How to get (nearly) free stuff, from eBay.
Inspired by Get Rich Slowly: If you’re going away to college, no doubt you are looking for odds and ends like toasters and microwaves. Things that may not be insanely expensive, but can add up. So what are the best ways to stock your dorm room?
Not exactly free, but darn close. After you search for an item, modify your search to only search items that are listed in your area (in my case 08021).
Keep your eye on old junk people put up that isn’t worth shipping. Bid the minimum bid, and opt for a local pickup. If you win, you’ll pay only gas money to go pick it up. Given the general eBay knowledge of the public, most people wont research their item before listing.
As mentioned before, I work at an eBay drop off store and if something doesn’t sell and the customer won’t take it back, we donate the item. Put sometimes, even the group we donate to won’t take the items. Today I threw out a perfectly good 15″ computer monitor because no one in the store wanted it, and neither did the charity. Stop by pawnshops and other stores that deal with peoples junk and see if you can scavenge through their trash.
[tags]craigslist, ebay, freecycle[/tags]
July 19th, 2006 at 12:17 am
[…] College v2 writes that eBay can be an excellent way to stock your dorm room. Make the low minimum bids on local stuff that isn’t worth shipping. Opt for local pickup. Brilliant! […]
August 1st, 2006 at 12:01 am
[…] A Microwave Let me tell you this: my mother is a microwave chef. You show her a dish and she can tell you exactly how long it needs to be microwaved for. Incedentally I learned all kinds of dishes that can be easily prepared in the microwave. When you move on to campus a reality will hit you. Your meal plan is either very expensive or very limited, and you will not feel like walking to a store at 1am. Do yourself a favor and pack some Easy Mac or some Beefaroni to heat up. If your dorm won’t allow it, bring one anyway, they won’t care. Just make sure you know how to nuke popcorn without setting off the fire alarms. I recommend searching eBay! for a local pickup as described in a earlier post. […]
August 6th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Also, if you live in a college town, pay attention to when graduation is. That evening, and sometimes the day after, swing by the dorms. Seniors dump all sorts of amazing stuff in amazing condition in their haste to leave and sudden lack of storage. I’ve picked up a microwave, two futons, a Brita filter, and countless school supplies. Totally free. And one guy found a knife that was in great condition when I was there.
September 5th, 2006 at 12:19 am
[…] College v2 – helping you survive college » Blog Archive » How to get (nearly) free stuff, from eBay. (tags: ebay local cheap) […]