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Home » Health Articles » Buying A Used Tanning Bed

Buying A Used Tanning Bed

Buying a used tanning bed would be like buying any other product or appliance that has been used before, such as a used car or a used stair lift. One definite advantage is obviously the lesser cost of the used item. But there are pitfalls whenever you chose to purchase a second hand product. For example, when you buy a used stair lift, you may discover that the lift mechanism creates a disturbing and ominous sound. And when you buy a used car, you may find out that there are parts that you need to replace. Thus, when you buy a second hand tanning bed, what would you end up with?

To avoid unprecedented problems, you must buy second hand tanning beds the way you would buy a used car. You must know the model, the year it was manufactured, and the features. Though tanning beds are fairly recent technological products, the older models are considered less safe than the new ones. This is because some of the lamps in older models of tanning beds emit the type A ultraviolet radiation (UV-A). This type of radiation has been known to cause skin cancer and other similar diseases. Thus, the new models have lamps that produce only type B ultraviolet radiation (UV-B). This type of radiation is not entirely safe, but it is not the primary cause of skin cancer.

Check the features of the used tanning bed. Do these still work properly? A malfunctioning feature is not a good sign. You may ask a specific question, such as "Can the lamps and acrylic sheets be removed and changed easily?" If the owner confesses that he's selling the tanning bed because the bulb is difficult to replace, then start making a graceful exit. That could mean UV ray health risk.

Another thing that you should find out is the reason why the tanning bed is being sold by its owner. If the reason is a timer that has stopped working, or a bulb that does not turn on, move on and consider another tanning bed. If the reason is that the owner is bankrupt or moving to another country, then the tanning bed could be working fine. Now all you need to see is the warranty.

Companies that sell tanning beds offer two kinds of warranty. The first is for a limited amount of time (about a year), but it has greater coverage. The second is a limited warranty, but it is for a lifetime. This means that a tanning bed would always have a warranty, even if it is already used. If the owner tells you that the warranty for the tanning bed has expired, the product is most probably defective.

Some users of tanning beds claim that the price of new tanning beds is not much higher than that of second hand ones. The price depends on the brand and model.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Reducing Debt Before It's Too Late ... How To Avoid The Pitfalls Of Creeping Debt

Reducing debt usually isn't a high priority for people until they have already gotten into trouble with overspending. Using a few basic guidelines, and debt calculations, can help you see when your debt load is getting into the danger zone.

Budgeting Guidelines

First off, creditors use budgeting guidelines when reviewing and approving credit. If your debt exceeds the financial communities recommended guidelines, then you have a higher risk of credit applications being denied.

Getting, and keeping, your debt in line with recommended budgeting guidelines, is an important step in debt reduction. Use the following recommended budgeting guidelines (the same ones used by Financial Institutions) to review the items in your budget:

Housing 35% - Mortgage or rent, taxes, repairs, improvements, insurance, and utilities;

Transportation 20% - Monthly payments, gas, oil, repairs, insurance, parking & public transportation;

Debt 15% - Credit cards, personal loans, student loans & other debt payments;

All other expenses 20% - Food, insurance, prescriptions, doctor & dentist bills, clothing & personal;

Investments & Savings 10% - Stocks, bonds, cash reserves, retirement, rental real estate, art, etc.

Debt Income Ratios

The second step is calculating your debt income ratio. Once you know what your ratio is, you will understand just how important debt load is to your overall financial picture. Your debt income ratio is the percent of your monthly take-home pay that goes to paying debts.

You calculate it by taking the amount needed to repay debts each month, including rent or mortgage, and divide by your take-home pay (your net pay after taxes). Remember, this is "Debt" ratio, so only include actual debt repayment in the calculation.

Credit To Debt Ratio

Just because you pay off a credit card is no reason to close your account. One little known fact about the Credit to Debt Ratio is the reverse effect it has on your credit score. If you pay off a credit card, and close the account, you are actually negatively impacting your credit score.

The reason for this negative effect is in the calculation of the Credit to Debt Ratio itself. This ratio is the relationship of your debt total vs. your credit limit.

You calculate it by dividing the total credit limit of all credit cards and loan accounts by the total of the actual debt (spent total). Now, if you pay off a credit card, you are reducing the actual debt, which is great, but, if you close the account, you are also dramatically reducing the credit limit you have, and usually by a higher percentage than the debt reduction.

Pay Yourself First

Essential to long-term financial success, and protecting your future, is paying yourself first. While this may seem easy to do, it happens to be the last thing most people do, instead of first. Debts and other financial obligations, money for entertainment, and other spending always seem to take a higher priority. All I can say is, STOP! Think about it, if you aren't worth being paid first, then who is? Always put something away in your savings, and leave it alone. It doesn't matter if it's only $5 a week, just do it!

Snowball The Credit Cards

Last, but not least, is making extra payments, not just the minimum payments, on your credit cards. You have probably already seen this many times, but it just can't be stressed enough. Paying just $10 extra a month on a credit card, above the minimum required payment, can cut your repayment term in half, if not more! So, squeeze out that extra payment, however small, every month, and take advantage of the compounding effect of snowballing your debt away. The Power of Financial Knowledge

Remember, you don't have to be a financial whiz to understand what's going on with your credit and debt. Just a few simple calculations, and an eye on the future, will go a long way to help you succeed financially and keep your debt under control. Be safe, be smart, do the math!