Buying used is an eco-friendly choice, but it’s not always the best one. When it comes to products designed to protect you, you should think twice about buying used. For babies and small children, never buy a used car seat. There is no way of knowing the history of the seat or if it’s been recalled for safety issues. If you can’t afford a new car seat, there are nonprofit programs that can help you get one, often for free. And second, never buy a used bike helmet. Once the helmet has been involved in a crash, it’s compromised and won’t protect your head as effectively as if it were new.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

There has been a huge resurgence of enthusiasm for vinyl records among music lovers and collectors, so your old box of records may actually be worth something. But before you take a giant box of vinyl to your local record shop, do a little research first. Check out the website popsike.com, which has over 15 million auction results for record sales. You’ll find that blockbuster albums from the 1980s, classical, opera and others are basically worthless. The ones that sell: pop, rock, 1960s, jazz, blues and even a little country. The site will give you a sense of what’s valuable for resale and what can be left back at home.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you take the free samples of toiletries from hotel rooms when you travel? You might have plastic shower caps stashed away in a drawer. If you have no intention of actually wearing one in the shower, there are other ways you can upcycle it and use it around the house. One idea is to cover a cut watermelon; wrapping foil or plastic wrap around a large, round watermelon can be a hassle. But a shower cap is the right size, plus it has elastic inside to create a snug fit around the melon. You can also cover a starter tray of seeds with a shower cap; its transparency creates a greenhouse effect, so light can still get through to help your seedlings grow.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION