New or Used for a Savings Goal? Compare What Your Child Needs
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni6 min read
The cheapest option isn't always the best deal, and the most expensive one isn't always the best choice. When your child is saving for something and you find a used version, compare three things together: what the item has to do, what condition it's in, and what it costs in total once everything is included. Your child weighs it up and chooses. You check the listing, talk to the seller and handle the actual purchase. The savings goal only changes once a specific option has been checked and you've agreed on the price.
Your child still makes the choice. They just don't have to guess about things a photo can't show.
Start with what the item is for
Before you put two prices side by side, ask your child what they actually want. Not the product name. What the thing needs to do.
Ask questions like:
- What will you use it for?
- Who will you use it with?
- What has to be included for it to work?
- What would be nice to have, but isn't necessary?
A board game, for example, needs all its pieces and the rules to be playable. The box doesn't have to look nice. An expansion might be fun, but it isn't a must. When your child says this out loud before looking at prices, the comparison is fairer. They judge both options against their own criteria, not against whichever price looks lowest.
If you want a broader conversation about the difference between price and value, there's a separate guide on explaining price vs. value to kids without lecturing. This article is narrower: one concrete choice between new and used.
Three things to check on a used item
For a simple item with no power cord or batteries, like a board game, a book or a building set, three questions usually decide it.
1. Is everything there? A board game missing one piece can become unplayable. Ask the seller to confirm it's complete, or ask for a photo of the contents laid out on a table. Compare it with the contents list in the rulebook.
2. What condition is it in? Worn corners on the box matter little. Bent cards, water damage, odors or a missing rulebook matter more. Let your child decide what's acceptable, but give them accurate information.
3. What's the total price? Shipping, pickup and any extra costs, like a replacement piece or a new rulebook, all count. A $25 listing can easily end up closer to $35.
As the adult, you contact the seller, judge whether the listing seems trustworthy and pay. Your child doesn't need to deal with strangers or payments to be part of the decision.
Example: Ida's board game (fictional)
Ida is 10 and saving for a strategy game she's played at a friend's house. The amounts below are a made-up example, not typical prices.
Ida's must-haves: all pieces and rules included, playable with four people, and a box that keeps the pieces together.
| New | Used | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $45 | $25 |
| Shipping or pickup | $0 (store pickup) | $10 (shipped) |
| All parts included? | Yes, sealed | Seller confirms, photo of contents |
| Condition | New | Box worn at one corner, cards look fine |
| Rulebook | Yes | Yes |
| Meets Ida's must-haves? | Yes | Yes, if the photo is accurate |
| Total price | $45 | $35 |
| Difference | $10 less |
Ida has $22 saved toward the goal. In this example she earns about $4 a week from extra jobs the family has agreed on. For the new game she's $23 short, which is about six more weeks. For the used one she's $13 short, about four weeks.
Her mom asks the seller for a photo of all the pieces. Ida counts them against the list in the rulebook with her. Everything matches. Ida says: "I don't care about the corner of the box. I'd rather play two weeks sooner." The choice is hers, and it's based on what she has actually seen.
If pieces had been missing, the answer might have been different. And if Ida had said she wanted the new one because she likes opening a sealed box, that's a valid choice too. What matters is that she can explain why.
Let your child explain the trade-off
A good test is to ask your child to finish this sentence: "I'm choosing ___ because ___, even though ___."
Ida: "I'm choosing the used one because everything is there and I get it two weeks sooner, even though the box is a bit worn."
If your child can't fill in the last part, they may not have noticed the downside yet. You can ask about it without giving the answer. If they pick something you wouldn't have picked, but the choice is safe and within what you've agreed, it's often worth letting it stand.
Necessary items are still the adults' responsibility. This kind of comparison fits wants your child saves for themselves, not things like winter boots or a school backpack.
Update the goal only after the option is checked
It's tempting to lower the savings goal the moment you spot a cheap listing. Wait until you've confirmed the item exists, is complete and the seller is ready. Otherwise the goal might drop for something that's gone the next day, and your child has to raise it again.
A simple order:
- Your child sets the must-haves.
- You find two options together.
- You check the used one with the seller.
- You fill in the comparison card.
- Your child chooses and explains.
- You agree on the new price, and the goal is updated.
- Once your child reaches the goal, you buy the item and pay with real money outside the app.
If you use Kroni, you can set the savings goal to the agreed total price of the chosen option, so your child sees how much is left. The app doesn't check listings or guarantee used items, and the actual payment happens between you, outside the app. Judging the item is still your job. For more on helping kids understand the numbers, see balance explained for kids.
Comparison card to fill in
Copy this worksheet and fill it in with your child. The blanks are left open on purpose.
What the item is for: ______________________
Must have:
Nice to have, but not necessary:
| Option A | Option B | |
|---|---|---|
| Where (store / listing) | ||
| Price | ||
| Shipping / pickup | ||
| Extra costs | ||
| All parts included? (confirmed how?) | ||
| Condition | ||
| Meets every must-have? | ||
| Total price | ||
| Saved so far | ||
| Still needed | ||
| About how many weeks left |
Adult has checked: ☐ seller replied ☐ photo of contents ☐ total price confirmed
My choice: I'm choosing ______ because ______, even though ______.
New agreed savings goal: $______
This week
Pick one thing your child is saving for right now. Talk about the must-haves before you look at prices. Look for one used option just for practice, even if you don't end up buying it. Fill in the card together and let your child say the sentence out loud. Then you'll have a set way to handle it the next time a cheaper option turns up.
Frequently asked questions
- Should my child contact the seller of a used item themselves?
- It's simplest for an adult to make contact, judge the listing and pay. Your child can still help decide which questions to ask, like whether all the pieces are included.
- What if my child picks the new one even though the used one is cheaper?
- That's a valid choice if they can explain why. It's a want they're saving for themselves, so the trade-off between price, condition and waiting time is theirs to make.
- When should we change the savings goal to the lower price?
- Wait until an adult has confirmed the item exists, is complete and the total price including shipping is settled. That way you don't lower the goal for something that disappears.
