Last night I glanced over to see what the HH was looking at on his computer and noticed he was on the Craig’s List “Free” page for Maine. I just rolled my eyes and was starting to look away when something caught my eye.
3 pallets of used burlap coffee bags.
“Hey! Someone could make some serious money selling those,” I told him.
And then we looked at all the other “free” offerings on Craigslist. {Note: I found someone on Etsy selling sets of 10 used burlap coffee bags for $50 a pop!}
Some of them were weird, gross even, but some of them had some serious money making potential if someone had the time to go get the stuff and resell it online {or in one case, host a yard sale}.
Here’s a few of the listings that caught my eye.
Have YOU ever picked up something or offered anything that was FREE on Craig’s List?
~Mavis
Laura Z says
There was a man who had a few fig trees he wasn’t going to pick. Someone else got there first, but we got a few free gallons!
Diane says
One summer I scored free Asian Pears. The family win the middle of a home improvement project and said “Come pick”! They were lovely (pears and people).
Those burlap bags would be a score. Hope you two get them…or some of them. (Stove fund)
Diane says
Oops! Was In the middle of a home improvement project.
Jennifer says
I won’t empty the bottles to get free money? Where I come from, that is called trifling. Disabled? Housebound? I’d pick them up and split it with you. Off to open up Craigslist – never looked at it, so is there a free section?
Tammy says
We got a free piano from a free listing on Craigslist. We also gave it away for free before we moved, because it took six people to move it and we were temporarily moving into an upstairs apartment.
I’m sure there are other things I’ve gotten free off Craigslist over the years, but mostly I just use it to get rid of things that I can’t donate, but that someone potentially can use. Years ago, I was part of a Yahoo email group for Freecycle. I don’t know if that’s a thing any more. I got some things from that, but primarily used it to get rid of things.
Kayla says
I once picked up a free dryer that didn’t heat up. The lady thought it was broken and didn’t want to deal with it. I ordered a replacement part ($23) and fixed it. It took me about an hour to fix. I’m usually not that handy, but our dryer had the same problem and I learned to fix it.
I sold it back on Craigslist for $200 and the buyer was super excited to buy it. And I made $177 on the whole deal.
It use to be a gold mine, but not so much anymore. Mostly our free section is trash.
Linda Sand says
We listed a bunch of old computer stuff on Freecycle and it went to a low income housing place for their community room. That felt good.
Wendy Lato says
I used to use freecycle but am now using our neighborhood buy nothing group. It uses much less gas and sometimes you meet your neighbors. We have scored many useful things, knife block with knives, new baby afghans for donation, puzzles and many new things. We have given furniture, tools, books, games, etc.
Pam says
We have gotten free cement blocks off Craigslist and Facebook a couple times to make raised garden beds. We will also stop and pick through free stuff on the side of the road if it looks promising. We have actually gotten some pretty nice stuff!
Ellen C. says
I have used Craigslist FREE listings very successfully. The only thing that frustrates me is people who respond with one liners such as ‘Do you still have it?’ or ‘I want it’. I consider it rude to be so blunt. I won’t respond to those inquiries and notate that in my listing.
I do have some reservations about the listing claiming the owner wants all the contents removed. Something isn’t right with that. It is probably someone’s Ex taking revenge while their previous significant other is out of town.
Gigi says
My community has a Buy Nothing Facebook group. They actually have some really nice things.
Jamie says
Wood pallets. I have used them to make compost bins, garden beds, trellises. Some of the wood is really good and can be upcycled to home goods.
Paul W. says
craigslist free and another site called freecycle.org have both provided a lot of useful stuff over the years… TVs, appliances, printers/electronics and building materials are categories of stuff that we frequently get…