Buy Things That Are Refurbished

A good tip to cut down on those Christmas expenses is to buy refurbished. There are plenty of great Christmas items that can be bought slightly used and these are usually the better gifts.

To refurbish simply means to clean up and make like new.  For electronic items, this could be accepting a return from a customer on a perfectly good item that may have been slightly used. Or it could be a defective part that was replaced on something that is practically new.

When looking for electronic items, consider refurbished items, especially if those items come with a warranty.  By taking the risk of replacement under warranty, this means that the manufacturer or retailer believes that the item is good and will not break.

If there is any question, ask whether the seller accepts returns on the item and how long after the sale that offer stands.

Living frugally means getting more for less or delaying purchases as long as possible.  A great example of something refurbished is a used car, which has been thoroughly inspected, cleaned, and fixed.  Driving a used car will save you thousands.