Thanks to woefully overestimating the size of the U-haul pods (which meant selling several pieces of furniture at the very last minute) and moving from a tiny home to an average-sized one, we “needed” lots of furniture after our move.

In the last month I’ve spent hours scouring Craigslist for great deals on furniture.

I’ve found some great deals and some not so great deals, and learned a few Craigslist tricks along the way. (Besides the obvious be safe and don’t accept sketchy sob stories or payment schemes.)

photo credit

17 Craigslist Dos and Don’ts

1. Buyers- don’t jump into rash purchases, just because the deal seems too good to pass up.
2. Buyers- find creative ways to do without until the right deal comes along.
3. Buyers- ask pertinent questions (smoke, pets, etc.) before going out of your way to see an item.
4. Buyers-  don’t be too trusting. Check to make sure the appliance works or the couch doesn’t smell like smoke, even if the seller vouches for them.
5. Buyers- bring a copy of the advertisement with you so you can make sure you’re getting exactly what is advertised for the price listed.
6. Buyers- don’t be afraid to back out and say “no thanks” if the item is not as expected.
7. Buyers- attempt negotiation if the price seems too high.
8. Buyers- make sure you have the right amount of cash with you.
9. Sellers- always, always, always take a picture. Make sure that picture is as good and clear as possible.
10. Sellers- be upfront about defects. Nothing is quite so irksome as driving to look at an item and then being told “Oh, I forgot to mention the house was vandalized and the washing machine still has splotches of graffiti on it!” (Yep, true story.)
11. Sellers- if you want to broaden your market for large items considerably, advertise a delivery option for an added fee.
12. Sellers- take a few minutes to check into the “market” value and don’t way under, or over, price your item.
13. Sellers- if you get a sob story, kick your spam-alert wheels into high gear.
14. Sellers- if you have multiple interested buyers, let the potential buyers know and don’t tolerate unnecessary hemming and hawing from the first in line.
15. Sellers- bring a copy of the advertisement with you in case there’s disagreement about price, accessories, etc.
16. Sellers- carry change.
17. Sellers- once your item has sold, remove the ad. Right away. Please!

Have you bought or sold on Craigslist? Do you have any tips (or funny stories) to add?

Linked up at Thriving Thursdays 

________________________________________________________________

Now it’s your turn! Jenn and I would love to have you join us for our weekly Thrifty Thursday Blog Hop! Posts about living frugally, thrifty tips and tricks, money-saving DIY projects and gardening, frugal recipes, and encouraging posts on financial stewardship are all welcome. Link up to either of our blogs–your post will be displayed in both places.We’d be very grateful if you’d share only thrifty-themed posts. (Read full guidelines here.)