Craigslist

Craigslist is a fantastic resource for almost anything that is bulky or heavy. Things that won't well well on eBay are found in great supply on your local Craigslist site.

Most people who live in larger cities will get the most use out of it, but it is possible to get great deals from locals even if you live out in the country (you might even get a better deal than in the big cities in some instances).

When it comes to Craigslist stategy, it depends on what you are looking for. For instance, if you see a great price on a flat-screen tv that was just listed, or any other high-demand item, don't bother trying to haggle, just call (if they listed their phone number) or e-mail and tell them that you want it, and have cash in hand.

For items that have a lower demand or that Craigslist is flooded with, such as couches, beds, workout equipment, and so forth, look for items that have been on there for 3 days or more, and send in your low-ball offer. You will likely want to e-mail several people and tell them that you are going to take the first person who says yes.

Craigslist is basically a huge online garage sale and car-mart. you can find everything you need to deck out your home at drastically reduced prices. And as with eBay, you want to pay attention to poorly listed items that you can research. Many people on Craigslist do not pay attention to the type of information that buyers are looking for, and in a crowded market, you may get a fantastic price on items that are missing the length and width measurements, or items without pictures. If the lister has a phone number, feel free to call them and pump them for information that they should have put on the listing in the first place; for instance, I was looking for an LED sign that was programmable, and found that one person had one that originally sold for over $2000 listed for $40. He neglected to put LED in the title or description, so I found it by searching for "lighted sign" and came up with his listing. After calling, I was able to find out exactly what it was and how much it should be going for. Unfortunatly, it did not meet my needs very well, and so I went with one off of eBay for $150, which is serving its purpose well.

Searching for items will easily get you what you want, but you have to be persistant; if you want an item that everyone else wants, you are likely going to have to be creative in your searching to get a great deal. Searching for misspelled items is a great way to do that.

You can also look for skilled labor on Craigslist. If you want to find someone who installs carpet or does welding, look for it in the jobs section; but be careful, people who are looking for a job and have a skill that is in demand are going to likely have character flaws, poor workmanship, or demand top dollar. But if you are desperate you will have a hard time beating the quotes you get, so long as you fully understand what you are looking for from people.


Here is a partial list of things that I have bought on Craigslist:

Couch
chairs
flooring installer
carpet and installation
bedroom furniture set
night stands
TV
Granite countertops
kitchen cabinets
Cooktop
washer and dryer
bricks (free!)
Home Depot Gift Card
workout machine
rings
woodworking tools

I have saved at least $10,000 by buying things I needed for my home on Craigslist vs. paying the lowest retail price for any of it.

My best deals on Craigslist are:

$300 complete home workout machine: $50
$200 HDTV: $50
$15,000 kitchen setup (granite counters, wood cabinets, sink, faucet, microwave, dishwasher, icemaker):$1,800
$900 carpets in 3 rooms and installation: $550
$100 worth of bricks: free
$200 display case: free

Make sure you have the ability to pick up the items you want. Usually that will involve a helper and a truck and a willingness to pick it up on the seller's schedule.
Many businesses also list on Craigslist and that can throw a wrench into the searching at times as the items you are looking for will generally be described as lightly used, but good quality, and businesses that are successful on CL are selling new low quality items. Make sure to do your research before you get on, and you will find everything that was AWESOME 10 years ago, for pennies on the dollar. And when it comes to things like tables, a little age does not hurt.