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5 Tips To Get Great Deals on Craigslist - Save Money and Get Cool Stuff

With the economy still slow and unemployment numbers still in double digits, many people are looking for ways to save money.  Other people are trying to make a little extra money, and sell some of their stuff to do it.  Craigslist is a great service that puts them both together.  Read on for 5 ways to find deals on Craigslist.

For those that don't know, Craigslist is basically an online classified section that millions of people use every day.  People put stuff they need to sell online for others to see and hopefully buy.  There are other uses for the site but that is its main purpose as I understand it.

I've personally bought tons of things via Craigslist, usually at deep discounts.  My best purchase was over 800 feet of high quality vinyl fencing for my backyard.  I paid $200 for fencing that, new, would have cost me from $2,000 to $3,000!  I've bought other things at great deals as well, but that is the best one so far.  Here's some key elements of what I do.

Search common misspellings

Face it, some people can't spell.  If someone misspells their ad and very few people are calling them for information because nobody sees it, they may lower their price steadily hoping to attract more buyers.

If you are the only one to call them you have lots of negotiating power!

An example of this is something I did yesterday.  I was looking for a Honda Odyssey for my wife.  I misspelled it on my first search by spelling it "Odessey".  There were only 2 results to my search, which I found odd until I realized my mistake.  Those 2 ads probably aren't receiving many calls!

Move fast

This may be the most important tip I give you.  When you find a Good Deal, be ready to move.  If you aren't the first person to call on it, and it is a steal, you probably will not get it.  So, check the listing often and contact the seller right away when you see something promising.

Most of the good deals I have made are because I was either the first person to call or the first person to be able to meet the seller to buy.

Search All Cities Near You.

Craigslist splits its listings up by city or geographic area.  Many states have several locations; if you click on your state on the Right Side of any of their pages you will see the areas available to you.

You may see some duplicate items in your search results as some people post the same ad to multiple locations (even though CL says you aren't supposed to).

I've found that if you look in the smaller locations you can find better deals since those areas don't get as much traffic and the ad may be a little older (making the seller more willing to haggle).

By searching multiple locations you cast a wide net to find what you are looking for.  You may have to drive a little bit to get to your good deal, but it will be worth it in many cases.  I had to make 3 - 30 minute trips to get that fence I talked about earlier but I saved so much money I didn't mind.

Use automated tools

There are a couple of websites around, as well as iPhone and Android apps, that allow you to search multiple locations and will notify you when new ads are posted that meet your search criteria.

Use them!

This lets you beat all the other would be buyers to the punch.

Be ready to walk away

 

This is basic negotiating.  If you are looking for the best deal you should try to haggle with the seller.  Many sellers build "wiggle room" into their price when they post it, expecting buyers to try to negotiate a lower price.

Use this to your advantage and ask the seller for a lower price.  If they don't want to play, be ready to walk.  That is your biggest advantage.  There are always other deals.

One exception is if the deal is already amazing.  If you can tell that the seller has already discounted the product heavily, I don't recommend trying to negotiate further.

Get the best deal you can, but don't take advantage of people - life is too short.  Some people disagree with this attitude, but such is life.

If you use these tips, you can find some amazing deals on Craigslist and save lots of money.  Who wouldn't want that?

About the Author

I am a writer and marketer with lots of varied interests. When I find something I am interested in I research and write about it. My latest website is about garden patio sets and garden furniture cushions and can be found at http://gardenpatiosets.org

Mr. W

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