Since its inception back in 1995, Craigslist has survived the fickle internet scene. Right from the burst of the dotcom bubble down to the craze associated with today’s social media craze, the United States’ preferred internet classified ads still strives. Craigslist over the years has become a thing, as it has helped sellers generate more money via their services, properties, and products.
The platform aims to connect them with online buyers in their vicinity for a transaction that is hassle-free. Additionally, Craigslist differs from Amazon and eBay. eBay doesn’t charge buyers for posting their classified ads on the site. With no barrier to entry put on the site, sellers can earn money from Craigslist in a way that is both cost effective and seamless.
The years have seen numerous alternatives to Craigslist which could be considered to be better than it. LetGo and Offer built on the success that Craigslist achieved to offer users a more instinctive method of shopping. Nevertheless, in spite of the provisions provided by the site to aid sellers in correctly identifying genuine buyers and avoid dealing with fraudsters, novices can find looking for legitimate buyers difficult.
That being said, these issues did not deter about 60 million users upload about 80 million posts in a month on Craigslist. Taking into account the volume of activity and users on Craigslist, sellers only need to ensure they are able to reach the right people with their classified ads. The aim of this article is to discuss hints, tips and give advice on the ways to generate income on Craigslist without selling anything.
Locate Leads for Your Business
Apart from sellers and buyers, Craigslist is a site where job opportunities can be searched for. This is great for those that prefer to work for the money they make, and it is a great cue to pay attention to.
Having multiple jobs might not be an efficient method to generate money. Nevertheless, it can be a feasible option if there is no capital available and you have nothing you want to sell. The list below includes some of the things that need to be done when building a profile on the job market section of Craigslist.
- Identify the weaknesses of every one of your competitors – the job market has a level of competitiveness that requires you to shape expertise that others don’t have. Should you be on a similar skill level with other job seeking professionals, taking time to develop the skills others don’t possess could position you as a favorite.
- Take action on easy/enormous wins– take time to focus your efforts on tasks that are sure to make a massive difference when job searching. For instance, should you aim to save money, the first thing to do would be to reduce expenses. Rather, look for simple ways to increase your income without having to compromise your current lifestyle.
Temporary Labor
Craigslist consists of numerous sections with one particular one called Gigs. This section contains listings of short-term employment for quick money. Should you have programming or computer skills, have a unique talent or can help out during an occasion, you’re able to make money quickly.
This is all dependent on the jobs available in your vicinity, however, if your Saturdays are free to do a couple of odd jobs, there are many worse things to do.
Craigslist Gigs
This category is different from the one labeled “Jobs”, as that is for individuals seeking contract jobs or full-time employment. The Gigs category enables individuals to put their skills to good use outside of a regular day job.
Gigs listed typically vary from manual labor to field work such as event promotion or set production. Jobs that can be carried out without having to leave the house such as creative or written work are also available. Jobs like household assistant and pet sitters or walkers are also available.
What to Look for on Craigslist
What’s great about Craigslist, is the fact that anyone anywhere is able to post on the site. This can also be attributed to a negative aspect as well. This means its users have to be vigilant when searching for a listing. If the listing seems too good to be true, then it’s best to research deeply before accepting the gig.
Depending on set preferences, the criteria used to find jobs might differ from those of others. Should money be the top priority, its best to ignore jobs that offer only exposure or experience. While this might be a great incentive for some, it doesn’t appeal to your needs.
It is also important to locate multiple yet similar gigs to better ascertain better knowledge of the acceptable payment that the job brings. You are then able to compare requirements, compensation and any other fine points to decide which is best for you.
Best Gigs on Craigslist
Below are a couple of the most common methods in which people create an extra income via gigs posted on Craigslist. A couple of jobs are larger and typically pay well, however, they might eat up more effort and time. Other jobs that pay less might be simplistic in nature and a high volume could be completed to earn more income.
1. Design and Creative Work
Similar to writing gigs, there are web design and video editing jobs that can be achieved at home. Nevertheless, some jobs like set designers, fashion stylists, and photographers, may require you to head out into the field. Majority of these jobs do not list payment, so it is important to have an idea of how much the job pays and negotiate with the job listing poster.
2. Editing and Writing Gigs
One of the stress-free ways to earn money via Craigslist is by getting editing or writing work. This could be by producing and posting articles, script writing, editing college level essays, availing technical content or translating copies. All these can be done from the comfort of one’s home, which is an added bonus.
3. Technology and Computer Jobs
Another avenue for lucrative gigs is for an individual to be computer literate enough to be able to provide technical expertise to individuals and businesses that require it. Should an individual search for jobs that require a database or IT management consultant, they can earn lucrative payments or even maybe found a side business. Dissimilar to previous categories, jobs like these usually pay well as technical know-how is required and that can’t be compensated with gaining experience or exposure.
4. Crew, Labor and Domestic Work
This is great for individuals with no aversion to manual labor, as they are able to earn extra income by offering their services and their time. As this consist of physical labor, there is usually a clear payment arrangement made beforehand, where individuals could earn about $600 for about 3 days’ worth of work. A couple of the crew and labor jobs sometimes overlap with event jobs, however, this is a common situation on Craigslist. For individuals with caring capabilities, they can offer their services as a babysitter or a caregiver.
As Craigslist ads are typically separated by geography, it is important to note that the demand in other cities vary, as well as the pay rates and job types. It is also important to remember to focus on safety before potential earnings while searching for potential gigs.
5. Talent and Event Listings
Should an individual have time and the required skills, talent jobs such as acting, modeling, playing musical instruments and singing are a great opportunity to earn some extra money. The individual will typically be working on film sets, public events or photo shoots. Conversely, a couple of event gigs require the individual to raise money for a cause or promote products. Particular jobs tend to pay just a flat rate, and others work on a residual income or commission system.
Be Someone’s Friend for a Day
This particular gig might seem a bit awkward and it probably is but it is an idea that has been gaining ground. This is because there are numerous lonely people in the world and thanks to the Missed Connections page on Craigslist, it is more apparent that some individuals have problems being able to connect with others. You can offer to get a meal with someone, engage in public fun activities with them, like heading to the beach or just even listening to them, all for a small fee.
While this probably seems odd at first, you might notice after the first meeting that you have made a friend and most likely have impacted their life in a positive manner.
Fix Stuff
Purchasing new items every time stuff breaks is prohibitively expensive and some of the time, the issues can be fixed easily. Nevertheless, there is a growing majority of people that don’t have either the patience or the time to notice a problem and troubleshoot it. Their go-to action is to throw it away and purchase a newer one.
Individuals can offer to repair broken electronics, tools or even restore items that have fallen into disrepair, such as cars or antiques. All it takes is you having the ability to repair, causing you to make money for yourself while saving someone else a huge amount that would have gone to purchase a new item. Should you have the technical knowhow already, you can put them to use and generate some side income.
Grab Some Free Stuff
Most of the items that exchange hands on Craigslist are usually put up for sale, however, there is also a section of the page where individuals give items away. Having a look at this section frequently over the course of the day could help you get things at no cost to you, which can then be sold off to someone that wants it, giving you a profit.
Teach Others
The simple fact is there are people out there that want to learn and they would most likely prefer to get educated by someone personally instead of having to take part in an online course. The probability that you have certain knowledge and are able to teach others the fundamentals of either computer skills, a language, school subject or even trivia information.
Clearly, you need not be a Ph.D. holder or a college lecture to teach; all it takes is showing people how to go about daily activities like effecting an oil change, or changing a tire or spark plug in their car.
Offer Yourself as a Personal Assistant
This is one more quirky job that has seen rising demand. Someone to fill this role is typically needed by those who were previously in the hospital and are unable to perform routine activities for a period of time. This is also a job that might be posted for those that require assistance gardening or cleaning in and around the house. You are able to fill the need by being flexible enough to be available at set times and willing to do whatever it is they require while charging a decent price for your time.
Rent Out Your Belongings
This is an opportunity which requires some trust, but definitely one that has demand. Should you have an extra television for any sports event like the World Cup or even for movie nights, you can rent it out to people. You can also rent books, movies, tools, and even cleaning equipment to others for a fee.
Should you do this, it is important to ensure the person renting puts down enough collateral, so there isn’t an incentive to run away with your things or damage them.
Conclusion
The simple fact is, the above are just a few of the ideas and opportunities to make extra cash on Craigslist, and while those listed don’t seem that many, it is almost impossible to implement every one of these ideas. It is best to ponder on what skills, goods or services you have or are able to offer and how people can benefit from them, causing you to earn a handsome fee.