# Rebuying things you used to own - do you do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977 "2012-10-17T07:22:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/1 "2012-10-17T07:22:32Z")
Lately I’ve been haunting ebay, trying to track down new versions of a pair of boots I used to own. The old pair fell to bits, but I still regretted binning them, and since women’s fashion moves on constantly, the original manufacturer doesn’t sell them anymore and I need to wait for new pairs to show up, either from retail discount warehouses, or people having a wardrobe clearout. [These](http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LADIES-CLARKS-LEATHER-VICTORIAN-STYLE-LACES-BLACK-ANKLE-BOOTS-SIZE-8-LOVELY-CON-/370666880398?pt=UK_Women_s_Shoes&hash=item564d77bd8e)are the boots - not my size sadly, but I’ve already got new pairs in brown and black, thankfully. I also stumbled across a new-to-me version of a top I used to own, in a charity shop. Again, I’d worn the original top to death, so was delighted to get a ‘new’ version, but sadly, it’s already slightly ripped [1] so I’m haunting ebay for a third copy of it too. And now it’s occured to me that those two dresses I binned in the massive clear-out I had to have when my husband threw me out, yeah, I want them back too, so once again, I’m scouring ebay searching by size, colour and manufacturer, with no joy so far. ☹ Am I the only one? Is this an early sign of hoarding behaviour? Or am I just too set in my ways, and should really update my look 😃 [1] Stupid charity shop price tag damaged the neckline, probably between me buying it and getting it home. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/2 "2012-10-17T07:34:40Z")
When I find an item I really like, especially clothes, I always buy 2 - and I’m a dude! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/3 "2012-10-17T07:48:53Z")
Ah, but what do you do when those two run out, huh? 😉 And serious question - to wear consecutively, or to wear one till it falls apart, then start wearing the unworn one? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/4 "2012-10-17T08:15:00Z")
Now you’re just some shoes that I used to own? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/5 "2012-10-17T08:20:35Z")
I had the best umbrella ever and stupidly lost it on the train, only to find it nearly impossible to find the same type again. Just found them again this week. I bought 3. I’ll use one and put the other two in my cupboard… saving them for a rainy day ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/6 "2012-10-17T08:29:56Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > When I find an item I really like, especially clothes, I always buy 2 - and I’m a dude! 😃 Same here. I’m still going on my first Guiness Dublin T-shirt, and still have two more mint-in-package ready for my 50th and 60th birthdays. So, I have that going for me, which is nice. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/7 "2012-10-17T08:49:34Z")
I’ve rebought books that I loved as a kid. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/8 "2012-10-17T08:54:11Z")
I’ve rebought video games I used to own. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/9 "2012-10-17T09:06:24Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’ve rebought books that I loved as a kid. 🙂 Ditto ---
**Author:** ![Hogfather65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hogfather65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hogfather65)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/10 "2012-10-17T09:24:40Z")
Over the last few years I have done a load of this. After my divorce I was bitter and loads of time on my hands. Started with my Band of brothers DVD box set - X bought them for my birthday - smashed them to bits and spent £50 getting the exact same set - What it was a great show and at least I bought them this time. But I have trolled ebay and car boot sales and have dug up books I used to read as a teenager (Piers Anthony’s Xanth books) Comics and Annuals I read as a kid (2000AD, Judge Dredd & and a Starlord one) Games I used to play - even a play by mail (not email mind) game that is still going to this day. T-shirts I used to own - oh ebay you are my new love… you make me feel young again… ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/11 "2012-10-17T09:58:16Z")
This thread reminds me, I need to see if I can find a T-shirt shop in town that has a duplicate of a favorite of mine that’s in dire need of repairs or replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/12 "2012-10-17T10:47:28Z")
When I was a teenager, I had an already-by-then out-of-print Avalon Hill tabletop solitaire game where you command a Sherman tank in WWII. It got lost at some point between the various times I moved around in those years. I loved the hell out of that game. Last year, I tracked down a copy of it on eBay and paid $150 for it. It was worth it. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/13 "2012-10-17T11:11:18Z")
I has a Shadowfax CD I loved in college - [_The Dreams of Children_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dreams_of_Children). It went out of print and it took me forever to track down a perfect, unopened copy. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/14 "2012-10-17T11:15:40Z")
I’m still seething over losing an ebay auction in the last ten seconds (after no bidding activity for hours and having a top bid waaaay over the current bid) of a plastic bathtub toy I loved as a child that my daughter accidentally broke when she was two, twenty-eight years ago! I have searched for years for this toy, in flea markets and antique-y shops and online, and to finally find it, with a box (which I didn’t care about) and then not get it was beyond annoying. At least I made the other bidder pay six times what I was winning it for!. I have also gotten extra copies of beloved childhood books so that my grandchildren can each have their own copy, and I’m currently searching for other toys from mine and my children’s childhoods. We don’t throw too much away in terms for toys, but I want duplicates of things the kids had to share. Clothes, however, don’t hold as much nostalgia, especially since I generally sewed my own clothes throughout high-school and couldn’t replicate them if I searched forever! And it’s not something I USED to own, but currently own that was looking like it was being discontinued, that I went on a buying binge on to obtain enough to last through the estimated rest of my life…my favorite hairbrush. I now own twelve. And the stickers they use to indicate a soon-to-be discontinued item at the store have been removed, and the item is still being restocked…I often wonder if it is because I bought up all the stock at six different stores in the space of a week? ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/15 "2012-10-17T13:00:15Z")
I’ve bought video games that I’ve previously owned. You can download most old games to current consoles. In the 90’s, I was obsessed with Nike Air Max running shoes. I’ve considered buying the 95-98 versions several times. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/16 "2012-10-17T13:24:27Z")
Video games, books, comics, music, movies. And not in the sense of buying them in a new format or a download, but in the sense of buying the same item more than once. Sometimes lost, sometimes stolen, sometimes damaged or destroyed. I do it with clothes, too. Especially after the ex-fiancee, to whom I gave everything back which she had given me. Afterward, I found that I missed several of the pieces of clothing she’d gotten me – a well-fitted suit, a jacket, some shoes – that I went out and repurchased them. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/17 "2012-10-17T13:38:35Z")
I’ve repurchased a few guns to replace ones that poverty forced me to sell earlier in life. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/18 "2012-10-17T13:47:29Z")
I bought a [Cyclo Teacher](http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Cyclo+Teacher+Complete+LEARNING+AID+Children+Education+) off eBay because I had such fond memories of it from my childhood. A few year’s later, my Mom found my original one somewhere, so now I have two of 'em sitting here in my office. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/19 "2012-10-17T13:52:59Z")
Not generally, but… I’ve owned several copies of the LOTR books. I seem to keep losing them. I don’t currently have a copy of Fellowship. I had [this weird toy](http://www.ncghost.com/img/kabala.jpg) when I was a kid, and spent mucho bucks on another one from Ebay a few years back. Ah, the high price of nostalgia! Last December I bought the best shoes I have ever owned. I destroyed them pretty fast. I ordered another pair just like them recently. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977/20 "2012-10-17T15:11:28Z")
I buy a pair of Dockers oxford shoes ([similar to this](http://www.amazon.com/Dockers-Mens-Sandhurst-Oxford-Tan/dp/B004XFRGWI), except black) every two years or so, when the sole of the previous pair wears out. Maybe I should start stocking up… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuying-things-you-used-to-own-do-you-do-this/637977.md?page=2)