in AZ I bought a student desk for $15 at goodwill, someone had painted it with wall paint trying to make it look like clouds (lol) it looked AWFUL. I stripped the paint and old finish, sanded down the scratches, stained it and applied several coats of verithane for shine and protection and it turned out beautiful. It took forever because I sanded it by hand with sand paper and a wooden block. In retrospect, I should have spent a little money on an electric sander.
My ex was so pissed when I bought it, he thought it was such a POS and could not see the potential... but he loves it so much that he still uses it as his desk today, 7 years later.
my current desk is a $15 drafting table from goodwill, and I have tons of stuff from craigslist.
Stuff I won't buy second hand... Socks, Underwear, lingerie, anything considered a "personal" item, food, and mattresses. I've done used mattresses in the past, but these days I'm not willing to risk the chance of bedbugs.
as far as refurb items, it really depends on the item, the savings over new, and the warranty offered, or if there is an available extended warranty for a reasonable price.
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