Making money on Craigslist is a practical and profitable way to earn income using a platform that attracts millions of local buyers and sellers. To start, identify items you no longer need—such as furniture, electronics, or clothing—and list them in the appropriate category with clear photos, accurate descriptions, and fair prices. Well-written titles and local keywords like “cheap used iPhone in [your city]” can boost your visibility in search results.
In addition to selling personal items, you can make money on Craigslist by offering services. Popular categories include moving help, lawn care, tutoring, handyman work, and freelance gigs. If you have a specific skill or trade, advertise it with competitive pricing and positive customer testimonials. Some entrepreneurs also use Craigslist to find free items in the “Free” section, refurbish them, and resell them for profit.
To succeed on Craigslist, always respond quickly to inquiries and practice safe meetups by choosing public locations or bringing someone along. Building a strong local reputation can lead to repeat customers and referrals. Whether you’re flipping products, offering services, or clearing clutter, Craigslist offers a free, effective platform for turning your time and resources into real money. Optimize your listings regularly to stay ahead of the competition.
Searching for last-minute tickets to a football game for my husband, I googled and discovered that tickets are sold out on the official website of a stadium, and all resellers are selling tickets for at least $100 each. Ouch!
So I went to Craigslist.org hoping somebody was selling tickets there, less expensive than 100 bucks each.
What I found out is that prices were even higher on Craigslist. But what was interesting to me is that many postings had links to different websites where they offer to purchase tickets.
Another interesting thing I’ve noticed is that all tickets sold on hundreds of websites seem to sell from the same database. I’d think that there is some kind of ticket reselling affiliate program where they all draw info from.
And if they are affiliates, they are making money on Craigslist reselling tickets online!
So what they do is they post their affiliate link to Craigslist, hoping people will buy from their link and they’ll make commission.
It’s actually a very smart way to promote your affiliate product on Craigslist because people go to Craigslist when they are really ready to buy something. They are the PERFECT target!
Well, let’s think, what other online and offline products could be sold on Craigslist…
1. Tickets (sports events, music concerts, cruise tickets, hotel deals)
2. eBooks (I’m not sure how effective it is, but it can be done)
3. Website Building services (you can either do it yourself or outsource, or even post an affiliate link to an online website building service)
4. Sell other people’s stuff (buy from others, clean out the dust, and resell or find a buyer first and offer them a product. Think boats, cars, realty).
