Buying new vs buying used

I have had this dilemma whenever I plan to buy something - should I buy a new one or a used one. I had this predicament recently when I wanted to purchase a phone. Phones have gotten expensive - iphone 14 costs almost 900 euros and that's just the basic version. I prefer flagships primarily because they have a long shelf life when compared to a mid-ranger.

Use iphones is a huge marketplace. There are tonnes of reputable stores and sites that offer discounted used phones with 2 years warranty so, there isn't much risk attached to it. It sounds practical because you end up saving 200-300 euros on the same model.

I spent 3 weeks thinking about this and arguing with myself about pros and cons of a refurbished device and a brand new one.

Finally, I came up with a solution that will eventually help me for future purchases as well.

"Buy new if it is a personal thing, buy used if it is not-personal"

For example, phone is a personal thing, so are clothes and laptop. They all belong to me and I am only the only person to use them.

On the other hand, sofas, television, furniture etc are non-personal items that are used by everyone in the house. So I prefer buying a used one. Also, these things tend to last long and are usually taken care of properly.

Hopefully, this settles the debate.

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