Craigslist Find

It took a couple months, but yesterday I finally took the plunge on a climber for our daughter. For $35. Similar ones brand new can run between $100 and $200. Thank you Craigslist (and the nearby family who is in the process of selling all of their "big plastic" so they can buy a bigger swingset for their school-aged kids)!

Are you on the hunt for anything on Craigslist right now? Share you stories in the comments.

Craigslist Success Story- Selling

My husband made an extra $10 this week selling an old storm door on Craigslist. When we got a new front door last summer, we decided to discontinue using the storm door. It had been in our garage for a year and it was time to say goodbye.

The storm door as installed with our old front door

We had the hinges and associated hardware but not the closer (the bar that attaches to keep the door from opening too wide/pulls the door shut). After posting it a few times for more money, we decided to try for $10. A guy called soon after, showed up, looked at it, and bought it. Awesome.

Air Conditioner Update

We are still without a working air conditioner, it's going on two weeks now. As I mentioned here, my husband decided to post on Craigslist to find someone to replace it. He has decided to go with a guy who gave a quote over the phone that sounded knowledgeable, gave a reasonable quote, and is able to provide a brand of air conditioner that is well-known and reliable. I insisted that he at least meet the guy in person before he hires him, so "Brian" is coming over Saturday morning. Next step, set up the installation date!

Taking Craigslist too far? Air conditioner replacement?!

Our central air conditioner stopped working last Thursday. It's not just broken, we need a completely new unit. We got a couple quotes from companies around the area, but they seemed really high. So my husband posted the following on Craigslist:
-------------------------------------------------------
My AC just died. It is a 2.5 Ton. I'm looking for quotes to install a new one and remove and dispose of my old a/c. My line will also require a flush. Please email or call xxxxx at xxxxxx.

•Location: xxxxxxxxxxxx
•Compensation: Will pay for the entire job (the new A/C and labor)
•This is a contract job.
•Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
•Phone calls about this job are ok.
•Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests
---------------------------------------------------------

Really? We're considering randoms from Craigslist? He received probably 15 calls/emails that day. Now he's talking to each of them and having some come out and do estimates. So far the prices are lower and many of them are moonlighting from their full-time a/c installation jobs. Many are able to offer similar warranties to the ones installed by legitimate companies. I am not convinced.

Does this seem like a good idea to you? Leave a comment and let me know!

Craigslist Success Story

Last night my in-laws invited us to go boating this Wednesday night. We said sure, but realized that we didn't have a life jacket for our six month old. Hopped on Craigslist and found the following post:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have 5 Life jackets for sale. All of them are for children. The weights range up to 60 lbs and the chest area measures 15 - 25". The inside tags say Child / Small / Infant . All have working straps and no holes.

Going from left to right.....
KENT brand life vest (red and blue)
KENT brand life jacket ( pink )
Ariel The Little Mermaid with Ariel and small sea creatures on it
Basic bright orange made by STEARNS
Cute Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck ( unisex )

------------------------------------------------------------

Score! I emailed, and she answered me back within an hour with her availability for today and phone number. I drove over this morning and came home with an infant vest as well as a kids' vest (the far right Mickey Mouse one and the pink one) for a total of $8. She had been asking $5 each. They have a few stains, but are Coast Guard approved and in good working shape.

Have you had any Craigslist successes lately?

Craigslist- Selling

My husband has a couple things up on Craigslist for sale right now, so I was inspired to write a post about selling on Craigslist. I'm sure it will be followed soon by a post on all of the great finds we have gotten from Craigslist.

Here are some of the items we have sold on Craigslist over the past few years:
- Oak table and six chairs
- Bathroom faucet
- Broomball shoes
- Front door we had replaced
- Outdoor lights we didn't need

A storm door and large tarp are on there now.

and the most exciting item we sold was....

A Mazda 929!

When we were moving back to Minnesota from Long Beach, we decided to get rid of my husband's car. A few days before we moved, he posted it for sale. It was gone and we had cash in our pocket about three hours later! Amazing.

Tips for Craigslist Selling:
1. Make sure the title of the posting is descriptive and includes the price
2. Include any relevant measurements, sizes, material information and always include at least one picture, hopefully more than one. Many people won't consider an item that doesn't have a picture. And make sure the picture is high-quality and really shows the detail of the item.
3. If it's a product that is available in the marketplace, include a link to the item for sale on Amazon or other retail site. This is especially useful for furniture.
4. Provide your contact information- at least your email address, and preferably a phone number, and be prompt about answering calls and emails. There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to buy or learn more about an item and having to wait hours or days for someone to get back to you.
5. Don't put something up for sale if you don't plan to be home or available for the rest of that day and/or that weekend.
6. Fridays and Saturday mornings are good times to post items as most people are home on the weekend.
7. If you don't feel comfortable having someone come to your house to see an item, arrange to meet them in a nearby public place such as a gas station parking lot, library, etc. If they are coming to your home, make sure someone else is there with you just in case.
8. Only accept cash and don't ship items, there are a lot of scammers out there!
9. If something sells or you decide it's no longer for sale, remove your posting.

Here's a link to the Craigslist How-To section on the Craigslist site in case you want more information.

Happy selling!

Thrifty Strategies- Garage Sales

Some recent garage sale finds by me, my mom, and my husband, including a $1 exersaucer.

Where can you buy a side table, package of swim diapers, a cooler, baby clothes, some work gloves, a board game, and an exersaucer, all for a total of less than $5? At garage sales! Garage sales are hit-and-miss, sometimes you hit the jackpot and sometimes you come up short. Here are some strategies to make the most of your time (and money).

• Use Craigslist to find garage sales near you. There is a whole header under the For Sale section. You can search on the location and/or on specific items or categories.
• Once you have a list of several sales, use Google Maps to develop the best route, and print it out so you can find your way.
• Once on the road, if you see a sign for a sale that's not on your list, stop in. You never know what you might find!
• Bring lots of change and small bills, I use this as an opportunity to empty out our change jar
• Don't be afraid to bargain or to offer one price for a group of several items
• Go in with a list of what you're looking for and try to stick to it
• Make sure the items you buy are in good condition and not broken. Wash and/or disinfect all items, especially things for babies or children.

I learned my garage sale strategies from my mom, who has made some amazing finds over the years. Especially recently with items for our baby, including a swing for $20 that sells in stores for $150, a bike trailer, and all kinds of baby clothes for 25 cents or less each piece. Give it a try, you might find some treasures!

Parting ways with your stuff- ebay vs Craigslist vs donation

We all have "stuff" around the house that we really don't need anymore. The question is- what is the best way to get rid of it? If it's still worth something, how do you know if Craigslist or ebay are the way to go? And what about donating it? Hopefully this will help.

• If in good enough condition to sell, is the item new in its package or in almost new condition? Yes- ebay No- Craigslist
• Is there a market for the item in your immediate local area? Yes- Craisglist No- ebay
• Is the item difficult or expensive to ship? Yes- Craigslist No-ebay

Donating: If you are not interested in trying to sell, several organizations will pick up items at your home address. Make sure to keep a list of what you donated and the receipt they provide to use for tax purposes. Some organizations that offer pick-up are linked below. Or you can always drop items off at an organization such as Goodwill Industries.
Lupus of MN
Disabled American Veterans of MN
Vietnam Veterans of America

Future posts will go into details on the how-to of Craigslist and ebay. We have used both and made some good spending money!