By: Ian Lamont
Have any of you ever used classified ads on the web? You know the sort of used stuff ads that you would find maybe in the newspaper a few years ago. My brother uses one of the more widely known sites but I have honestly never really used one. I have been thinking about surfing around and checking some out.
A few years ago I got several great deals on larger items we needed when I went through the ads in the newspaper. You know when you just need a table or refrigerator quickly and purchasing a new one just is not feasible at the moment. I have also purchase lawn mowers and a couple of bed frames (not mattresses ) from ads that I have found. When you have a limited amount of income anything you can do to save money really helps.
The biggest areas I think some of these sites may be the best use to me (other than big items) is baby/children’s clothing and other items.You all know how quickly kids can run through clothing and sometimes finding something great that is used really helps budget wise.my sister in-law had a used crib when my nephew was a baby. She, of course, bought a brand new mattress but when you are having to buy all your own baby items spending $300 or more on a crib is just not something everyone can do.
I bet there are tons of children’s items out there that while one child may have grown out of them another could get several years worth of use out of. Of course checking sites that are local classifieds is all the better. I would want to visually check out items before I made a purchase. I will have to let you all know how this fairs for me as I am in need a of a few items with a dryer being the pressing right now.
Share Your Story
If you have used these sort of sites how has your experience been?
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
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I’ve never bought off of an online site, but I’ve sold a lot of items-I stopped when I sold a GPS unit I won and the guy that bought it asked me 3 times if I had anything else to sell-I said no and was confused, he then came out and asked how much I charged for a massage! He got pushy when I said no, I really got freaked out-I always meet in a public place, never at home, but I walked that night and I didn’t even want to walk home & be followed. It shook me up for a couple of weeks leaving the house. I stopped selling, but recently listed a pair of new high end boots, and a potential buyer only wanted them if a woman had worn them and they smelled like a lady’s foot. Perverts!!! Be careful, I can’t guarantee quality but always have someone with you and please be very careful!
I just sold an IPOD on Craigslist. It went well. I also meet in a very public place.
My daughter is moving from a dorm to her first apartment. She will be doing a lot of the “shopping” for furniture through Craig’s List and the school bulletin boards. One apartment where Hubz and I lived was near a college, and every time the semester changed there were good, still usable household items t the dumpsters–I guess they didn’t have time to advertise, but the point is that people transition a lot in life and many times this means good items become available for the next person to use.
I have bought and sold a few items online locally. My biggest thing is we meet somewhere in public and I also do checks on items to make sure there hasn’t been a recall on them. It worked out well for me.
I have never bought anything off the online listing sites but I have gotten rid of items I no longer needed and worked out quite well for me and hubby as we didn’t want to have to haul things to the dump or drive them to a donation centre. That way people who were looking for items could come and grab them if they liked and we benefited as well.
I have craigslist to buy and sell a ton of children’s items – it’s the best. I just cleared out some baby toys my 3 year old no longer uses. It’s a nice way to make a little money, clear out the clutter and help another parent get a deal on high quality kids toys, furniture, clothes, etc.
I’ve used Craigslist many times. I’ve had a couple of weirdos but overall, it goes pretty well. Easy way to sell/buy things.
I’ve sold some tickets on StubHub before. I had a great experience with them, probably because they were a national chain. I’ve thought of selling stuff on CraigsList but looks like there are some real weird people out there, gosh! I guess if I do decide to sell anything I will first ask family if they can use it or buy it for a nominal price before I sell it. I did that when I moved late last year. Instead of moving everything, I offered family and friends some of the things. Anything left over, I donated to the Salvation Army. They came over to the house and picked it all up.
I never have because I am too nervous to meet strangers wtih all you hear on TV about these stories going wrong.
i dont use the actual paper classifieds, but do us craigslist and the neighborhood paper and website to find slightly used things we need at a great discount.
We used to use the paper classified a ton, as I was once a single mom of three. Then when remarried we actually sold some things like an old car and motorcycle. But honestly, have not used these much in the past years. Craigslist is used a lot by my daughter. Baby clothes and items she is done with goes VERY quickly usually. It is so nice to have these services to get rid of clutter. It’s silly to buy new clothes at $10 to $30 or so and outfit when you can buy for a buck an outfit many times and is gently used. Babies grow out of stuff so fast they hardly ruin any clothes if not using formula that stains. I LOVE resale and repurposing!
I forgot about online or offline classified ads. The age of Craig’s List has reduced the attention on these other resources. Thanks for the reminder!
I use Craig’s List often to buy things and it has really saved me a lot of money. I have also used Craig’s list to sell the clothes my son out grows. You have to be careful but it is certainly worth it.
I have purchased some items from online Craigslist and my husband and mom have both sold items. I have some things I want to sell to, but have not posted them before.
I have sold and purchased off of the internet classifieds on many occasions and have had some strange experiences… but I have also had a few great experiences… I even connected with an old friend haha… She was selling a child’s bookcase when I showed up to look at it I could not believe she too had moved 3000 miles away from where we had grown up! I just use caution…
I’ve tried to use Craig’s List a few times, but I’m always wary of actually meeting up with someone and exchanging goods. I used to read the daily local newspaper for the classified ads but somehow there wasn’t much posted regularly. A lot of items that I didn’t need as well. But I think it was just a reflection on a small community where a lot of people didn’t post many things. I know there are sites where people can exchange goods within a small community, such as a yahoo group or similar.