Hearing aids can cost a lot of money. Luckily for those with hearing impairment and who can't easily afford one, there are other sources from which you can purchase good but slightly used hearing aids for a much cheaper price.
One good place to start looking for used hearing aids will be internet stores where sellers register to put up their own section in the store. Many of the products catalogued in such sites are either extras or slightly used. You can tell from the price if they are used hearing aids or old models. Simply look up the prices for the same brand at an independent wholesaler or retailer.
While you are canvassing at retailer sites, it won't harm you to inquire if they have used hearing aids that are still in tip-top shape. They sometimes carry items which weren't really used but were returned soon after purchase by the client for being the wrong item. Otherwise, these outfits may be able to refer you to the proper sources.
The people who manufacture hearing aids themselves sometimes give considerable discounts for their products if you can furnish them with proof that you are indeed hard of hearing and are going to be the one to use the equipment. While they are not unwilling to extend a charitable hand, they don't want people to use their generosity for making profit on third parties.
Additionally, there are charitable institutions with websites on the net who are offering refurbished used hearing aids with limited warranties. Some of these second hands may not even have been used but may be older models whose prices have gone down considerably.
You may also register in forums for people with hearing disabilities. You will find many people looking to buy and a few looking to sell used hearing aids there. Likewise, joining groups dedicated to the concerns of deaf people will let you meet and exchange messages with people who are selling used hearing aids.
Joining social networking sites will be another option, perhaps an even better one, since these sites may have a very large membership. There may even be government or private institutions that have joined those sites and are giving away hearing aids or selling them at a price comparable to that of used hearing aids.
Civic clubs like the Lions and the Rotary sometimes have philanthropic projects where they give used hearing aids out for free. If you inquire at the websites of these clubs, you will find out if you are eligible for receiving hearing aids from them. Of course, because these will be for free, you won't have much of a choice.
If you do get to know a person selling used hearing aids, be sure to arrange for yourselves to meet at some location where you can actually sample the item. If it is possible, try to bargain for a one-week trial period. Remember, you cannot know how careful the previous owner was with the equipment. Making sure that you will be able to use it for least a week will protect you from buying something that is in bad condition or that does not serve the specific nature of your hearing disorder.