I went to three estate sales the other day. At two of them I found a washing machine for sale. For me, this brings back many memories of when my wife and I first got married and moved into our first “starter home”. It seemed to be the fabled washing machine graveyard.

In a period of two years, we purchased three washing machines. We started out with a used clothes washer that we bought second hand through a local shop that reconditioned washing machines and dryers. That one lasted all of two months. I don’t remember what the needed repair was, but the cost was too much for us at the time. Because the machine had been sold “as is” we were out of luck.

Next, we bought a used washing machine through our local classified ads for twenty five bucks. Money was pretty tight for us and we really didn’t have $400 to drop on a new unit. That one lasted a little bit longer before we noticed it making ghastly sounds and starting to leak. Once again, the repairs would have been more than our original purchase price. Hauling those things to the curb really irked me.

Believe it or not, around the same time, our dryer decided to give up the ghost. You can imagine our frustration. We had a new baby at the time, all kinds of normal daily expenses and an appliance habit that was threatening to break us financially as we juggled to get all of the bills paid every month. A relative suggested that we check out a nearby scratch and dent shop where they sold new appliances that couldn’t be sold for full retail because they carried assorted dings from poor handling. We gritted our teeth and put a washer dryer combo on a credit card. The cost was cheaper than buying mint condition units, but they were not cheap by our standards.

Those units actually lasted us for a while, but as I sit here in a different house, about to celebrate fourteen years with my wife, I can hear our latest dryer in the background. It sounds a bit like a 727. This is about the fourth dryer we’ve had as a married couple. Our current washer was repaired last year because it was leaking from the bottom. I think it is our fifth washing machine. Both of these were bought brand new over recent years.

We don’t abuse our appliances. I sometimes wonder if we are the only ones who go through washers and dryers at such an outrageous pace. Has the quality of these appliances become that bad? I only remember having one washer and dryer in my Mom’s house during my years as a child and a teen. I think she may have purchased new ones when I went away to college. Still, that is one huge difference in appliance lifespans.

So anyway, back to the cheap washing machines I found during the past week. They were both being sold for about fifty bucks each. That got me thinking about how much money I’ve thrown away in the past trying to save money by buying cheap stuff. It rarely seems to work out to my benefit. Usually, you seem to get what you pay for when it comes to home appliances.

Since it is sounding like our dryer might be getting ready to retire, I’ve been considering our options. In a perfect world, we’d just compare washing machines and then buy the best washing machine (and dryer) available. I think we will probably try to go for a name brand after we check out washing machine sales in our area. If there is an extended warranty, we will probably drop the extra money for it at this point. I’m just too tired of playing games with these things.

I realize that if you are reading this you are probably looking to compare prices. You might even be where my wife and I were back at the beginning of our marriage. Maybe you just need something cheap that will get your clothes washed. In that case, here is what I would consider doing. I would check out estate sales and moving sales. Both of these situations will have items that were probably in fine working order but need to be sold. In the case of the estate sale, nobody wants to store an extra washing machine that does not get sold, so machines that were working just fine until their owners passed on, often get sold for very reasonable prices. Moving sales are a similar situation. For some people who are moving, the cost of moving large appliances just isn’t worth it. Sometimes the people moving are going to a place where new appliances are already provided. In either of the two above instances, you will find motivated sellers.

If you do go for choosing a used washing machine and/or dryer, ask to see it in action before you drop any money. That is something I definitely would do differently now that I’m a bit older. If possible, take a peek behind and under the units to check for rust and damage. Buying someone else’s junk is no bargain. Believe me.

Before you go out shopping for used washing machines, do a little bit of research so that you know what new machines would cost you. Write down the prices for several different styles that you might be interested in buying. If people are asking for close to what a new machine would cost, just move on to the next sale or check the local Pennysaver classified ads. Try to always get the most machine in the best shape that you possibly can for your money. Although shipping might be hefty, you should also take a few minutes to check out what is available on line. Sites like eBay and Amazon might surprise you. Sometimes they have some very good deals and might even offer discounted shipping depending upon what choose to research