10 Reasons to Get to Know Craigslist

Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org) is visited by over 20 million people each month. You should be one of them. Here are 10 reasons why.

Reason #1 Forums

Many regular users of craiglist.org have never noticed anything other than the "for sale" section. Actually, craigslist.org has many sections in addition to "for sale".Craigslist.org also offers: Community, Personals, Discussion Forums, Housing, Services, Gigs, Resumes, and Jobs. Find an experienced drywall laborer moonlighting for extra cash, get gardening tips on local plants, or - the holy grail of a new neighborhood - find a trust-worthy mechanic.

4 Reasons to Sell On Craigslist

1. Removing clutter is good for your health
Clutter causes excess dust, safety hazards and impacts the usability of your house. Disorganization contributes to stress by making us feel out of control. So not only is all this clutter taking up precious space in your house, it can actually be hazardous to your health.

2. Whatever money you receive is "found money"
The main reason we hesitate parting with extra goods, is thinking about what they are "worth" compared to what we expect someone would be willing to pay. But, what is the item worth to you if it is sitting on a shelf, providing no useful function, taking up space, and requiring periodic maintenance. Maybe it needs to be dusted, or protected from energetic children, or from curious kittens. Any money you get from selling it will be more than you had before.

3. Craigslist is the low hassle way to sell your goods
Much of the beauty of craigslist is that there is no fee to use it. All major online auction sites charge the seller a listing fee, and/or a portion of the final selling price. Craigslist charges you nothing. You can easily (and for no charge) display up to four pictures of your item without any special knowledge or your own website. And, best of all, you don't need to ship the item you sold. Simply inform the buyer when and where you want to meet; it doesn't have to be your home if you have safety or privacy concerns.

4. Support the community
When you sell something on craigslist, or especially if you give away an item in the "free" section, you are providing goods to someone in your community with need. Maybe the person is simply frugal, or maybe the person doesn't have many resources; either way, you are providing a member of your community with something better than he/she had before.

5 Reasons to Buy On Craigslist

1. Save money
Buying a second-hand, pre-owned, or just plain used item will cost you a fraction of the cost of a new item. Also, there is no sales tax. In states with a high sales tax rate, this is significant.

2. Faster than buying online - pick up your purchase today
You could order anything online - literally - but even after paying for shipping, you would have to wait days or even weeks to receive your purchase. While there is no guarantee that a craigslist seller would be willing or able to meet you immediately, deals can generally be closed the same or next day. You will be out some money for gas, but much less than express shipping would cost.

3. Enjoy items more unique than what is in the mass-retailers' current stock
There is a wonderful assortment of merchandise available on the second-hand market. If you buy a piece of furniture that catches your eye (because craigslist allows pictures) then it is very unlikely that you will find that same item in anyone else's house.

4. Buying "new-to-you" is better for the environment
When you buy something second-hand, you help the environment in two ways. One, that item that someone else didn't want does not need to go to a landfill, or pollute the environment as it is destroyed. Two, resources and energy were not consumed to create a new product for you.

5. Increase your cool quotient
Many of your friends know about craigslist, and a few have used it. Share a knowing look with those friends, and impress those who haven't yet caught on. Be on the cutting edge. All the cool kids are doing it.