New Rule: List One Thing a Week on Craigslist!

I’m pretty excited about this one today :) I’ve been all about the “missions” lately on this blog and in my life, and while some fade away faster than a scalded dog, others stick around for the long haul and become absolute game changers.

And I’m hoping/praying/anticipating this will be one of them!

If there’s two things I’ve really wanted to conquer lately, it’s owning less stuff and making more money. And this new “Craigslist Rule” accomplishes both. Here it is:

Every week I must list one new item for sale on Craigslist.

Why just one thing? Because every time I look at my damn basement and see those boxes to donate/ sell/give away, I’m overcome with anxiety and just want to punch my own face for never doing anything about it. Who has 18 hours to go on a Craigslist binge? And who’d want to even do that if they did?

So instead of repeating this stressful cycle over and over and over again, we’re gonna take it step by step going forward and kill it all softly. 100 things is overly impossible to accomplish, but just one? Well, that’s easier than falling off a log.

(You like all my vintage similes going on? Haha… I got tired of hearing my own all the time ;))

Why every week? Habit, habit, habit. I’m awesome at accomplishing tasks when it’s life threatening or on a deadline, but you tell me to go do something “whenever I have the chance,” and it’s highly likely that chance will never come. I need hard dates and guidelines and I’ll rock that task like no other.

[UPDATE: You can now see everything I’ve sold and earned here: Craigslist Tracker]

So from now on “whenever I have the chance” means “this week.” And, more specifically, “this Friday.”

And just to make sure I don’t forget, I’m even making a calendar item in my Gmail to remind me to do it before lunch time every Friday – when everyone’s looking for an excuse to go online and start spending their hard-earned money, ;) With the weekend directly after, it’ll be prime time shopping too.

Here are other tips I’ve learned work well for Craigslist Selling:

  • Adding up all of the specs (measurements, colors, sizes/etc)
  • Keeping the post light and happy (the more approachable you are, the better)
  • Filing it with keywords (brands, categories, items that may be similar for better search results)
  • Attaching a decent price (good to see what others are selling things for before deciding on a price)
  • Assuming I’m going to be bargained down! (That way you don’t block sales right from the get go)
  • Not being in a RUSH (when you don’t need the money you hold the power!)
  • Making yourself available via phone and email (even though, yes – people are annoying with their random ass text messages! But money doesn’t discriminate, so…)
  • And, most importantly – ADDING UP LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES!!!

Then, if an item is still around a week later or has expired:

  • Renew the old ones that haven’t sold yet
  • Tweak the text/price/pictures (sometimes I do this after the first week, and others I do it after the second week if I’m still having no luck… Depends on how well I think it’s priced and how much I really want to get rid of it)
  • Go about your day and forget about it!

The last part is key. Once you get the system up and going, it literally only takes a few seconds to tweak stuff as you go. And if you make it a habit to check your listings right after you post up your latest one, it should save you from having to remember yet another thing to do in the process.

And guess where all the money’s gonna go?

You guessed it – our new “Challenge Everything” Account! Knowing it’ll only be growing and growing AND GROWING since I can’t touch any of it for a year will help keep me nice and incentivized. Especially since some of you players will be amping up your game to compete with me too ;) If there was ever a good reason to “keep up with the Joneses,” this would be it! Haha…

It’s all rather exciting. And the beauty with this rule is that it should only take 15-20 minutes tops to get this revenue-producing machine up and humming nicely. I’m sure we’ll run into our fair share of shady/flaky characters throughout the process (it wouldn’t be a Craigslist adventure without them!), but at the end of the day if we manage to rid more stuff and pile on the cash, I’ll call it a win.

craigslist items

Now to figure out which item to list first? Should I go with my brand new $40 backpack I’ve only worn once over the years (is back-to-school shopping over already?), or should I try listing a handful of my vintage LPs instead?

Either way, it’s on as soon as I hit “publish” on this post… Who want to join me??

—–
UPDATE: Check out the total amount of $$$ we’ve earned so far! Craigslist $$$ Tracker

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95 Comments

  1. Kirsten @ Indebtedmom September 12, 2014 at 6:23 AM

    Love this idea – I’m just like you. All my crap gives me total anxiety when I think about using to sell it. So. Much. Work. But I could do one tiny thing a week, I’d think? I’m all about baby steps!

    Reply
  2. Chris @ Flipping a Dollar September 12, 2014 at 6:26 AM

    Awesome! Getting rid of stuff and getting paid for it is a win-win.

    Maybe you should allow yourself to make a donation OR sell something on CL.

    Good luck though! I’ve found that I don’t get as much money on CL than other venues, but the work is less so that’s OK.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:38 PM

      Yeah, if I end up having a hard time selling anything I’ll end up just donating it instead later. Or lowering the price/getting creative with the ad and test out other ways to find a new home for it :)

      Reply
  3. Mr. Frugalwoods September 12, 2014 at 7:14 AM

    We have a basement full of stuff that is begging for this treatment. There’s also a 4 box high tower of “consignment or goodwill” clothes. Just need to get it done!

    I love the shady, haggling, almost illicit nature of craigslist. In another life I’d be a spice vendor in a Moroccan souk. I live for the haggling, wheedling, and negotiation that comes from making a good deal.

    One tip: if you and the buyer can’t quite meet at an agreeable price for the item, offer to bundle something else with it for a greater price. The more variables you introduce into the equation, the harder it becomes for the buyer to accurately ascertain value. Even better if you are throwing in something that you were going to give away anyway (or that you made yourself).

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:40 PM

      Haha, I like that.. “Here, take this jar of pickles along with the backpack – deal?”

      Reply
  4. Serena @ Thrift Diving September 12, 2014 at 7:45 AM

    On mg blog, I am doing a Sell Your Stuff in September Challenge. Nothing official, or organized, because I’ve been finishing up my kids’ bathroom as part of our 30-Day August Upgrade Room Challenge. But earlier this month I did list and sell a dresser I had refinished. Sold for asking price of $140! And boy did I need that money! My bathroom makeover literally broke me to the point of my bank card being declined at McDonalds a few days ago. Seriously!! So this “challenge everything” is right up my alley. I am going to follow suit and not only make this a September challenge but an on-going listing goal! :) Thanks for the inspiration and idea!!

    Serena @Thrift Diving

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:42 PM

      GOOD!!! And hustlers like you will be brilliant at this because you have such enthusiasm and eagerness :) And how easy is just listing *one* thing?

      Reply
  5. Gretchen September 12, 2014 at 8:10 AM

    Yeah, I definitely get the working well under a deadline thing. We too have a couple of totes in the basement of baby stuff in awesome shape that needs to be sold. I’m adding a reminder to my calendar now! (thanks for the tips on how to list it, too! )

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:42 PM

      Great! Let me know how much you make (and declutter) over time :) Win-win.

      Reply
  6. jestjack September 12, 2014 at 8:19 AM

    I’m in…share your pain with donate/giveaway stuff in boxes destined for Goodwill or others. This is a great idea. Couple of years back I was very sucessful selling stuff on CL but for whatever reason the sucess waned. Thanks for the idea!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:44 PM

      Glad to help! It’s a great habit to get used to, no doubt about it.

      Reply
  7. Lance @ Healthy Wealthy Income September 12, 2014 at 8:20 AM

    I post to a local website once a month. We’ve made over $1200 this year clearing out the basement and helping us avoid being featured on the next showing of hoarders. Seriously you need to go through your stuff, if you don’t realize it is there you will never miss it but if you like money people will give you money for your stuff that is collecting dust. Win, win all the way around.

    Reply
  8. Brian @ Debt Discipline September 12, 2014 at 8:43 AM

    When I’m cleaning up the house I always look at my stuff and thing can I sell this? I usually hit Craigslist or e-bay with it. I just need to roll that cash into a saving account. :(

    Reply
  9. Robin September 12, 2014 at 8:57 AM

    I also posted a craigslist post this morning and I think you need to add this to your list- use spell check in your craigslist post. :)
    Happy Friday!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:46 PM

      Yes! Good one. Although, if it’s an often misspelled word it may be smart to even keep it as-is for search :) Or have it both ways and capture everyone!

      Reply
  10. Jen @ Jen Spends September 12, 2014 at 9:02 AM

    I like the one a week idea. I’ve been selling a bunch of stuff lately and it’s been such a hassle with no-shows, people changing their minds, etc. it’s almost put me off of selling things altogether, but I really need the money. Going at a slower pace would make it more tolerable I think.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:47 PM

      Yeah, people are a-holes sometimes… gotta spread out the interactions with them :)

      Reply
  11. Natalie @ Financegirl September 12, 2014 at 9:19 AM

    This is heaven to me. I love purging. A true minimalist at heart. And why not use the savings and watch it grow? I love it!

    Reply
  12. John @ Frugal Rules September 12, 2014 at 9:24 AM

    Very cool J! Before we went on our vacation we unloaded a truckload of crap and it felt great to get rid of so much of it. We saved the majority of the money and used the rest of it for some new to us clothes the kiddos were needing. We still have quite a few odds and ends though that we just need to kill and get out of the house. Something like this is right up our alley I think!

    Reply
  13. Laurie @thefrugalfarmer September 12, 2014 at 9:28 AM

    LOVE this idea, J$. I think we’re going to join you on this challenge. :-)

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:48 PM

      Think, or ARE? :)

      Reply
  14. Jon @ Money Smart Guides September 12, 2014 at 10:00 AM

    I’m always putting stuff on Craigslist. Sure you have to deal with the person that low balls you, but for the most part, people offer me what I am asking and the transaction goes smoothly. There have been items I’ve sold within hours of posting and others I’ve had to re-post a few times. But you are patient, you will sell just about everything.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:49 PM

      the times they sell super fast always make you wonder if you priced them too low too, haha… but at least you get what you’re asking.

      Reply
  15. Money Beagle September 12, 2014 at 10:03 AM

    That’s actually a pretty good idea if you have a lot of stuff to sell. I have one thing that I want to get rid of on Craigslist (exercise bike) and the other stuff that’s clogging up my space is eBay stuff, but I suppose the same rule could apply :) Might have to try enforcing that on myself…

    Reply
  16. Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life September 12, 2014 at 10:27 AM

    I tried doing this with eBay a while back and failed miserably, but eBay has a TON more fees than craigslist and I didn’t really have anything of significant worth to sell.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:50 PM

      Yeah, and you have to ship stuff! I only use eBay if I have something small and valuable or unique where you’d want anyone in the world to check it out vs just local peeps.

      Reply
  17. Noonan September 12, 2014 at 11:23 AM

    J$: The pic of the vinyl caught my eye because i beheld not one, but two Sinatra albums! I love Sinatra even though he was well before even my time–I have everything he recorded including bootlegs of session out takes that were sold in the 1990s but are not longer commonly available.

    Are you an FS fan too, or did you just score an unbelievable deal on the two records?

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:51 PM

      I am a fan of Frank! I just have like 30 albums of his and only ever listen to 3 :) So figured might as well pass him on for other ears to enjoy, eh?

      Reply
  18. Derek Olsen September 12, 2014 at 11:32 AM

    Carrie and I are about to get SUPER-SEXY via Craigslist.

    We are about to have another epic round of get-rid-of-shit.
    My estimation is that we will earn 2-3k over the next 3 months by selling stuff on craigslist.

    Is it okay with you if we sell a ton of stuff all at once instead of 1 thingy/week?
    I will report back with sexy results.

    Thanks dad!

    -D

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 9:58 PM

      Deal. But only if I get a commission!

      (PS: I take commission in beer.)

      Reply
  19. Kassandra @ More Than Just Money September 12, 2014 at 11:37 AM

    Good plan J. I used both Craigslist and Kijiji (Canadian based) to sell my furniture back in Canada and also to find sweet deals on some items when DH and I were furnishing our place this summer. Your Challenge Everything Account is going to have a nice piece of change by the time you’re done with all of this! Enjoy the week-end :)

    Reply
  20. Done by Forty September 12, 2014 at 11:37 AM

    Dude, please keep the Johnny Cash record. And the Sinatra. I think I might see Dark Side of the moon behind that…that can go. :)

    I love the approach, and we’ve done something similar in the past. Eventually, I decided to outsource my craigslisting to my roommate. I give her a bunch of stuff to sell, she puts it in her room (and out of my line of sight). When she sells stuff, we split the money fifty-fifty.

    It’s lazy, but hey, I’m lazy. This actually gets the stuff gone.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:00 PM

      Haha I like that plan actually. And quite frankly I’d gladly do that myself if my roomate (ie my wife) would do it for me!

      And don’t worry, I have plenty of Mr. Cash that I’m keeping around, as well as Sir Sinatra. I just have too many and only listen to a few over and over again. Gotta spread the love!

      Reply
  21. Cari in North Texas September 12, 2014 at 12:06 PM

    What a cool idea. I too have stuff just sitting around (okay, some is buried in my spare room, but I don’t go in there LOL) that I should get rid of. I was thinking of putting it on freecycle, but selling it and getting $$$ is even better! I’ve heard a few horror stories of people getting robbed/assaulted at the pickup point, though, one less than a mile from my house. Guess it pays to be careful

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:01 PM

      What??? Really??? Messed up… I’d probably be a bit worried too if that was the case, but I can’t imagine that happening with stuff that’s not worth that much? Guess you could always go the eBay route too and just avoid human contact whatsoever, haha…

      Reply
  22. Zee @ Work To Not Work September 12, 2014 at 12:09 PM

    I really need to do this. This is the hardest part of getting rid of old stuff. Donating things is easy for me, or throwing them out, even easier. But getting rid of items that actually have decent value… That’s hard for me to find the time to list that old fish tank or my old turntables.

    I only have 4 or 5 major items so when I do it I’ll probably do a mass posting rather than one at a time. I’ll take the Band-Aid approach to wading through craigslist!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:02 PM

      As long as you DO IT you’re all good. How long have you been thinking about it for? ;)

      Reply
      1. Zee @ Work To Not Work September 15, 2014 at 2:14 AM

        Too long, ahhh don’t remind me. I’m in the middle of the minimalist game so perhaps I’ll do it after that. Don’t want to take on too many challenges at once!

        Reply
  23. Walnut September 12, 2014 at 12:43 PM

    My best Craigslist suggestions from years and buying and selling random household goods.

    – Have a minimum dollar value. I won’t post something for less than $25, because I deem it less than my “hourly rate”.
    -If you have lots of like items, sell them in a lot. This is an excellent way to get rid of those less than $25 items. Works great with books, DVDs, etc.
    -If you get down to random stuff that you really don’t want to think about but could be of use to others, sell the whole box for a set price unopened. This is an entertaining way to see who else on Craigslist is willing to fork out cash for the unknown. A friend of mine sold about 20 boxes of his ex-wife’s stuff for $10 each.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:03 PM

      HAH! Now *that* is some creative goodness you’ve got over there… I really like that box idea.

      Reply
  24. Shannon @ Financially Blonde September 12, 2014 at 1:09 PM

    I love the idea of this in theory, but for me, I am one of those Craigslist fail people. I just don’t get it and I am not good at selling stuff on it. I guess I should take this as a challenge to improve my Craigslist skills. I will see what I can do.

    Reply
  25. Rick September 12, 2014 at 1:17 PM

    Great article! I will accept this challenge and list something to sell this weekend and every weekend until the end of the year!!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:04 PM

      Yeah boy! That’s what I’m talking about. Let me know at the end of it how much you amassed too :)

      Reply
  26. Talaat September 12, 2014 at 4:22 PM

    Pictures and price are without question the key to success on Craigslist. We sell stuff on Craigslist year round and believe me when I tell you the pictures are always worth a thousand words.

    Reply
  27. Femme @ femmefrugality September 12, 2014 at 4:30 PM

    Love this! We started out the summer Craigslist strong, but faded quickly. Definitely have some stuff to unload. One a week is a lot less intimidating. Not to encourage you to hold on to stuff, but you might get a lot more on the backpack if you wait till next year. Assuming you have more than 52 things? I’d go for the LPs.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:05 PM

      Haha… I think you’re right. But I don’t think I have the patience to wait that long anymore – I’ve already waited 2 or 3!

      Reply
  28. Amy September 12, 2014 at 7:34 PM

    I LOVE this concept!! We still have half-sorted-through boxes in our basement from when we moved into our house five years ago!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 12, 2014 at 10:05 PM

      Oh wow. You definitely need to join me then :)

      Reply
  29. Annie Star September 13, 2014 at 12:13 AM

    I’ve been doing something similar to this post! I’ve been trying to find electronics, laptops, etc, to list on eBay; even sold enough exercise equipment on craigslist to pay for the exhaust system on our car. I eventually made enough from eBay to upgrade from an ancient laptop to a newer one. So love deals, saving money, and making extra space!!:D

    Love the post! Very inspiring to know I’m not the only one out there doing this:)

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 13, 2014 at 8:20 AM

      Sound like you’re on a great rhythm there :) Love your name too!

      Reply
  30. Heather September 13, 2014 at 12:28 AM

    Great idea! This is also a great way to ease into a more minimalist lifestyle!

    Reply
  31. Dee @ Color Me Frugal September 13, 2014 at 4:20 AM

    I need to do this! Ever since we became parents the amount of crap in our home has exploded! I don’t want to get rid of baby stuff cuz we are hoping to have another, but there is plenty of other stuff that we could (and should!) get rid of. Challenge accepted!! I might modify it to craigslist/ebay, however.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 13, 2014 at 8:21 AM

      eBay is good too! whatever gets you to take action :)

      Reply
  32. Kate @ Money Propeller September 13, 2014 at 6:11 AM

    Great one J. Money! Adding up all of the specs like measurements, colors, sizes/etc would be a big help. Also try to post a clear and nice picture, this will attract your buyers.

    Reply
  33. Michelle September 13, 2014 at 8:11 AM

    Selling stuff on Craigslist or Kijiji is a love/hate thing for me as I’ve had some weird experiences. From someone asking me to warranty a Blackberry all the way to getting asked out for dinner, it’s been odd. I have to give it a go again because I still have stuff to sell, just gotta get past the previous experiences….LOL! Life is never dull…

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 13, 2014 at 8:21 AM

      HAH! I guess that’s what you get for being beautiful ;)

      Reply
  34. Prudence Debtfree September 13, 2014 at 12:10 PM

    I love this: “every time I look at my damn basement and see those boxes to donate/ sell/give away, I’m overcome with anxiety and just want to punch my own face for never doing anything about it.” It’s always good to know that there are others with the same struggles we have : )
    This is a brilliant idea, and I’m going to share it with my husband. He just said this morning that he had “dropped the ball” with regards to selling something we haven’t used for years. One sale a week is definitely manageable. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 13, 2014 at 1:06 PM

      Perfect timing! Tell your husband you’ll give him a beer once he’s completed the first week’s mission ;)

      Reply
  35. Nick Loper September 13, 2014 at 4:31 PM

    I like this one. Already brainstorming what I could get rid of. Shoot even if I get it off my hands for free, I’m decluttering my life!

    Reply
  36. Sarah September 14, 2014 at 10:31 PM

    I totally do this! My new goal is to donate one bag to a thrift store per week. I always like to let things pile up until I have a huge load to take, but let’s be truthful–I just let things clutter up my house and never take them in. One small load weekly (or monthly) is a better way to go!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 15, 2014 at 12:40 PM

      Haha… yeah, every week is hardcore for donations! Make an automatic calendar item to poke you once a month :)

      Reply
  37. Rob @ MoneyNomad September 15, 2014 at 12:40 AM

    Another brilliant article!

    It’s true – those days where you go through and throw out a whole mess of stuff never really feel that fulfilling, as it seems like you are getting rid of stuff you never should have purchased in the first place. Going through these items one at a time could prevent that monotony.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 15, 2014 at 12:42 PM

      Yup! And if you then donate the stuff that doesn’t sell you can feel a bit better about yourself too :)

      Reply
  38. Kim September 15, 2014 at 10:15 AM

    I’m loving this habit. I think my rule might be list something on Craig’s List or Ebay. You’re right. I have way too much stuff sitting around. I get overwhelmed when it comes to selling the goods. Thanks for the suggestion.

    Reply
  39. Kyle | Rather-Be-Shopping.com September 16, 2014 at 12:25 PM

    Love the idea! But I’m curious, do you let any old shady character show up at your house to buy a $20 backpack or do you meet them somewhere? just curious about the logistics involved to make this work.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 16, 2014 at 3:04 PM

      I typically meet people somewhere like at a grocery store parking lot or Starbucks, etc. Every now and then I’ll have them meet me at my house if it’s something big or heavy (like when we sold our huge fish tank last year) but I try to meet up elsewhere when possible. You can usually get a good sense of people over the phone and sometimes in email too, but you def. have to keep your guard up.

      Reply
  40. Mom @ Three is Plenty September 16, 2014 at 5:16 PM

    Definitely doing this once all of our stuff is out of storage – if we were living at the house to meet folks, I’d try before, but it’s too hard to make arrangements over a 2 day time period :(

    Reply
  41. Courtney September 22, 2014 at 5:17 PM

    I’m late to the party, but that’s because I was busy selling my stuff on Craigslist. ;) I just sold my house and needed to get rid of a lot before moving into a rental, and your Craigslist tips are spot-on for attracting buyers. My ads also often included a link to a similar (but full-priced) item to show buyers how much they’d be saving. That might’ve helped since I sold ALL of it in a week, and made enough to cover my first month’s rent!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 25, 2014 at 4:00 PM

      That’s a great idea! Way to go!!

      Reply
  42. Tania September 23, 2014 at 6:54 AM

    Perfect!
    Here in Australia we use gumtree (at least I know I do) so I will join you on this mission of yours and get rid of all the crap that’s lying around the place. Granted, I’ve moved 3 times in the last 5 years so I tend to get rid of a lot of stuff each time but clothes….I have way too many clothes. Time to get rid of the ones I don’t use.
    The boyfriend is onboard with this as well. Apparently he “has heaps to sell!” :-)

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 25, 2014 at 4:01 PM

      Perfect!! Keep track of it all so we can see how it adds up over time :)

      Reply
  43. Seth September 24, 2014 at 12:08 PM

    I’ve been moving some things lately with Craigslist. It’s satisfying to see something I haven’t used in years turned into cash. I have to say though, I find the shoppers of CL to be highly annoying as a group. 90% have one of the following behaviors: they don’t respond to your response, they are highly demanding (which is strange when you’re trying to sell something for 10 bucks), they respond with a one word sentence like “where do you live” and nothing more (I ignore these) or they have terrible grammar with run on sentences (sometimes so bad I can’t understand their message at all). If I’m going to give someone my address I need to have confidence they aren’t going to scope out my house for a later purpose. The most interesting experience I had was when we had a large tree taken out and I tried to get rid of the wood in the free section. I requested that whoever took it took it all and not just the easy small prices. This failed…. twice! The first people came, took 3 loads of already cut to size small pieces and then texted me that they decided they didn’t want the rest despite the line written in two different spots in my CL post “must take it all.” This was a sel proclaimed “hippy mama” who kept an elaborate blog about being one with Earth and doing the right thing in the cosmic sense. LOL! I was actually a bit upset by this as it felt like a violation of some sort of CL trust but what I learned later was that if you put something in the free section, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. It’s better to put a small price because it weeds out those who think they’re doing you a favor. After being ‘betrayed’ by the “hippy mama” I organized the remaining wood, added a bunch of small pieces I was going to keep for myself (to motivate someone to come get it) and reposted it in the free section. After filtering through 50 responses that said thing like “will you load it,” “I’ll be there in 5 minutes your address” and “I’ll take it if you split it” I responded to someone and told them directly the all-or-nothing policy. “Of course!” they said. Once again they took the easy stuff and left the bigger peices. “We didn’t realize how big they were” they texted. Even though they were looking at them when they were taking the easy stuff? I decided I would rather go through the work of splitting the wood myself than dealing with anymore of the free section demographic. It’s frustrating, makes me sour on humanity (I’m being dramatic here but a pet peeve if mine is people that don’t do what they say they will) and is a huge waste of my time as I have to schedule a time to meet them. No thanks.

    Having ranted, I will say that I think CL is good for $50 plus items. Anything less than this isn’t worth the time and effort. That’s time spent I could be being productive in other ways. This is why Goodwill just got my Sony home surround sound DVD system. I’m not going to sit around the house to wait for someone to come over and try to get me to sell it for 20 dollars instead of 30.

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 25, 2014 at 4:06 PM

      HAH! People are most def. crazy/random/shady – you’re right. I actually just sold my 1st item with this new mission, and I bet when you read it tomorrow you’re gonna lost your $hit ;) Has a good ending (in my opinion) but still goes to show it’s not all smooth and quick w/ CL selling… At least it makes for some good fodder though!

      Reply
  44. Kenneth September 25, 2014 at 3:07 PM

    I sold my first thing ever on Ebay today! $23.95 heading my way (including $5.95 shipping).
    One thing – if I sell or give away nearly everything, I could cut my housing costs by a third moving to a smaller place!

    Reply
    1. J. Money September 25, 2014 at 4:02 PM

      YES! So true – great way to think about it, and hopefully one day take action on! :)

      Reply
  45. Gina October 6, 2014 at 9:21 AM

    Thank you for the reminder. I used to do CL and got overwhelmed. So now I’m doing just one item a week. Just $5 last week, but already $10 today (it’s only Monday!). It all adds up, and I’m decluttering as well.

    Reply
    1. J. Money October 6, 2014 at 12:01 PM

      Way to go! I just sold my 2nd thing over the weekend as well – this time for $20. So much easier when you take it one-by-one and over time… If we can stick with the habit our lives will be so much simpler. And more full of $$ (provided we don’t keep buying new stuff to then turn around and sell ;))

      Reply
  46. Kate @ The Beautiful Useful Project October 12, 2014 at 9:42 AM

    I like the idea of listing stuff once a week. I was doing once a day for a while, and it was totally overwhelming. But, I sold a lot of stuff fast! Once a week is much more reasonable.

    Reply
    1. J. Money October 18, 2014 at 4:24 PM

      HAH! I bet… you probably had your share of whackjobs messaging with you too :)

      Let me know if you end up switching to weekly – I’m on #4 or #5 now and the habit is starting to form… Though I’ve only sold half of them so far. (Probably a good thing cuz when you’re in a rush or need the money you take much lower!)

      Reply
  47. Virginia November 5, 2014 at 8:37 PM

    WhadUP, J Money! Lil Vee from Charlottesville, VA here. Love, LOVE this and your entire challenge series. Wanted to let you know that you have inspired me to go on a serious challenge of my own. I am calling it the $10K challenge and have enlisted the help of my husband, friends and colleagues to meet this goal. I started September 15th after reading your blog. The idea is that, instead of being a spend-machine, I will sock away ten grand by getting rid of crap and doing side gigs from your Side Hustle Series – and I will hit my savings goal by Christmas.

    A bit ambitious, right? Well, pop-POP, J Money – Lil Vee is up $4100!!! The biggest chunk of my mad cash came through selling used books. I used bookscouter.com to find who would give me the most cash for my books, went to the sites to get a pre-paid USPS shipping label, sent off the books and *poof* they send a check.

    I’ve sold designer clothes, shoes and handbags (ebay is my friend), made some mad cash secret shopping, and have started selling other crap at a local auction house. (The auction house is surprisingly lucrative since folks are on the prowl for holiday deals.)

    But TODAY, J. Money – TODAY I made the proudest addition to my $10K challenge collection by selling my junk mail. You heard me, brother. Yesterday, I got a coupon from Tommy Bahama in the mail for $50 off a $100 holiday purchase. Worthless to me… (I bought a gift for my cousin a few years back and have been getting junk mail from them ever since.) So, I decided to pimp it out on ebay with a starting bid of 99 cents. And BOOYAH, BABY – $14.51 for my junk mail: http://www.ebay.com/itm/141460508129?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1561.l2649

    Since I only have two months to go, I have gone into high gear and everything must go! My colleagues in the super-cube have been tracking my progress with me and this challenge has inspired them to purge for the holidays rather than spend. We are sharing new ideas every day and having a blast. Brother J., your challenge has brought joy to our work.

    I look forward to reading more about your progress and wish you the best – although I wish you would just give up on Craigslist already… it’s for losers. You’ll never make any money there.

    Word,
    Lil VEE

    Reply
    1. J. Money November 7, 2014 at 2:41 PM

      I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

      A) For telling me so – I can’t tell you how encouraging this is to read as a blogger. We don’t always know what impact we’re having or not, so this totally made my day.

      and B) Because it’s absolutely brilliant!! So much so that I just dedicated an entire blog post to you :)

      https://budgetsaresexy.com/2014/11/side-hustle-idea-selling-junk-mail/

      You’re famous now!

      Reply
    2. Nicki March 4, 2015 at 3:28 PM

      Hey, Lil VEE (and J$, of course),

      This book scouting gig is serious! I have tons of books from my undergrad days of Spanish lit, plus I’m a reader, anyway, so I can’t wait to scout their worth! I’m also excited about the coupons; that’s ri-donk-ulous! Thanks for the inspiration. I also just sold a Marc Jacobs bag on craigslist that SOMEONE GAVE ME for $200 last week! This s*&t is awesome.

      Addicted,
      Nicki

      Reply
      1. J. Money March 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

        Work it, Nicki!

        (Or should I call you Lil NickEEEE?)

        Reply
  48. DealForALiving December 24, 2014 at 11:39 AM

    You got me pumped up to get back to selling some things on Craigslist! I’m already thinking about the old iPod dock and some collector’s items I inherited that might bring in some good cash.

    Reply
  49. Lori January 16, 2015 at 4:03 AM

    Forbes Magazine online, but I can’t remember what led me to that article.

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2015 at 8:33 PM

      Glad you made it here :)

      Reply
  50. M/M Kash April 30, 2015 at 7:20 PM

    I am totally loving your site and this is a great idea. I know I am late to the party, but want to jump in. I have been starting to unload stuff on my local facebook yard sale site. It’s great, it’s local, I meet people 2 minutes from my house at a drug store when it’s convenient for me and no weirdo’s coming by my house. I just haven’t been consistent with it. I am taking the challenge…every week at least one thing is out of here. I just listed this weeks….a lovely plaid lined picnic basket..lol…this is the picnic basket I had to have when we vacationed in Charleston, SC. Ok, it really is a nice basket, but we never did go on that magical picnic and use it…..um…19 years ago…Heck, this thing is now an antique. I should sell it for more. haha. Really, really digging your site. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. J. Money May 6, 2015 at 1:33 PM

      HAH! Love it!!

      And oddly enough I have a picnic basket thingie given to us at our wedding years ago that I still have yet to open! My wife just keeps saying “one day we’ll use it!” but yeah right!

      Glad you’re liking the site so far – thanks for taking the time to let me know :)

      Reply
  51. Chris Muller June 28, 2015 at 10:14 AM

    Totally late to the party here, J, but this is an awesome idea. Do you ever get total creepers buying your stuff though?

    Reply
    1. J. Money June 28, 2015 at 10:51 AM

      Haha… only just 1 really. But I try to make the transactions in public areas and not at my house which I think helps :) I’ve heard some people now meeting up at parking lots of police stations too which is an even better idea! Apparently a lot of the stations actually recommend that?

      Reply
  52. Treasures By Brenda August 6, 2015 at 9:31 PM

    Great plan; I’ve been doing something similar though not on Craigslist and not with as a great a plan as you! Good luck & keep up the good work!

    Reply
    1. J. Money August 7, 2015 at 1:26 PM

      Thanks, Brenda! Will go and check out your site too – I love anything having to do with treasure :)

      Reply

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