Top 10 Cool Things For Free on Craigslist

There is a great website out there called Craigslist. If you have no idea what it is, it is similar to the classified section of the local newspaper. You can find a job, a car, the local garage sales, even items that people list for free. It is free to post an item for sale, and it is free to connect with the seller on an item you want to buy. The most successful sellers also attach a picture of the item which helps the potential buyer to see the item they wish to purchase. The reason I like this better than the EBay auction site is that all the items are local, and there are no shipping costs. You can either post your phone number or use their cloaking email method which lets potential buyers send you an email without them knowing your actual email address.

I have bought and sold everything from playground equipment for my son, to jukeboxes and even a car. I find myself checking the FREE section almost daily to catch a bargain before it gets away. You know what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This week my top 10 list is the cool stuff people give away for free on Craigslist. To check more free stuff, go to www.craigslist.org

1. Hot Tubs. Almost every week, there is someone that is moving and cannot take their jacuzzi with them. Grab a truck, several strong guys, and with the right electrical hookups you could be kicking it in style for free in your back yard.

2. Furniture. Hey college student, you don’t need to spend all of your parent’s hard earned money at the local Ikea store when there are plenty of used couches, chairs, tables and futons for free!

3. Televisions. Now that everyone has made the switch from picture tube t.v.’s to digital flat screens, there are a ton of perfectly good outdated models out there for free. Hook up your gaming system to one, since that is about the only thing they are good for now that the cable companies have all gone digital.

4. Fill dirt. I don’t know where all this fill dirt comes from, but there are atleast 4-5 people everyday that want you to have theirs. If you have big holes that are bothering you, the solution is just a click away.

5. Trees and Plants. I don’t want to put anyone out of business, but if you can do your landscaping for free, make the phone call. It is better to relocate than to dump them in the city landfill.

6. Tools. I think it is great that people will give perfectly good items away rather than just dump them. If you have an extra weed eater, give it to someone who can use it. Don’t just clutter up your garage. Give it to someone else and let them deal with it.

7. Kids toys. If you bought them for your little one, and they don’t use them anymore, give them away to someone who can appreciate them. Remember, you bought them for a reason, so I am sure some other child will like them too. Besides, it is nice to share.

8. Office Supplies. Just because your business failed, don’t blame it all on the equipment. Someone else may be able to use that office desk and actually be productive. Give the stuff a chance to feel the success you have been keeping from it for quite some time.

9. Exercise Equipment. No one uses treadmills or exercise bikes at home. They just become a large piece of furniture to hang clean (or dirty) laundry on. I bet if you own one of these right now, it isn’t even plugged in. You know I am right. They are only effective at the gym, and even there people only use them to scan the room searching out the hotties without looking too creepy. Once again, you know I am right. Still, if it is free, someone will want them.

10. Firewood / Pallets. I love to camp, and I also hate to pay for something that is free. A lot of companies have broken pallets that they chop up for you. All you need to do is drive by with your truck and load up. It is a great symbiotic relationship. They want the wood gone, and you get free wood for your fire pit. Win - Win !

Use Craigslist correctly, and everyone benefits. There are a lot of scammers out there, so read and play by the rules. Don’t mail anything to anyone out of town. Ask questions prior to meeting the individual, and bring a friend with you when you go for the exchange. The other thing to remember is most transactions are on a cash basis and sales are final. If you are buying an iPod for 20 bucks, it is probably broken or stolen. There are a lot of good people out there, they just have too much stuff. I say, go out there and get it!