I’m so excited to share today’s guest post! It comes from reader Brandi, who’s incidentally thinking of starting her own blog. Based on this post, I think she should!
My experience with Craigslist results from being both a buyer and a seller. For every treasure I have found, I have also had disappointments and frustrations. As an aspiring blogger myself, I wanted to write about a few tips from my personal experience in order to help you when getting started with Craigslist.
1. Pretend you’re the seller.You’ll notice that a lot of my strategies suggest that you think of things from a seller’s point of view. Why? Because you need to have a strategy that will get you what you want. If you know what they want and how they want to be treated, you’ll be more likely to succeed.
2. Expand your search words. When I was looking for the desk, I would type in desk, cupboard, cabinet, shelving, and armoire. Why? People have different words for the same items and if the seller of the item you want calls it a credenza instead of a cabinet then you’ll be out of luck when trying to find it on Craigslist. Search under the “all for sale/wanted” section, not just the section where you think it will be because for example the seller might put a desk under “household” instead of “furniture.” By broadening your search you will find all of the items in any of the categories.
3. Subscribe to a feed of a Craigslist search. While I personally have not done this, it would be helpful if you were in desparate need of an item and wanted to make sure you saw every posting that came up with that item included. I suppose it would be like subscribing to any of your favorite blogs out there.
4. Be patient. Lots of items are posted and sold on Craigslist every minute. It may take a while to find the item that is perfect for you. Sometimes the perfect item will be posted and sold within hours while you are away at work and don’t have a chance to buy it. It’s okay! Relax, don’t get discouraged. It just wasn’t meant to be and there is an even better item waiting for you to bring it home. Take some time to get used to searching on Craigslist and responding to ads so that when that time comes, you’ll be ready!
5. Respond quickly and preparedly. If the item you want is popular, you are going to have to contact the seller quickly. In my search for the perfect piece of furniture for my space, I considered armoires, desks and cupboards. Unfortunately, I would see a great armoire show up in the morning, contact the seller right away and it would already be “pending.” Having sold on Craigslist myself before, I can tell you that most sellers are going to take someone with cash in hand over someone who might be “flaky” or high maintenance. Therefore, you want to be the person who stands out as responsible and interested; and nothing says that like a phone call with a quick commitment. You should be prepared to pick up the item; buyers don’t want to meet half way to sell their goods when someone else will meet them.
6. Bring cash. When you talk to the buyer, you might be able to set up a trade or to pay via check but 9 times out of 10 just take cash. If you were selling would you want to take a check from someone you didn’t know? Make sure you bring exact cash so that you’re not asking them to make change for you. And if you plan to haggle, make sure you have exact change for that or else you might end up paying full price.
7. Bartering. Everyone has their own opinion, but if you know the item won’t fit into your budget or you’re going to be driving more than half an hour to pick it up, you can be upfront with the seller and ask if they’re willing to be flexible on the price. I did this with my desk situation. I explained that I recently moved and became unemployed and that I didn’t have a lot of money to spare. I asked if they’d be willing to go down a little bit and we arrived at a price that was fair to both parties involved. I guarantee that if you are honest with a seller from the get-go, they’re going to appreciate that and try to work with you. The worst they can do is say no, and then you’ll know that the price is firm before you hop in your car.
Hopefully this little article helps you with your Craigslist adventures, best of luck and thanks for reading!
Have you had luck finding treasures on Craigslist? Do you have additional tips you’d like to share?
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Barter. That's what only the ultra-business savvy do, right? Wrong! While bartering may involve a little stepping out of your comfort zone, I think you'll find it's a very frugal way of life! It can also help build your networks as well as your confidence.
I was recently reflecting on how I have been able to barter for services over the past few months and thought I'd share my thoughts with you.
Tip #1: assess what YOU can barter. Consider what skills or services you could offer that would be of value. Do you know basic car repair? Perhaps you sew? Do you cut hair? Maybe you speak a second language and could tutor? I've found you don't need super technical skills to be able to barter. If you can cook a meal, provide childcare, or are up for manual labor, you can barter. As for me, I tend to barter for writing services (such as web content or resumes) or advertising on my blog.
Tip #2: consider what services you need that you could barter for. A friend of mine has had GREAT success bartering her graphic design skills for landscaping services. She uses Craigslist to make the connections. We recently had a furnace that needed about $100 in repair work. I was able to exchange my writing services and got the work we needed with no out-of-pocket! It was a great money-saver, and my friend got something she needed in return. (Plus, we had those friends over and enjoyed a fun dinner with them in the process.) In many cases, YOU will have to take the initiative. Be specific with what you're proposing, and be open minded to a counter proposal.
Tip #3: expand your ideas on what you can barter or swap! My friend Susan and I have sometimes swapped childcare. Last month, I swapped clothes with a bunch of ladies at the church. I'm also gearing up to swap freezer meals. No service or item is too ordinary! A great place to start is with like-minded, frugal-focused friends. Get together and discuss your current needs. See if you can't pool together to help one another out.
Tip #4: make sure the exchange leaves both parties happy. In order to do this, you'll need to be honest…and do your best to make sure the recipient of your swap is also happy. I recently was in the process of swapping writing services with a friend and wasn't feeling entirely right about what I was receiving in return. I didn't want to make her feel bad…and yet, I knew I needed to be honest. I'm glad I did! She was only too happy to make sure I had something that was meaningful to me and in the end, we came up with something perfect.
Have you ever bartered for something? Was it a good experience or not? Any advice you'd like to add?
Photo credit Rob Owen-Wahl
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My friend Rebecca has been apparently organizing fashion swaps at our church for a few years now. I got to attend my first one ever last nigt. I had such a positive experience and wanted to share with you how it worked in case you wanted to organize something similar with your group of friends, church, etc.
First we were asked to bring clothes we no longer wanted. The ask was that they were keeping with current styles and in good condition. Once I arrived at the church, I was shocked to see how many women were in attendance and how it was set up. It looked like a store!
There were three rounds, each lasting about 10-15 minutes. During each round, each lady could pick ONE item. This way there was some control! After the third round, we were able to take as much as we wanted. It was so much fun! There were shoes, handbags, dresses, pants, jewelry…you name it.
I was honestly a little nervous how this would go. After all, what if I left empty handed? What if I didn't find anything I wanted? Well guess what – I ended up with a garbage bag FULL of new clothes! My favorite find was probably a Polo black sweater. I also found a great brown wool sweater, a couple dressier shirts, a couple skirts and some basic tees. I'm known to usually wear jeans, one of my shirts from my past races, sneakers, and a sweatshirt. My wardrobe got a nice little update last night and it didn't cost me a thing!
Thanks, Rebecca – for organizing this. You win TWO extra big gold stars for helping the women of our church look stylish – and still keep it frugal!
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It all happens to the best of us.
You forget a coupon at home that you wanted to use. You delay on an online deal and miss it entirely. You buy the wrong item for the rebate offer, but since you've already opened the item, you can't return it. You're excited to learn you've saved 40% at the store, but feel deflated when you learn your friend (who's newer to couponing than you are) tells you how she saved 80%.
My philosophy? Couponing should be fun. And I think way too many of us take it far too seriously. Ask yourself:
- Have you lost sleep over a lost $2 coupon?
- Have you considered driving back to the store because they forgot to scan your $1 coupon?
- Do you feel guilty for buying a splurge grocery item?
- Do you feel pressure to keep up with your coupons, deals, and offers?
- When you dream, do you see barcodes?
If the answer to any of these is "yes," there's something I want to tell you, friends. Let yourself off the hook! I firmly believe there is no perfect deal. If you get the shampoo for $1, someone else will tell you they got it for free. And then someone else will tell you how they MADE $1 on the same deal. And then someone else will tell you how they made enough money on that shampoo that they were able to head into early retirement.
Can we just stop this nonsense already? Really?
Today I want to challenge you to relish in your accomplishments saving money – whatever they have been and however seemingly small. Focus on what you're doing RIGHT. This is not a race or a competition. I'll say it again, it should be FUN. Unfortunately there's not an "f" in coupon, but there is a "u" and there is also an "n," so that's 2/3 of the word FUN and I'll take it. You should too.
I want my readers to know that I take a very common sense approach to couponing around here. Yes, saving a buck is always important to me. But you know what else is important? Your time. Your health. Your sanity. So today, celebrate your successes. From one couponer to another, GOOD JOB. You are doing GREAT, my friend.
Photo credit Sofia Henriques
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One of my favorite bloggers, Get Rich Slowly, had an excellent post today entitled The Basic Law of Frugality that I wanted to direct your attention to.
Frugality is a term that is very much in vogue these days, and one that can conjure a variety of images ranging from stingy to savvy. J.D. suggests frugality can mean saving in areas that don't matter as much to you in order to spend more in areas that do. The caveat is as long as you remain within your financial balance. And if you remember this post from several months ago, you'll recall that I believe true frugality is achieved when ALL your resources are in balance – time, space, and money.
Think about it. If organic produce is important to you, perhaps you could save on shampoo or toothpaste or toilet paper. Frugal? Absolutely in my book. Or maybe you decide to place all the rebates and gift cards you earn throughout the year to buy Christmas gifts. Savvy? I'd say. In his post, J.D. also suggests there is room in frugality for wants. Yes, I agree with that too! I believe the whole process of becoming a frugal process can – and should – be fulfilling and enjoyable.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about 2010 and the direction I want to propel this blog into. And I'm pretty sure frugality is going to be an overarching theme. Yes, I will continue to post all the deals that I do and my store scenarios…but I also want to share with you ways my family is striving to achieve frugality beyond the shopping cart.
What does frugality mean to you? Have you achieved frugality? If not, how will you know when you've "arrived?"
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When you hear the word "frugal," what comes to mind?
Here's my list: avid couponer, bargain-hunter, garage-sale goer, master haggler. Someone who has learned to make do with less. Perhaps someone that can be creative in a pinch.
Do you think of something similar?
I have been reading Your Money or Your Life
, and was challenged in my thinking on what it means to be frugal. In Chapter 6 ("The American Dream - On a Shoestring"), author Joe Dominguez writes:
Frugality means we are to enjoy what we have. If you have ten dresses but still feel you have nothing to wear, you are probably a spendthrift. But if you have ten dresses and have enjoyed wearing all of them for years, you are frugal. Waste lies not in the number of possessions but in the failure to enjoy them. Your success at being frugal is measured not by your penny-pinching but by your degree of enjoyment of the material world.
Now that sort of spun my thinking on its head, and I've been mulling over these statements for a few days now. And I think he's right. And I think there can be a great irony for couponers here.
Consider this. When I started couponing, I found myself snagging up as many freebies as I could. My stash soon began to overflow with toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, soup mixes, cereal, foot cream, eye cream, who-knows-what-its-for cream. Each week I was astounded at my savings. And yet…had I achieved true frugality?
Now for confession time. I have a bag of Garnier I mean to donate, but haven't yet. It's in my closet stealing precious floor space. Although I don't have allergies, I have five unopened boxes of allergy medicine that will expire within the year (that probably earned me some Register Rewards at Walgreens that have since been spent on other "useful" items). I have several kinds of salad dressing sitting in my pantry though I would prefer to nibble on fresh veggies anyday than prepare a salad. Would I have been more frugal if I would have paid full price for only items my family and I use? Granted, I can give these items away (which I most certainly will), but have I missed the overarching point of helping my family save money on the things we use?
A few paragraphs later, Dominguez offers that frugality is "the wise stewarding of money, time, energy, space and possessions." When I'm focused on one small deal (yes, even if it's a money-maker), it's possible I can miss the bigger picture of what it means to be frugal. So I can make $8 at Rite Aid this week. But what if I have no use for Zantac or ReNu MultiPlus solution? Again, I can donate it. But what about the hour spent finding the deal, clipping the coupons, going to the store, waiting in line, returning home, and submitting for my rebates? What about the space in my closet I'll have to make until I decide what to do with it? What about the time I'll spend figuring out where to donate these items, and the time and gas money I'll inevitably spend hauling it away? Is all of this worth $8? I can't make that judgment call for you, because I don't know your specific situation. But in mine, I think I could spend that time and effort more wisely.
Recently, I've shifted from feeling the need to snatch up every last deal to focusing on those that make sense for my family. Interestingly enough, my overall savings rate has gone down a bit. (I used to save 65% or more per month, now I'm hovering closer to 50%). However, my budget feels easier to manage because I'm not going to the stores multiple times each week. In short, I'm actually spending less. Without setting out to, I think I'm evolving into more and more of a frugal person.
My conclusion? It's not about getting every deal, every freebie, stockpiling years of shampoo and dish soap. It's about creating balance in all aspects of my life. I don't know that I can state it any more eloquently than Dominguez: "Frugality is…not too much, not too little, but just right. Nothing is wasted. Or left unused. It's a clean machine. Sleek. Perfect. Simple yet elegant. It's that magic word - enough."
Photo credit Michael Slonecker
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