If you want to sell online, Craigslist is probably a site that comes to mind. I know it’s one of the first ones I think of. After all, it’s been around since 1995.
While it used to seem like it was the only option to sell locally, this is no longer the case as there are so many Craigslist alternatives to consider. However, just because there are alternatives that can work just as well, it doesn’t mean you can’t make money with Craigslist. It’s still stronger than ever.
In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the many ways you can make money on Craigslist if you’re out of ideas and/or are looking for new ideas. I try to cover everything, from selling services to even physical goods. I even talk about how you can find a decent full-time job.
As always, my ideas are straight-forward, non-scammy and should work as long as you put in the effort. Whether you want to make a few bucks or create a full-time income, there should be an idea for everyone.
Let’s begin!
How to Make Money on Craigslist Fast
Flip Items
I have mentioned flipping items quite a few times, such as in my flipping cars for profit and how to make $200 in one day posts.
In short, this is the process of finding something cheaper than what you could sell online. Whether you find a clearance item at a local retailer or maybe even online, there are a ton of ways to do it. Heck, you can even use Craigslist to find items to flip.
Generally, on Craigslist, you will make the most money with your larger items, especially those you can polish up and then re-sell, such as refinishing furniture or maybe fixing an older lawnmower.
To get started in this in this vertical, I highly recommend you start with the Reddit Flipping subreddit and even check out the very popular book, Thrift Store Knick Knacks Into Giant Cash Stacks. Both of these resources can provide you a lot of insight on how to succeed in this lucrative world as well as what to look out for.
TIP: Hot items to flip include almost any electronics, Legos, bikes, furniture, yard equipment, appliances and even cars if you have the knowledge to fix them.
Fix and Restore
This kind of goes along the lines of flipping items, and I did mention it briefly, but I don’t think you realize how much money there is in fixing and restoring things.
Oftentimes, people will give away furniture that only needs a little TLC, whereas some people may not need an appliance that only needs a simple fix.
Of course, you will need the knowledge and know-how to fix these items, but anyone can learn, right?
Teach yourself how to fix or restore, it doesn’t take that long to do, and you will be amazed at your profit margins once you get good enough at it. Remember, only do so if you know what you’re doing.
TIP: Focus on furniture, appliances, cars and even some electronics. Fixing can often increase the value by more than 50%!
Check out the Freebies Section
This one kind of ties in with the flipping items section, but I feel it deserves its own post as it’s a whole another world.
The very popular freebie section is often littered with a lot of gems, but as you can probably imagine, you will need to be fast to snag something good. While most of what’s posted is garbage, you could find something that could be flipped, either with a pinch of work or no work at all.
If you plan on checking out the freebies, I can’t stress it enough that you need to be extremely fast. In many cases, you need to get ready to jump in your car and pick up the item as 99% of the posters will not hold it for you.
To succeed, search no more than 10 miles from your home and attempt to refresh it every minute or so, quickly responding to anything you can flip. Again, refer to the resources mentioned prior to see how you can succeed.
Check out the Barter Section
I feel this is an overlooked section that can work to your advantage in some cases.
In this section, you can “barter” for anything, but you will have to trade away something. In some cases, you may be able to trade a service or something that you no longer need. At least check it out to see if there’s anything of interest.
If using this section, you won’t find a ton of deals, but you may come across something that does make sense to you.
Apply to a Gig for Quick Cash
I have recommended Craigslist gigs so many times, and I find it a fantastic way to earn money in as quickly as a few hours.
From cutting lawns to moving furniture, most of these gigs will have to be done in person, but if you don’t mind the idea of this, then it’s not too hard to average at least $15 to $20 per hour. Of course, you will need to pick out the right gigs to make it worth your time, but I promise you that they are out there, especially if you live in a larger city.
To get started, just look for the “Gigs” section and then browse through the jobs. Just like job hunting, if any sound of interest, click on the listing for more information and see if it’s something you’d want to do. If you agree to the terms and conditions, then contact the poster and work out the kinks, such as how you’re being paid, where to meet, etc.
I only recommend this option if you need money fast and don’t mind getting your hands dirty since most of these jobs are labor-related. If applying to any of these jobs, just be wary of scams, never giving out your sensitive personal information.
Find Leads for More Work
When people think of making money on Craigslist, most often think of selling a physical good, such as a car, couch or lawnmower. Sure, while you can make money in doing this, there’s one thing many often overlook… replying to people who need your help. This is a great option if you want to make money on Craigslist without selling anything.
On Craigslist, there are two wildly popular sections, the jobs and gigs section. While most of the listings you see here are for your typical part- and full-time job opportunities, you can find people who need your help on a freelance basis. Yes, you will have to weed through a lot of spam/garbage, but I promise you that there are a lot of people out there who are willing to pay.
To succeed in replying to someone who needs your skills, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind to succeed.
For one, you need to be fast. You will want to make sure you respond to these ads as fast as you can because other people are doing the same thing. Depending on how serious this person is, they could hire you right away if they feel you have the right skills. While you can respond to week-old posts, your success rate greatly declines as time goes on as they more than likely found someone and didn’t bother deleting the post.
Touching upon being fast, make sure you set up alerts so that you can be alerted any time your keyword pops up. This can be done directly on Craigslist or you can use one of the many third-party apps. As a tip here, add more than just your hometown if you’re able to perform your job online.
Next, you will need to learn how to write an effective email. The job poster will often receive a ton of responses, mostly spam, so you will want to make sure your e-mail sticks out as naturally as possible. While it’s okay to use a template of sorts, just be sure to let them know where you saw the ad, what you specialize in and how you can help them. If at all possible, send them some samples, references and even a link to your website. The more professional you look, the better it can be.
At first, it can take some time, but plan on maybe getting a lead for every 50 to 100+ emails you send out, sometimes more. I’m giving you the bare bones on how this works, but as you polish your approach, you can find more success. Plus, as you gather clients, these clients will then refer you, giving you even more work.
Offer a Service
This is similar to that of finding leads, but in a way, you’re posting your services, in hopes that someone contacts you.
Whether you want to do something like yard work locally or offer something that you can do online, your ideas can be endless. But, again, you need to make sure you stick out above the rest, setting yourself from the competition. Why should I hire you?
To succeed in this regard, you will have to stand out in the sea of competition, and I can offer you a few tips as I have tried doing this in the past.
First, create a catchy title. This is the first thing your potential buyers will see, so make sure your ad is getting clicks. Use the keywords you’re targeting as well as some appealing words that entice people to check you out.
Next, be simple and to the point. People don’t want to read a wall of text, so use bullet points and let people know what you can do in less than 30 seconds. Be short. Be concise.
And, lastly, use the keywords people are looking for and use these in both your description and title. Don’t be spammy; instead, use them naturally. In doing so, this can draw more eyeballs as people search. If you need keyword ideas, I recommend KeywordTool.io to see which keywords you should use.
Sell Your Stuff
This one is probably the most obvious method, but hey, it can make you some money.
From selling your old electronics to even clothing, almost anything can sell on Craigslist, as long as it has value, of course.
Go around your house and pick out anything that you haven’t used in the past year. Start creating a pile and then analyzing what you feel could sell. For instance, if you have a ton of toddler clothes, consider selling all of them in bulk rather than individually.
Most of the time, your larger items can sell very well on Craigslist, again, if they have value, but if you can ship it easily, then consider eBay or a similar site since you could get much more since more people could be interested in it.
Take Surveys and/or Attend a Focus Group
I talk about surveys and focus groups so many times, but did you know that Craigslist is a wonderful resource to find these opportunities locally?
To find these surveys and focus groups, most of which pay $50 in many cases, just search the “jobs” and “gigs” section for focus groups and surveys. In doing so, however, just make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate organization before proceeding.
No matter where you live, I can always find at least two to three opportunities a week, many of which are doing solely only! This is a great way to earn $50 to $250+ a month by sharing your opinion.
Teach Others
Sooner or later, you will soon find yourself making money on Craigslist. In this scenario, take advantage of your knowledge and consider selling a course, either on platforms like Udemy or even make money on the ads via YouTube. There are a lot of ways to sell your knowledge.
Now, I know, this doesn’t make you money on Craigslist, but I just wanted to include it here as it could be an option for some.
Just keep in mind that if you do go this route, it can take some time to find your first customer and build your course. This can be said with a lot money-making methods online.
For now, I recommend the very popular book, Mastering Udemy: How I Published my First Online Course, to teach you how you can succeed with courses online.
Aside from teaching others how to make money on Craigslist, you can also browse the “gigs” or “jobs” section to see if anyone needs a tutor like you. Just use keywords such as “teach” and the subject to see what comes up. You may be surprised at how many people need your help.
Be a Friend
This is an option, but I must warn you that the chances of finding this sort of gig is quite rare.
I have written about it in the past, but I will mention it here as well.
What is known as “getting paid to be a friend,” it’s the process of simply friending someone for the day and hanging out. No shangigans or anything like that. Just hanging out.
Whether it be the movies, an amusement park or a walk around the park, there are some lonely people out there who are just looking for some natural company. Best of all, they are willing to pay!
To find these opportunities, you can check out the personals section, but again, let me warn you that it’s very rare. If interested in this kind of work, I highly recommend you check out my get paid to be a friend post for more information.
Get a Job
And, as my last option, you could always find a part-time, full-time or even temporary job if you need a steady income.
Craigslist does a nice job breaking down the jobs by category, but you can search for jobs as well if you have a title in mind.
Now, Craigslist is rampant with scams, so if you do come across the listing, make sure you know who you are dealing with and never give out any sensitive data on an application or send cash. A scam is usually noticeable, so be sure to trust your gut. A legitimate company will usually make you apply directly on their platform.
Final Thoughts
While Craigslist may seem like a thing of the past, there’s still money to be made as millions still use it every month.
In applying any of these tips, I can almost assure you that you can make some sort of money by the end of the week, even if it’s a few bucks. Of course, money isn’t always easy, but with the right work and strategy, who knows where it can take you.
Take a gander at the many tips I mentioned and pick out a few of your favorites. I just listed a few sentences in how it works but with a lot more research, you can thrive. Be sure to check out Amazon, YouTube and Google as there’s a lot more information floating out there.
Now, I leave it up to you.
How do you make money on Craigslist?
Have any favorite methods?
Any questions?
As always, feel free to sound off in the comments below!
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