Buying only second hand in 2021: 6 month review

As we head towards July, six months into my challenge to buy only second hand for the whole year, I thought it would be an opportune moment for a review of progress. Is buying only second hand even possible?

If you are a regular reader or a member of my Facebook group, you will know that I am doing quite well! It hasn’t been all plain sailing, though. There have been a few occasions where I have struggled, but mostly I have found it enjoyable. It is so satisfying to pick up just the thing you wanted, but at a bargain price, and know that you haven’t contributed to more ‘stuff’ being produced.

My reasons for buying only second hand

I am on a fairly tight budget, so buying pre-owned items makes good financial sense to me. It is possible to purchase things in immaculate or unused condition at a mere fraction of the price they would cost new. 

The damage that we are doing every day to our fragile planet with our demands for more and improved versions of everything, even if we already have the same object that is a little used, is of great concern to me. I detest our greedy, unthinking consumer culture.

This is a big motivation to for me in buying only second hand. By doing so, I don’t have to buy the new equivalent and, therefore, materials and energy are saved on its manufacture, packaging and transportation. I can help to maintain the objects I find and use them for as long as possible, and try to keep them out of landfill.

Where do I source second hand?

Early in the year, due to lock down in the UK, my only options for purchasing anything at all was at the supermarket or online, pretty much. Fortunately, there are many places to source second hand goodies these days, such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Depop, Vinted or Gumtree.

I have also perused Freecycle and Freegle for free things, and helped myself to stuff left outside my neighbours houses, such as paint, an iron, some cutlery and a beautiful, if slightly battered, tea tray.

Since the charity shops have reopened I have been a regular visitor, with some amazing finds such as those I showed in this haul on YouTube.

What if second hand isn’t an option?

I set myself the following rules when I began my challenge to buy only second hand this year. Firstly, new underwear is allowed. You do find second hand bras in charity shops, but it’s unusual to find second hand knickers and socks. Plus, who wants to wear a stranger’s pants?

I decided that it was also OK to buy new things that allowed a repair or a bit of upcycling, such as paint, glue, scissors, thread, etc.

One thing I have allowed as time has elapsed is plants from the garden centre, as these are a relatively eco-friendly option for gift giving. Initially, I saw myself growing all of the plants I might need for gifts, but realistically I needed to start this last year for it to work. So I have purchased the odd plant or two, although a friend got a money tree grown from a cutting. 

Another item I made the decision to purchase new was a phone charger. You don’t see them second hand in working condition. It is possible that a wanted request on Freecycle might have reaped a working charger, but after a bit of research I decided to invest in a new one that was built to last. I chose an Ever Cable stainless steel version with a three year guarantee from Buy Me Once. This company’s ethos is to only sell items that are durable and built to last, so let’s hope this charger lives up to its potential!

The thorny issue of giving second hand presents

Talking of gift giving, this has been the area I have simultaneously found the most interesting and challenging. My extended family generally tolerate what they probably see as a bit of eccentricity in me. They no doubt shrugged their shoulders and rolled their eyes a bit when I announced my plans for a second hand year.

None of them would look a gift horse in the mouth if they encountered a big bargain that happened to be pre-owned. However, most of them don’t buy most of their clothes in charity shops and certainly wouldn’t dream of giving somebody a second hand gift. Apart from my parents, who are the original Second Hand Rose and Ron – that must be where I get it from!  

It was easy to buy my mum’s birthday gift – I found a beautiful blue glass vase in the charity shop that I knew she would love and bought her a big bouquet of flowers to go in it. My brother got some vintage West Ham Football Club memorabilia, which seemed to go down well. 

My older sister was trickier. She is a fan of designer clothing and has an immaculate house. In the end, I found an old chap on Facebook who made large planters out of recycled planks and bits of wood that a local building company would otherwise scrap. I got her one of those, painted it up and filled it with plants.

Three of my four nephews have so far have birthdays this year. Two of them got a gift voucher from Beyond Retro, since they sell mainly second hand vintage clothing and sportswear. My youngest nephew was a hard nut to crack though. I suggested that maybe I could get him some second hand games for his Play Station. However, he is saving up for a new computer and really wanted money from us all. In the end I relented, on the basis that I would rather he received something he really wanted from me than something second hand that he never used.

I guess, strictly speaking, this one was a fail, but I think it was the only way to go.

A birthday triumph

It was my dad’s 90th last weekend. What do you buy a 90 year old? There is nothing material he needs or wants. In fact, my parents have spent the last year having a massive declutter, so that we don’t have to deal with it when they are gone (my mum’s words!).

I decided to go for something thoughtful and meaningful – and home made rather than second hand. Family members and his best man Bert – a fellow 90 year old friend from primary school – were cajoled into writing down their memories of my dad with their feelings about him.  I gathered together loads of old photos and made a kind of This is Your Life book, starting with his family tree from when my sister did genealogy, pics of him as a boy and a young soldier in Malaya, the earliest photos of him and mum together, at work at the Daily Telegraph, where he started as an apprentice, through to his four children and nine grandchildren. 

Giving him this gift was the best thing I could have thought of. He was deeply moved, in tears in fact, and said that he really loved it and would treasure it always. As you can see, Archie had to be involved in some way by sitting on his feet!

It has given me the confidence to get my creative juices flowing and make more home made gifts in future.

Upcycling

I have shown by upcycling efforts in our hallway and in the garden this year, both here and on my YouTube channel. There will be more to come as we make do and improve what we have, or sourcing something a bit tatty that needs some love, rather than buying new. 

My next project for a bit of DIY will be our bedroom furniture, a rather dreary collection of not quite matching dark pine items that are quite tatty in places. In fact, I plan a collaboration with Frugal Queen in France, where we will be showing how much you can achieve with a bit of paint and elbow grease. Watch out for that towards the end of July on YouTube.

Clothing

I have bought quite a lot of clothing this year – more than usual, in fact, as I had a big declutter of items that no longer fitted me (blame the lock down belly!). This revealed a few gaps in my wardrobe, so I have bought several items for myself, mostly on eBay but also in the charity shops. I have been buying only second hand, though!

I am at the point where I probably don’t need anything else for the rest of the year, in fact, so now need to stop impulse purchasing just because things are cheap. 

What’s next on my buying only second hand mission?

I have some more birthdays that might prove challenging, but I am already planning for Christmas. There is a small stash of gifts in a basket under the bed. When you are buying only second hand, you can’t just rush out in a couple of trips and get everything.

To be honest, if my family wouldn’t be offended, I would scale Christmas down to daughters and Mr Shoestring only. However, I think they would, so I am staying on the Christmas bandwagon for now, albeit in a slightly used, cheaper and more sustainable manner!

I think I will continue on this path beyond 2021, as I have proved to myself that I just don’t need to purchase much new at all. In fact, I have even found second hand (unused or just tried) toiletries! But let’s get through to the end of the year first….

Are you buying only second hand? What are your thoughts on the triumphs and challenges of a second hand lifestyle?