Trash or treasure: Are the prices of used items worth your money?

Someone’s trash could be your treasure!

But there’s one big question as you’re holiday shopping: Is the price of a used item worth your money?

We compared the same items at big retailers, consignment stores and Facebook Marketplace to see the difference in price.

Let’s start with the youngest kids.

The Fischer Price Zoom ‘n Crawl Monster toy that encourages them to crawl was priced at a consignment store for $8.50. Walmart had the same toy for three times the price at $29.99 and Amazon and Target had it for nearly seven times that at around $59!

A Little Tykes Go and Grow Lil’ Rollin’ Giraffe Ride On toy was found at a consignment store for $8.50. Facebook didn’t have the exact same toy, but a similar one, still in the box, was selling for $15. Amazon and Walmart double that price.

Looking for games? Facebook was the cheapest at $5 for the classic board game, Mouse Trap. We found it at a consignment shop for $6.50 and new, it ranged from $17-$24.

But here’s where you’ll score the real deal: The older kids who want pricey electronics!

We checked out the iPhone X. On Facebook we found a 256 gigabyte, like new one for $399. That’s compared to the Best Buy price for a new one coming in at over $1,000.

Looking at iPads, we found an Air 2, 64 gigabyte one on Facebook for $225. Best Buy’s version of this preowned was about the same at $250. But the latest model of the iPad air with the same storage is double the cost.

Bottom line, in each of the toys’ cases, the used version was at least half the price of the new.

Toys from consignment shops that are easy to clean and like new can be great for kids, but electronics, while much cheaper, are trickier because you have to make sure they work. We suggest making sure the device is still under warranty and detached from the seller’s account.