 for the adult size. Motorcycle helmets usually start around $100 and climb steeply from there; you can contain the cost by resisting the fancy paint jobs.
Exception: None. Helmets aren't that expensive compared to a funeral or a lifetime as a quadriplegic. Spend the money.
Liz Pulliam Weston's new book, "Easy Money: How to Simplify Your Finances and Get What You Want Out of Life," is now available. Columns by Liz Pulliam Weston, the Web's most-read personal-finance writer and winner of the 2007 Clarion Award for online journalism, appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions on the Your Money message board.
Updated Nov. 28, 2007
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