Unless you're lucky enough to live in a part of the world that gets warm sunshine all year round, you've probably resigned yourself to the fact that you're going to have to either spend part of the year without a tan, or else you're going to have to keep up regular visits to a tanning salon. Unlike tanning using the sun's rays, it costs money to tan artificially. Would it be worth your while to look for a good, used tanning bed so that you could tan at home and save both money and time?

Even at a rate of just $30 per month for unlimited tanning, if you take into consideration your gas, the wear on your car, and the time you spend, you will end up actually spending about $65 a month or an average of $1,000 per year, and that's if you're not paying even higher rates. None of that money is being spent for tangible items, so it is just money out the door. If you purchase a used tanning bed, however, you will have a machine that will run for many years which you can purchase for as little as $500, plus a little extra for utilities and replacement lights.

Used tanning beds are available on eBay and many other online shops where you will find significant savings over the price of new beds. A lot will depend on the model year of the bed, the amount of time it has been used, and the condition it is in. You will, however, be able to find beds that people just plain didn't like for whatever reasons, and which are in almost new condition.

One of the things to consider when purchasing a used tanning bed online is the location of the bed. Many places, including eBay auctions, will require you to pick the bed up and haul it to your home yourself. If you live close enough and own a truck, this shouldn't present a hardship. You also want the bed you're considering to be close enough so that you can make a trip to examine the bed prior to buying it. Otherwise you're buying a fairly high-ticket item based on what the seller tells you which isn't always the best idea.

If you want to keep your tan all year long and hate the high cost and inconvenience of a tanning salon, you might want to consider purchasing a used tanning bed. You will end up with a lot of value for the money while being able to pop into the bed any time you like without having to leave the comforts of your own home.