The asking price is only the starting point.
Quick answer
Add the item price, transport, repairs, missing parts and other purchase costs to find the cash needed. You can also give your collection time a value. The calculator keeps cash costs and optional time costs separate, so you can compare the result with your actual budget.
Make it yours
What will it really cost?
Start with the asking price. Add the costs that apply; leave the rest blank.
Ready to find your next option?
Sift filters your Marketplace searches, marks every price drop and gives you a second opinion on any listing.
Count the costs that change the decision
A cheap item is not necessarily a cheap purchase. A replacement charger, a delivery quote or two collection trips can change which listing makes sense.
Use the item price you expect to agree, then enter costs specific to that purchase. A blank optional field counts as zero. If you do not know a cost yet, get a quote or try both a low and high estimate.
| Input | Include | Keep separate |
|---|---|---|
| Transport | Fuel, delivery, vehicle hire and relevant parking | Your time, unless you enter it in the optional time fields |
| Repairs | A realistic service or repair quote | A hoped-for fix you have not diagnosed |
| Missing parts | Compatible accessories and replacement components | Upgrades you would buy regardless |
| Other costs | Applicable purchase fees or other unavoidable costs | Costs already included elsewhere |
A worked example
This is an illustrative scenario, not a market price estimate. A chair is listed at $120. Collection costs $25 and a needed replacement part costs $30. The cash needed is $175.
If collection and preparation take two hours and you value that time at $15 per hour, the total including time is $205. With a $200 cash budget, you have $25 left. The time valuation does not reduce cash in your bank account, which is why it is shown separately.
How the total is calculated
Cash cost = item price + transport + repairs + missing parts + other costs.
Optional time cost = hours × your chosen value per hour.
Total including time = cash cost + optional time cost.
Budget remaining = cash budget − cash cost.
These straightforward calculations make it possible to reproduce the result by hand. They do not estimate unknown repairs, taxes, prices or delivery charges for you.
Test the uncertain part
If a missing component might cost $20 or $80, run both scenarios. If the purchase only looks attractive at the optimistic estimate, check the part number and actual availability before travelling.
For a repair that has not been diagnosed, see buying a for-parts listing. For a known absent accessory, use the missing-parts guide.
Compare the result with another route
Use the same cost categories for every listing. The listing comparison keeps those alternatives together. The used-versus-new calculator adds your expected years of use and running costs when a longer-term comparison is useful.
Copy or print your result to keep a worksheet for the purchase. Update it when you receive a firmer quote.