Playing a sport is an enriching experience that can be both enjoyable and rewarding. However, the same cannot be said for one’s wallet.
Buying brand new sports gear is usually very expensive unless there is a give-away, one has a friend in the business, or one wins something in a bet.
However, there are many ways to cut down on the costs of playing sports so they can be enjoyable for both one and one’s wallet.
The best way to cut down on costs of sporting gear is to buy used gear. While it is true that used gear may not last as long as new equipment, used equipment will usually get the job done for a fraction of the price.
Many stores have made a business buying and selling used sports gear. The main store in circulation is Play it Again Sports, which deals in every type of sport from baseball, to golf, to football and even exercise equipment.
While normal stores will have a high price for a piece of equipment, Play It Again will have the same product, slightly used, for a cheaper price.
For example, if one play baseball, the cost of a normal first basemen’s glove is between $65 and $125 with a possibility of being even more.
To buy one used, the price drops between $35 and $60. That extra cash that would normally have been spent on just one glove can buy a used glove and maybe even a new pair of batting gloves to round out the purchase.
While they also sell used gear, they will also buy a students old gear for a reasonable price. If one has a bat that they haven’t used since their all-star years at Little League, they will buy it off of them, provided it is in playable condition, for a decent price which they can use to upgrade the gear they currently use.
Another place that usually has a large “selection” of used sports gear is Craigslist. This site is a place for people to put postings of stuff they are willing to sell, buy or trade from sports gear, to school supplies, to jobs.
However, be careful of scams on the site selling bad items for a high price with no obligated warranty. People have been burned for buying faulty equipment under the impression that it was still usable.
Used gear also comes with a bit of caution. While one sees what you want t to buy looks like, they still don’t know what that piece has gone through in its lifetime. It could have only been used once, but it could also have been abused hard enough so it is close to its breaking point. That is a risk one might have to take.
However, stores like Play it Again usually come with a warranty on their gear, so if the purchase does break, they can fix it, or give one store credit to buy another piece of equipment.
Buying used isn’t such a bad idea. One can get a good piece of equipment that can last a while for a good price.
Just be careful about what one is buying, or it could backfire and one could end up paying more than one really needs to.
Buying used is a good way to still enjoy one’s favorite sports, while still being nice to one’s bank account which is something everybody can agree on.