Posted by Maneesh Sethi :: September 21, 2007 @ 10:06 am

... told you to jump off a bridge, would you?

Almost weekly I see a new article that talks about things you should buy used. Why weekly? Because bloggers love to repeat what others have said.

But you're in for a treat.

Here is a great example of these articles: A list of everything you should ALWAYS buy used. Don't ever buy new jewelry! Don't buy new movies! And DON'T BUY A NEW CAR.

I completely understand where these articles are coming from. Yes, from most monetary standpoints, it makes sense to buy used jewelry and used movies. But these should be considered recommendations, not firm guidelines. There are other things to take into account.

My brother Ramit, over at IWillTeachYouToBeRich, wrote a great article about this issue. What's more important: the cost of the item or the value? Ramit put down several criteria for why he chose to buy a new car. Reliability was one of his reasons. But, after reading the article and talking to him, what was one of his most significant reasons? The new car smell.

My brother makes enough to afford a new car. He really wanted one that looked good and smelled good. He budgeted, planned, and found that it was well within his means. As I stated before, budgeting doesn't mean buying nothing. Personal finance isn't about living as a pauper, it's about getting the most out of your money today so that you'll still have enough in the future.

Next time you want to watch a movie and you're at Costco, don't skip the movies section simply because they don't sell them used. If you can afford a $7.44 movie or $9.66 for 2 movies or $20 for 1,343 movies (man I love Costco), consider buying them. If it doesn't break the bank, treat yourself to a good evening. And send me the movie when you are done.