How to Save Money When Buying Power Tools

Power tools and shop accessories are a valuable part of both home maintenance and many businesses' livelihood. But they also represent a significant investment - one that can be challenging on a limited budget.

Fortunately, there are ways to add the tools you need while spending less and saving more money. Consider these tips.

When most people think of pawn shops, they think about jewelry, technology, or guns. But you'll find a lot of good used power tools and equipment in pawn shops' inventory. You'll regularly find good-quality cordless drills, extra battery packs, combination tool sets, wrenches, and socket sets.

Shopping the secondary retail market through pawn shops is generally more reliable than searching on auction sites or through free peer-to-peer sales platforms like Craigslist. Why? For one thing, the pawn shop only wants higher-value items, so they will have tested the equipment for function and will generally focus on better-quality brands.

Bundling is a technique you can use to save money across a variety of platforms. Just like you get discounts to buy insurance products or phone services together, you also save money when buying tools and their parts together. Combinations sets feature anywhere from a drill with interchangeable bits to a complete set of multiple tools with a hundred pieces.

Do the math on what you'll actually use in a combo set versus the cost of buying those specific tools individually. Even if you won't use everything in the package, you'll likely come out at least 25% ahead on cost savings.

Rather than hopping about from brand to brand depending on what's on sale, become a loyal customer of one or two brands. This strategy offers a number of advantages.

You may be able to get rewards from loyalty programs that offer discounts or free add-ons. You will also know that you have a quality tool, causing less breakdown and replacing fewer pieces of equipment. But perhaps most important, you can use more interchangeable parts - meaning you buy fewer batteries and accessories.

For an avid do-it-yourself fan, having more tools can become a never-ending obsession. But unless you have an unlimited budget, carefully consider your actual need before buying any new tool.

How much will you actually use it? Do you have a tool that can already do the job, if perhaps a little more inconveniently? Are you seeking an upgrade in technology or quality?

If upgrading from one tool to a higher-functioning one, consider recouping your investment by selling your old tool to a pawn shop. If you buy a combination set but won't use some of the tools in it, you may be able to sell those to regain some of that investment too. Look for ways to rotate your tool inventory without always adding on to it.

As with many products, you can save money with a buying cycle. Outdoor equipment, for instance, tends to go on sale (and be more plentiful at used retail outlets like pawn shops) as fall ends and winter approaches.

More indoor tools tend to go on sale in the spring when indoor working gives way to outdoor projects as the weather warms up. You can also find good sales and incentives if you shop around big tool-buying gift seasons - namely, Father's Day and Christmas.

Which of these money-saving ideas can you implement as you shop for new tools? At 2J's Pawn & Gun, we have a wide and varied inventory of power tools and equipment at great prices. Check out our selection today to see how we can save you money while helping keep your shop at the top of its game.