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Is There Joy (and Savings!) in Buying Secondhand? · Becoming Financially Confident

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  You ever walk into a store and you're automatically pulled towards that shiny
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  the package, that brand new product.
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  You tell yourself, I deserve this.
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  It'll last longer.
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  Just easier to buy new stuff.
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  But deep down you feel that twinge of guilt 'cause your budget's super tight,
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  your closet's full and your peace.
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  Well, that's a little drain right now.
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  What if I told you buying used didn't mean buying less than, but actually
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  might be buying more, more margin, more joy, and ultimately more purpose.
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  Today we're gonna talk about finding freedom by choosing secondhand first.
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  That's what we're gonna cover on today's show.
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  Hey friend.
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  Welcome back to your daily, financially Confident Christian.
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  I'm Ralph and I'm so glad that you're here joining me as we pursue that big question.
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  How can I become a financially confident Christian?
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  And we continue on our series beyond the Budget, really finding financial freedom
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  through choosing intentional living.
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  Now, if you missed yesterday's show, we talked all about mindful spending.
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  I'm encourage you to go check that out if you missed it.
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  And today we're talking about is there joy and better than that
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  savings in buying stuff secondhand.
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  So let's talk today.
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  Picture this, you are out shopping for a coffee table.
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  Maybe you're scrolling online or, or maybe you're actually out physically shopping.
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  You walk into Target, you're walking through the furniture, and next
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  thing you go, boom, there it is.
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  Brand new, perfect style, perfect color.
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  It'll fit exactly in the place where you want to put it in a room, and
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  it's got a low price of only $289.
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  And instantly your heart says, yes, I gotta have that.
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  But your bank account says, not today.
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  But still you justify it.
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  But what if you took a few extra minutes, just a couple of extra minutes and
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  thought, Hmm, I wonder if I checked Facebook Marketplace, and what if I was
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  able to find that exact same style, barely used for, listen to this, only 60 bucks.
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  See, this isn't just about coffee tables, it's jackets, it's kids' bikes.
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  It's those books you wanna read.
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  It's those blenders for the kitchen.
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  See, we live in a world wire to worship the new, but that addiction,
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  that addiction to the new, it's expensive and it's exhausting
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  from a financial perspective.
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  But here's the thing.
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  You gotta understand, buying secondhand isn't just smart, it's spiritual.
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  Now you're wondering, how is Ralph gonna tie this in?
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  Well, let me tell you right now, Let's look at the book
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  of John chapter six, verse 12.
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  It says this, when they all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples,
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  gather the pieces that are left over.
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  Let nothing be wasted.
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  See, Jesus himself didn't waste leftovers.
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  He saw value even in the extra scraps of a miracle.
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  Let's look at Proverbs chapter 21, verse 20.
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  It says this, I've used this on the show many times.
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  The Wise Store Up Choice Food in Olive Oil, but Fools Gulp, there's down.
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  Think about that for a second.
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  The Wise Store Up.
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  Choice, but the fool's gulp, there's down.
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  See, that means something very important to what we're talking about today, and
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  it's what this whole series is about.
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  That means the wise are intentional.
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  See if you wanna be wise, you save, you preserve, and you
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  don't devour everything at once.
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  Buying everything new and see, here's my connection and I truly believe this.
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  Buying secondhand reflects that same mindset.
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  Think about it for a minute.
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  It's wise, it's budget friendly, it's resourceful, and it's
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  environmentally respectful.
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  And most of all, this is why you listen to the show.
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  It's faithful stewardship.
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  So now you're asking Ralph, what can we do?
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  How do we even start that?
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  Lemme just tell you right now.
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  It's not complicated.
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  It's really pretty simple.
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  Just look for secondhand options before defaulting to that.
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  NEW Default setting.
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  Just pause and check first.
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  So here's your one action step for today.
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  I want you to start by identifying one thing you need.
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  Think of something you need in the next 30, 60, or 90 days even.
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  Maybe you need a new bookshelf for the kids going back to school, or you
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  need a coat for the fall and winter.
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  Maybe you need a blender for the kitchen, or hey, maybe you've
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  got that, that vacation scheduled and you need that suitcase.
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  So start by that.
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  Think of something you're gonna need in the next 30, 60, or 90 days in this.
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  Write that down.
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  Then I just want you to go search secondhand first.
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  So before you buy new check places like Facebook Marketplace or
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  Craigslist or offer up, hey, even take a trip out to local thrift
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  stores, or, Hey, here's an idea.
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  Go online and instead of going to Amazon, go to eBay.
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  Maybe it's a book you need, look at some used bookstores.
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  Or, Hey, here's a great idea.
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  Look at some of those Church swap groups.
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  So that's the first thing.
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  Determine what you want.
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  Second thing, look at some secondhand marketplaces.
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  And third thing, it's where you're gonna make a little commitment.
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  Commit to trying secondhand, Hey, even if it's just once, just one item.
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  If it works, celebrate.
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  If not, there's no shame.
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  Listen, I'm gonna tell you I did this personally, remember when I started
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  my own practice back 20 years ago?
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  I was setting up a new business, setting up a new office, and man,
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  I was on a shoestring budget.
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  Lemme tell you, shoestring is an understatement.
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  Well, I was looking at new furniture.
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  I needed some desks, I needed some guest chairs, all that sort of thing.
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  I'm looking and I'm like, I can never afford this stuff.
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  Well, then somebody said to me, Hey Ralph, did you know there's
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  a secondhand office supply place?
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  It wasn't too far from where we are.
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  Let me tell you right now.
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  I went in there and the stuff was absolutely beautiful.
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  I mean, wood desks that were made like they were made a century ago, and
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  the best part, I outfitted my whole office for what I would've spent on
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  one desk if I went the new route.
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  Now, eventually I did upgrade some, but man, it was the way to get started.
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  If you do the same thing, you're exercising a muscle of stewardship
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  and you're exercising a muscle of self-discipline, you might
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  be saying, Ralph, why does this well, well, it helps this way.
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  It saves money, it reduces waste, and hey, it's creative
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  and it can be joyful discipline.
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  And it keeps you focused on your values.
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  Not that consumer pressure to always buy new.
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  Hey, it's all around us.
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  Buy new.
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  You gotta have this new thing.
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  I talk about this on the show all the time, but this really helps you
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  stay focused on your values and not succumb to that consumer pressure.
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  How about we pray together?
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  Father God, thank you for every good gift and every resource
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  you've already provided.
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  Lord, we just ask you to forgive us for our waste and for defaulting to that
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  excess setting in our lives, for chasing new when you've already given us enough.
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  Teach us to see the value in what others overlook, Lord.
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  Help us become more mindful, more joyful, and in the end,
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  more creative with how we live.
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  Give us courage to break the world's pattern of always wanting more and
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  always wanting new, and help us to instead walk in contentment, walk
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  in stewardship, and walk in peace.
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  And we ask this in confidence.
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  In Jesus' name, Amen.
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  Friend.
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  Secondhand isn't second best.
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  I've done it myself, and I'm gonna encourage you to do the same thing.
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  It's wise, it's freeing, and in the end it's purposeful.
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  So try it, even if it's just one item, and let that small step grow
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  your confidence, then pass it along.
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  Just like this episode, I'm gonna encourage you to pass this episode
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  to somebody you know, Hey, just send him a simple text message or an email
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  and say, Hey, I listened to this guy Ralph, on financially confident
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  Christian, and he had a great idea about buying stuff secondhand.
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  Point them to our website that's at financially confident christian.com.
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  And while you're there, grab a free copy of my book.
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  Everybody gets a free copy of my book.
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  It's called Mastering Your Finances.
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  And again, you get that@financiallyconfidentchristian.com
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  slash master.
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  Now, I wanna encourage you again to join me tomorrow as we
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  explore how learning new skills.
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  Hey listen, we're gonna talk about learning some new skills that
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  can save you some serious money.
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  And more importantly than that, help you walk in financial
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  confidence moving forward.
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  So until then, stay faithful.
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  Stay financially savvy, stay financially confident.
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  You got this.
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  I believe in you.
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  Believe in yourself.
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  Let's all go out there and be financially confident.
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  Christians.
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  God bless you and you have a great day today.