My 8 best Craigslist tips

Hello there! Let's talk about Craigslist for a minute, shall we? We are big Craigslisters in this house.

My husband has sold his car and purchased a jet ski using the online classifieds. He's also purchased a chainsaw, snowboard and bindings, a camping tent and other "guy things." I bought a $100 Crate & Barrel desk a few years ago and recently re-sold it for the same amount. I also recently sold a dresser I found at an antique store for $30 more than I paid for it. We also found a ski condo to rent for a weekend via the "vacation rentals" section.

I happen to love buying and selling things on Craigslist, but know that's not the same for everyone. I thought I would share my best tips for buying and selling on Craigslist.

Buying
* If you're looking for something specific, you might have to look for a long while. Craigslist is a marathon, not a sprint. I looked for my table and chairs for around five months before finding what I wanted. Take 10 minutes every few days to search for your item. Don't forget to try different search terms! For example, I'm currently looking for this white Ikea Hemnes dresser; my search phrases include: white dresser, white Ikea dresser, hemnes, white bedroom furniture and Ikea.

* If you're interested in a particular listing, follow the contact directions; don't e-mail if they ask you to text. Explain that you're interested and willing to come with cash that day (or the nearest weekend day). It's best to get the bulk of your haggling done before you show up.

* Bring a buddy or, at the very least let someone know the exact address and time you will be there. Safety first! Make sure you're going during the day if possible.

* Unless there's something completely different about the item from the photo, I wouldn't haggle in person. But I'm non-confrontational like that!

Selling
* Take bright photos of each item in natural daylight. Get several different angles. Original photos are key. You want local buyers to know they're buying from a normal, local person.

* Give as much detail as possible in short, concise sentences or lists. With furniture, I always list the width, depth and height dimensions. If you can find a link to the original item online, that will help, too. For other items, like clothing or shoes, it's also important to describe in-depth and provide plenty of pictures.

* I like to price my items in $20 increments if possible (it's nice for folks stopping at an ATM). Aim high but put "negotiable" in the description. People love to think they're getting a deal.

* As above, make sure you have a buddy with you for the transaction. For furniture, I always drag the item out to my driveway or porch so the buyer doesn't have to come inside. If you're selling a car, it's best to meet in a very public setting. When Max sold his car, it was in a gas station parking lot and he had a bill of sale for the buyer to sign.

Here are a few of our recent buying successes:

I found our dining set (West Elm table, Target chairs) in separate listings on Craigslist. That saved $600+ from the retail value (plus savings on tax and delivery).

It took me a while to find it, but I finally found this West Elm mercury glass pendant for $40 cheaper than in-store. I have our old pendant from Home Depot for sale on Craigslist right now.

We purchased this elliptical for $150 less than the retail value. It works great and we actually use it! Our neighbor saw us unloading it from our car and said, "nice clothes rack!" Ha ha!

We saved $50 on this Ikea Hemnes dresser for our bedroom, and we didn't have to put it together! That was worth it in itself. The owner had assembled two before he realized he only needed one.

If you're interested in more Craigslist buying/selling tips, Young House Love has a very thorough article about how they shop via the site. Also, blogger Emily Henderson posts these really fun trolling Craigslist articles ever so often! She recently profiled several listings in Denver.

What's your best Craigslist find? I'd love to hear!