How to Barter Items on Craigslist

Learning how to barter for items on Craigslist can save you money on cars, boats, clothing, pets and many other items. The key to bartering here is patience, as well as some luck. Here are some tips to help you.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Find Items For Barter

1. Visit the Craigslist home page and select your city, state or country to find local ads offering items for barter (see Resources below).

2. Under the "For Sale" heading, click "Barter."

3. Search through the listings for items. Listings appear from most recent to oldest.

4. Click the blue-underlined title of each ad you want to read. Some titles can be deceptive, so be sure to read each ad carefully and completely.

5. Note the items you want to barter for.

Barter for Your Item

1. Click the email address indicated in the ad to contact the seller. It typically begins with a long string of numbers and letters. Some sellers list their phone numbers as well.

2. Make an offer to the seller, either in writing or by phone.

3. Consider the seller's counteroffer, and accept the bid if you agree.

4. Arrange for payment in a way that is acceptable to both parties. Typically, this is a cash payment in person or a cashier's check authorized by a bank. Some parties agree to use PayPal.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your private information safe at all times, and use caution when communicating with sellers. Until you make a purchase, you don't need to reveal even your full name to a seller, let alone any contact information other than an email address.

• Be wary of out-of-town (and especially out-of-the-country) sellers. Especially with big-ticket items, out-of-town sellers compose a higher percentage of scams. Instead, stick to local-area sellers whom you can meet in person.