How to Make Money on Craigslist [Buy Low & Sell High] (2024)

Do you want to make extra money online but don’t know where to list your items for sale?

Craigslist is your best bet.

Making money on Craigslist is much easier than on eBay if your main selling point is old stuff you no longer use. Why let it clutter your garage when you can turn it into a profit?

No doubt eBay rakes up a lot more visits than Craigslist, and there are many other online marketplace platforms similar to Craigslist. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try your luck with another income stream.

You can sell your personal items, list renting space, and even find a job posting.

The best part is that you don’t need a degree or special talents.

In this article, we’ll show you the many ways how to make money on Craigslist, and they don’t necessarily have to be ideas on what to sell.

Do People Make Money on Craigslist?

Craigslist is an online marketplace popularly known as ‘America’s favorite online classified ads’.

Specifically, it’s a popular place for listing old stuff you no longer use.

Not only do people make money on Craigslist selling things, but some also make a living out of it by putting up postings for full-time jobs.

No wonder you see all kinds of buyers and sellers engaging in creative marketing ways to keep the items and services flowing.

How Much Money Can You Make on Craigslist?

How much money you can make on Craigslist entirely depends on what, how much, and when you’re selling it.

For example, you happen to scout out and spot old furniture that goes for $50 dollars.

You clean and refurbish it, and then you place it for, let’s say $250 dollars.

You’d be surprised to see someone else buying this perfectly good furniture.

That’s called ‘flipping’.

What’s Flipping on Craigslist?

The art of flipping is something most people don’t bother with, but they should.

Flipping is basically buying low and selling high. You scout the marketplaces for decently priced items, and then you sell them at a much higher price, raking in the profits directly from home.

That being said, timing is everything when it comes to flipping stuff on Craigslist. Staying vigilant and constantly browsing the site for items to buy and then resell is a very important aspect.

Putting flipping into perspective, along with the other services you can sell, most people can make from $50 to an average of $200 a day if they’re serious (or lucky) enough.

What is the Easiest Thing to Sell on Craigslist?

The most popular stuff you can sell on Craigslist includes a wide range of personal items that you no longer need or you’re just happy to get rid of.

Instead of leaving them to clutter your household, you can sell them and, who knows, maybe fetch a top dollar. These kinds of items can be mostly broken down into the following categories:

1. Furniture

On Craigslist, used couches and recliners sell like hotcakes.

There’s always a potential buyer looking for comfort, and there’s no point wasting money on expensive Ikea stuff when you have someone selling a vintage loveseat for a much lower price.

If your item is brand new or rarely used, you can make good money once you make a good photo of the listing.

2. Electronics

Old electronics are considered the second most valuable asset you can sell on Craigslist.

From video game consoles to home appliances, many people list their electronics.

Depending on the condition and the item itself, you can expect to rake in from $20 to $50 per electronic device.

3. Cars

Got an old Honda for sale?

It’s not uncommon to find used car sales on Craigslist.

To sell your old vehicle, simply estimate the market value, place a fair price, find a buyer, prepare the paperwork, and you’re good to go.

4. Clothing

Although it’s not as fancy or quirky as Etsy, selling clothes on Craigslist is a no-brainer.

Every single household has an abundance of clothes we don’t wear anymore.

Listing your cool sweaters, vintage Levi’s jeans or even rare band T-shirts is a brilliant business strategy.

How to Make Money on Craigslist

Besides flipping old stuff, there are other easy and clean ways you can make money on Craigslist.

Although eBay and Amazon are towering over it, Craigslist still stands as a viable and very active online marketplace.

What separates Craigslist from the others is that you can find classified ads for all kinds of services, job postings, and renting space.

Most importantly, posting on Craigslist is free. Craigslist doesn’t charge you a fee unless you’re posting a job listing.

This is what makes Craigslist an excellent platform where people can make money in very creative ways.

Basically, you can make money on Craigslist either by selling goods or selling services.

How to Make Money on Craigslist Without Selling Anything

Don’t have anything unimportant to sell? No problem.

You can still make profits by not selling anything. You can simply:

1. Get online jobs on Craigslist

Do a little late-night skimming through Craigslist and you’ll find lots of babysitting, lawnmowing, landscaping, and delivery jobs.

Once you land your first two or three gigs, you’re prepared to make a name for yourself hunting and offering odd jobs and services that pay very well on Craigslist.

2. List events

This method isn’t for profit, but if you want solid publicity grounds, you can list your events on Craigslist.

People do this to spread the word about their classes, tournaments, celebrations, and even fundraisers.

According to Craigslist rules, you’re allowed to post the advertisem*nt only on one location on the site.

3. Rent your apartment out

If you have a spare room you don’t live in, you can rent it on Craigslist.

Remember to add enough well-lit photographs of your rooms if you want to increase your chance of success finding potential tenants.

4. Try affiliate marketing

Although you can make money via affiliate programs on Craigslist, you’d be better off on your own website.

Still, if you want to try your luck, you need to stay consistent in posting your ads for the products you’re promoting.

How to Make Money on Craigslist Fast

You don’t need much to make a quick buck on the internet nowadays, especially if you have a reputable Craigslist account.

Most Craigslist sellers know these simple yet very important aspects of selling online:

1. Price your items well

To be a great seller, you must be able to identify the proper value of an item.

Even if it’s not worth its price, an expert vendor will still aim high, but just low enough to attract potential buyers for that specific thing.

Remember to stick around, scout the prices regularly, scan your competitors, and try to find middle grounds to price your items properly.

2. Remember the 70% rule

This goes for flipping stuff. Always pay less than 70% of the flippable item’s main market value, and this includes the total costs and shipping fees.

If you can buy a brand new item for a similar price, then it’s not very profitable.

3. Take high-quality pictures

This can’t be overstated enough.

Have you seen those postings with terrible images of the stuff they sell? Exactly.

It doesn’t matter if you have the deal of the century.

If your posting isn’t presentable (or visible enough!), don’t expect buyers to flock to your item or service.

4. Know how to negotiate

Always expect to run into buyers that will drive a hard bargain or want to haggle for insanely low prices.

Remain flexible when lowering or increasing prices, but you must always cement the main value to calculate your total costs and profit margins.

Understanding how to negotiate takes a lot of time, and it’s almost an art form.

Just keep your eyes on the prices.

5. Sell a lot of items at once

Expert Craigslisters thrive off of selling stuff frequently in bulk.

Listing your stuff all at once in one giant online garage sale on the site can prove very profitable.

This is because once somebody sees your lamp sale, they’ll be also curious to know your other postings as a user.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and everyone’s looking for something either way.

Wrapping Up

Craigslist definitely isn’t the absolute best platform for making money on the regular. But, it’s such a popular household name, there’s no doubt you’ll find buyers for whatever you list.

After all, multiple income streams that aren’t Etsy or eBay might not be such a bad business idea.

Hopefully, the ideas and suggestions we’ve mentioned will serve as a creative inspiration for you to start making money in the simplest terms.

The main point is figuring out your ‘strengths’.

It’s highly important that you understand which of your personal items or service offerings are valuable and abundant enough that promise extra income on a regular basis.

After that, it just depends on how soon you make yourself known as a trustworthy and reputable vendor. It just takes a bit of time.

Please share your thoughts or any bright ideas you might have in the comments below!