Why Buying Secondhand Saves Money and the Planet
Buying preloved — secondhand — is one of the simplest ways to cut waste, shrink your footprint on the environment, and keep money in your pocket. Every used item you buy is one that doesn't have to be made from scratch, which saves water, energy and landfill space. And it's just cheaper: you get the same thing for a fraction of the new price. On FlyerBoard, buying and selling preloved locally makes all three wins easy.
Australians now buy more new clothes than anyone else on earth — about 56 items each per year (The Australia Institute, 2024). A lot of it is worn a handful of times, then binned. Buying secondhand breaks that cycle. Here's how it helps the planet, your local environment, and your budget — and how to do it well.
Why is buying secondhand better for the environment?
Every new item carries a hidden environmental cost that a preloved one doesn't. Making a single cotton t-shirt takes around 2,700 litres of water — roughly two and a half years of drinking water for one person (WWF). Buy that shirt secondhand and none of that water is spent again.
Keeping things in use longer is one of the biggest levers we have. The UK's Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) studied exactly this. It found that wearing clothes just nine months longer cuts their carbon, water and waste footprints by around 20–30% each.
A preloved purchase does exactly that. Buying used keeps something useful in circulation and avoids the water, energy and raw materials it takes to make a brand-new one.
How much waste does secondhand shopping keep out of landfill?
Australia sends more than 200,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill every year — about the weight of four Sydney Harbour Bridges (The Australia Institute, 2024). Most of it is still perfectly usable. Every preloved sale is one item kept off that pile.
It isn't just clothes. The world threw out 62 million tonnes of electronics in 2022, and only about 22% was properly recycled (UN Global E-waste Monitor, 2024). Buying a used phone, laptop or appliance keeps working gear in someone's hands instead of a bin.
The maths is simple. Reuse skips the making and the throwing away — the two most wasteful ends of an item's life.
How does buying preloved save your family money?
The average Australian buys 56 new clothing items a year, at about $13 each (The Australia Institute, 2024). That's over $700 a year on clothes — much of it barely worn. Preloved flips that. You pay less, and you often get better-made things that last longer.
The savings are biggest on items that get used briefly or are built to last. Here's where secondhand pays off most:
| Category | Why buy it preloved |
|---|---|
| Furniture | Solid, well-built pieces cost a fraction used and last decades |
| Kids' gear | Prams, cots and toys are outgrown fast and sold on in great nick |
| Electronics | Phones, laptops and consoles work like new for much less |
| Tools | Good tools last a lifetime; used ones are a genuine bargain |
| Clothing | Brand-name pieces at op-shop prices, often hardly worn |
Selling the things you no longer use puts money back the other way, too. One family's clear-out is another's bargain.
What's the easiest way to buy and sell preloved?
Secondhand has gone mainstream. In 2024, 58% of shoppers bought preloved, and the global secondhand market grew about 15% that year (ThredUp Resale Report, 2025). The easiest way to join in is to shop and sell locally — no shipping, no waiting, and you can see the item before you pay.
That's what FlyerBoard is built for. A few ways to make the most of it:
- Sell what you don't use. A clear listing does most of the work — see our tips on writing an ad that sells.
- Swap instead of buying. If cash was never really the point, trade it for what you actually want.
- Clearing out a lot at once? Moving Sale Mode lists a whole house in one go.
- Buy safely. Meet locally and keep chat in-app — here's how to spot and avoid scams.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is buying secondhand really better for the environment? Yes. Reuse avoids the water, energy and materials a new item needs. WRAP found that keeping clothes in use nine months longer cuts their carbon, water and waste footprints by around 20–30% each.
Q: What should I buy secondhand first? Start with big-ticket, hard-wearing things: furniture, kids' gear, electronics and tools. They hold up well, cost a fraction of new, and are the items where preloved saves you the most.
Q: Is preloved actually cheaper than new? Almost always, especially for furniture, prams and electronics. You skip the "brand new" premium and often get a better-made item that lasts longer than a cheap new one.
Q: Is it safe to buy secondhand from strangers? It is if you keep it simple: meet in a public place, check the item before you pay, and keep the conversation on FlyerBoard. See our scam-spotting guide for the full checklist.
Q: How do I sell my own preloved things? Post a clear ad with honest photos and a fair price. Our guide to writing a classified ad that sells walks through every step.
Ready to spend less and waste less? Browse preloved bargains — or sell what you've outgrown — on FlyerBoard. Local, simple, and better for the planet.