As you shop around for equipment deals, don't overlook the used equipment market. Depending on the item, you may be able to purchase used equipment for a fraction of what you would have paid if the equipment were new and without any loss of functionality. Purchasing used office furnishings, in particular, can lead to big savings.
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We know of two bargain-hunting lawyers who were able to equip their home offices with attractive wooden desks and file cabinets at the sum of $10 per item when the university they had attended remodeled its offices.
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Where can you find high-quality used equipment? Start by checking the Yellow Pages or online for listings of thrift stores and secondhand dealers. The classified sections of your local newspaper and trade publications are another good place to look, as well as online. Be especially watchful for sales related to an office remodeling or business liquidation. And as more people get into — and sometimes out of — home businesses, yard and estate sales may also provide bargains to those with the time and patience to seek them out.
Occasionally, you may come across used equipment that is still covered by an original warranty or service agreement. However, before you take comfort in the potential protection such an agreement may provide, read through it to confirm that its benefits are in fact transferable to you with the equipment.