Furniture (advantage: mixed). With the possible exception of upholstered furniture — which can have hard-to-detect damage and possible sanitation issues — used furniture can be an incredible bargain. It might even be free. Keep an eye on the “Free” category on Craigslist.com and Freecycle.org for unwanted furniture, particularly when local colleges let out for the summer and many students give away their dorm furniture. Of course, the best used-furniture buys of all can be antiques or other pieces that will likely increase in value over time.
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