The Craigslist Hustle- Tax Evasion at its Finest!

When you think about Craigslist what comes to mind? For some people they may think about great deals, job opportunities or the go to place to find a rental property. For others, the thought of Craigslist could trigger old horror stories of murder, theft and police stings. But, for those select thousands who are in the business of flipping for profit, access to unreported income may come to mind. In writing my book The Craigslist Hustle, my intentions were to give individuals the straight forward tips on how to make extra money through Craigslist. I have been successful with this mission and I receive several emails monthly from individuals who were inspired by my story and decided to start their own “Craigslist Hustle.”

As I thought about my own personal success as well as the success of others that I’ve inspired, I couldn’t believe the revelation I received. The Craigslist Hustle, if done properly, could be an example of tax evasion at its finest. In no way do I condone the information that I am about to share in this article, and I am a tax paying citizen, as I’m sure most flippers who hustle Craigslist are. However, I was so intrigued by what I discovered that I felt led to share. I know without a doubt that I could earn, as well as teach others to earn, at minimum $40,000 a year tax free by hustling on Craigslist. I have personally met individuals who make more than double this amount “under the table” by hustling Craigslist. In America, Craigslist reports that over 60 million people use the site each month. There are hundreds of thousands of people who have learned how to hustle Craigslist for profit, and there is plenty of room for hundreds of thousands more to get in on the action.

When I first started buying and selling on Craigslist I was in a tough spot financially. I had gotten laid off by my employer along with dozens more due to company downsizing. I filled out applications everywhere with no prevail and my unemployment benefits were weeks away from ending. As fate would have it, my brother worked for a moving company gave me a Kenmore dryer that he received for free from a client.  I didn’t know much about Craigslist at the time, but I decided to post the dryer for sale on the site that evening. Within two hours the dryer was sold for $100, and that was my light bulb moment. I had just earned in a couple of hours the amount that normally would have taken me eight hours or more at that time to earn. There wasn’t a check stub showing Federal taxes, Social Security taxes or Medicare taxes withheld. Instead, just five twenty dollar bills placed into my hand to validate the transaction.

I share more details of my personal story in my book The Craigslist Hustle. For the purpose of this article, I am got to walk you through this underground world of how a person could earn thousands of unreported dollars a month hustling on Craigslist. There a dozens of untraceable items posted on Craigslist that can be purchased and resold for profit. Some of the top items are appliances, cell phones, computers and furniture, all of which can bring in $500 to $2000 or more a week. I was in contact with an individual located in Colorado who was consistently making over $1000 a week selling used mattresses.  I wrote another article entitled “Craigslist for felons: When employers won’t hire Craigslist will.” In this blog article I talk about a convicted felon I contacted through Craigslist to repair the HVAC system at my residence. I didn’t know he was a convicted felon, but he felt led to share his story with me before he left my house. He served 25 years for murder in a state penitentiary and had been released three years prior to coming to my home. While incarcerated, the gentleman was taught how to repair HVAC systems and was used to repair systems at various facilities. After his release, his girlfriend introduced him to Craigslist where he later starting promoting his services on the site. In a three year period he informed me that he earned over $200,000 repairing HVAC units. The majority of his work came from new clients via Craigslist, and the rest came from word of mouth. I know without a doubt this gentleman wasn’t reporting his income, because the only form of payment he would accept was cash.  Do I believe he was telling the truth about how much he earned in the amount of time? Based on my personal experience buying and selling on Craigslist, yes I do.

I am in contact with several people who have read my book, watched my YouTube videos and started flipping appliances on Craigslist. These are people located all around the country, but they have similar success stories. They are all averaging $1000 a week working less than 40 hours a week. The main way a person could continue to earn unreported income is by keeping it simple. Avoid the overhead costs that come along with starting a business, conduct business transactions out of their home, or out of a rented storage unit. A person could buy three used washer and dryer sets over a five day period for $300 (yes, $100 per set.) Within three days, that person could sell the sets for $300 each and profit $600. This is a real life example on the low end of what appliance flippers are making weekly. Experienced flippers located in populated areas can consistently purchase at minimum six washer and dryer sets a week.  If a person gets six washer and dryer sets that I teach my readers to purchase, they could sell each set for $200 profit.

A lot of people are turning to the underground world of flipping on Craigslist so they can make undocumented income. As sad as it sounds, I know fathers who choose not to work because the majority of their income is deducted for child support payments. On the flip side, these same individuals make a few thousand dollars a month buying and selling items on Craigslist. Instead of pickup up a part-time job, people are learning how to buy and resell items on Craigslist. Most part time jobs pay around $12 an hour, or maybe less. Working 25 hours per week a person will earn $600 before taxes. After taxes and any other deductions or garnishments, they may bring home a $400 check. I have purchased a washer and dryer set for $100, and had the set sold in four hours for $300. I purchased two more sets three hours later for a total of $250. I sold both sets within twenty four hours for $650 total. Within a day’s time I was able to profit $600 tax free. It didn’t take me 50 hours of work away from my family while sleep deprived.  This took a couple of hours browsing Craigslist, driving out to pick up the sets, cleaning the sets and waiting on the buyer to purchase the sets.

Craigslist has opened up the door for individuals to make unreported income like never before.  Mobile mechanics, carpet cleaners, seamstresses, carpenters, graphic designers, piano teachers, and the list goes on. These are services that can be done under the radar and bring in big time profits. As mentioned earlier, not reporting your income is not a practice I neither teach nor promote.  However, I am a proponent for individuals earning extra legit income. If this article has ignited your curiosity about using Craigslist to earn some extra money, then let me show you how.  Check out my book The Craigslist Hustle on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble and other online retailers. Go to YouTube and search the Craigslist Hustle and check out the videos as well.  The Craigslist Hustle, let’s get it!

Flipping Appliances for Profit

2013 was another great year for me in that I flipped more appliances for profit than in previous years. Not only did I buy and resell more appliances than in previous years, but I also helped more people do the same thing. In my book The Craigslist Hustle I teach everyday people who have a desire to change their financial situation make extra money by flipping items for profit. I've found appliances are quick money makers and that is why I use appliances as a teaching tool. I have taught men, women, young adults, seniors and all in between from all around the world how to successfully buy and resell appliances on Craigslist. Without a doubt everyone needs a washer, dryer, stove and refrigerator. The key to being a successful flipper on Craigslist starts with you.

In my local area I am very familiar with the appliance flippers advertising on Craigslist. Most are honest, but there are some who will make up the craziest fables about why they are selling a particular item. For instance, one gentleman whom I am familiar with sells a lot of washers and dryers such as me on Craigslist. In following his post I noticed there is a different story behind why he is selling each unit. In one posting he stated he owned the set and it was 2 years old (really about 10 years old) and he was moving to Japan. In several postings he stated he owned the sets and they were all 2 years old (really 7-10 years old) and he was combining households with his girlfriend. Not long ago I posted my personal front load washer on Craigslist that was having technical problems. It would have cost me around $200 for parts to fix it if I repaired it myself. If I allowed a repairman it would have cost around $600 to repair. I knew that I could easily buy and resell my way into a free washer for $200, and eventually that is what I did. I took $200 and bought two washer and dryer sets off Craigslist two days after my washer started malfunctioning. I sold one set for $400, one dryer for $140 all within 24 hours. I kept the washer for myself and removed my broken washer. I made $340 and got a free washer out of the deal in less than 24 hours. I love doing what I do! Now, as I stated, I listed my broken washer on Craigslist for $70 and described the details of what was going on with it. Sure enough the gentleman who was advertising mislead information about his appliances was the first one to call and come purchase the washer. In meeting him he told me his father was a repairman and owned an appliance shop. He assured me his father would repair the washer before reselling it to someone. It wasn't even two hours later when the washer was back for sale on Craigslist for $180. The ad stated the washer was in perfect condition and the reason for selling was due to combining households with his girlfriend.  At that moment I sent the gentleman a text and asked why he didn't mention the washer was broken. He text me back saying his father was going to fix it. I replied back with a few words and left it at that. I come across situations like this all the time, but I have to remind myself that I’m not the Craigslist police. However, if you’re going to follow what I am teaching this is not the way to conduct business.

When I say the key to being a successful flipper starts with you this is very important. Be honest in your dealings and treat each sale the way you would want to be treated when buying an item. In my book, I tell you ways to advertise your merchandise once you have bought it in an attempt to flip it for profit. Another thing I also teach is giving people a way to contact you and request a refund if the item doesn't work as advertised in the FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS. Notice I said the first couple of days and not 30 days. If you decide to go into business doing this full time then you may offer a 30 day warranty. But, if you’re just selling appliances out of your garage just tell the buyer if it doesn't work like they think it should in the first two days then bring it back. It shouldn't take any more than a couple of days to determine if the appliance is a lemon. You should also test the appliance as much as possible before reselling to avoid any returns. I teach in my book what questions need to be asked before purchasing an item. These questions have helped me become successful in my business and I have had only 3 returns out of thousands of items sold over the years. I have noticed that people would rather buy used appliances from an individual than from an actual business. The buyer avoids sales tax and they fell they are getting a better deal from an individual are reasons I’ve been told by buyers in the past. If you do bad business on Craigslist it will come back to haunt you over time. Don’t believe me, then go and type in the word “scam” or “beware” in the search field on Craigslist and look how many people have been reported. Your name and number will end up there if you start doing bad business.

You can literally make thousands of dollars a week buying and reselling appliances on Craigslist depending on your schedule. If you don’t have a truck, SUV, or trailer then now is the time to get one, or get a friend with one of the above. I was able to find me a 5 x 10 trailer on Craigslist for $225. This is a rare find, but every now and then you may come across such a steal. Within the first week I made $2200 in profit due to I was able to now get refrigerators and stoves. Before then I would mainly purchase washers and dryers and put them in my SUV. If I ever came across a good deal on a refrigerator, I would have to borrow a friend’s truck or rent one. Once I got my own trailer I was able to hunt down bigger appliances and go at the drop of a dime to pick them up. I would be up at 11:00 p.m. picking up appliances in bulk and selling them in the next 1-2 days.

As a result of being laid off by my employer years ago, I came across Craigslist and mastered an approach of buying and reselling that helped my family of five during one of the most trying financial periods in our lives. I now share these same tips in my book The Craigslist Hustle that I use even today to buy and resell items for profit.  If you stumbled across this blog and wondering how to make extra money via Craigslist regardless of what your current situation is, then go check out my webpage www.mrcraigslisthustle.com. The Craigslist Hustle, let’s get it!

How to make money on Craigslist

For those of you who follow me on Twitter @Clhustle, have read my book The Craigslist Hustle or have seen my Craigslist Hustle YouTube videos, then you know what items I am going to tell you make the quickest profit on Craigslist. Washers and dryers without a doubt generate fast substantial profits when buying and reselling them on Craigslist.  You will see people advertising DVDs and software that are supposed to teach you how to make money on Craigslist. There is no science to making money on Craigslist, you just need to find what items you feel most comfortable with buying and reselling and then get your hustle started. I never wrote my book The Craigslist Hustle with the intention of scamming people out of their hard earned income. As a result of being laid off by my employer years ago, I mastered an approach that helped my family of five during one of the most trying financial periods in our lives. I was encouraged by others to share my story and tips in a book that is where The Craigslist Hustle was born. Whether you decide to purchase the book or not, there is money to be made on Craigslist and I want to share some of the basics to get you started.

Once you find the item you’re familiar with buying and reselling you will need to know how to create a good post that will get your items sold quickly. Out of the hundreds of washers and dryers that I have bought and resold, I have never held a set longer than 3 days. Most sets usually sell within the first 24 hours, but scheduling conflicts required me to hold a couple of sets up to 72 hours before I was able to make an appointment and sell them.  One key point to keep in mind is that a good post will always have pictures of your item. I enjoy going and browsing Craigslist for washer and dryer posting that do not have pictures attached. You’ll be surprised how many people list valuable merchandise for sale without pictures and end up losing money on their item. I have found one year old washers and dryers and negotiated the price down to $100 for the set all because the seller didn’t have pictures online, and no one took the time to contact them to inquire about the set. The posting looked a little like this:

Washer and Dryer  $500

Washer and dryer for sale. Both are white and in good shape. Email for more details.

By the time I reached out to this seller the ad had been listed for 28 days. The seller didn’t repost the ad as I teach in my book, nor did they have accurate details or pictures which I also teach in my book. I bought the set for $100 and sold it the next day for $450. This has happened several times over the years so that’s why I say pictures and a detailed post make a world of difference. Take time to browse ads and reach out to people to see if you can negotiate the price even lower. Once you get the item take time to inspect, repair and clean it if needed. From that point create a good posting with pictures attached. It’s pretty much that simple believe it or not. I’ve sold thousands of my book The Craigslist Hustle and I get emails all the time from people thanking me for the basic information I shared in the book. If you’re looking to make extra income for a major purchase, go on vacation or to help your family out of a desperate situation as I was years ago, then take time to consider Craigslist as an option. Feel free to checkout my webpage at www.mrcraigslisthustle.com and I would love to be of assistance. Craigslist hustle, let’s get it!