The Definitive Craigslist Guide for the Recession
To paraphrase one shopping expert, nearly everyone wants better deals on everything these days. Craigslist is a great place to get those deals, and you don't have to be a jerk to get them.
Photo by acloudman.
There's a reason reporters and others looking to take the pulse of the economy so often turn to the free classifieds site: Its endless pages of sales, desires, and trades reflect how we're all dealing with less cash on hand—or at least available credit—than many of us have grown accustomed to. There's a lot more stuff available on Craigslist these days, and many more ways to get it faster and cheaper than the next buyer, while still maintaining a sense of decency when dealing with folks who might be down on their luck.
Let's take a look at a few buying and bargaining techniques anyone looking to shave some expenses off their budget should have under their belt. Think of Craigslist as a gigantic open-air market, one where everything's available if you know where to look, when to look, and what's worth haggling over. Saving your brand-new purchases for the really good stuff, and sticking with decent used gear when you can, is the stuff millionaires are made of.
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