It seems like everything is so expensive these days. The purchasing power of the dollar continues to fall, both internationally and in the United States. One of the biggest economic strains in this country stems from rising gas prices. This not only forces people to pay more at the pump, but also drives up shipping and freight costs, resulting in higher prices on goods across the country. These effects are magnified in cities, where prices are already higher than in more rural areas. In Chicago, for example, gas prices have topped $3 a gallon in places. Fortunately, there are ways to stretch your dollar farther and combat high prices in Chicago: conserve energy at home, walk or use the L train to save on gas, and search Craigslist for great bargains.
In case you are not familiar, Craigslist is a network of site for communities throughout the United States and around the globe. Initially, it was founded as a resource for the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995. By 2006, there was a Craigslist site representing each of 450 cities worldwide. With a few exceptions, advertising on Craigslist is free, and postings can be placed in myriad sections, all organized into major categories.
Chicago Craigslist (http://chicago.craigslist.org) is a great resource for bargain hunting throughout the Windy City.. In the "for sale" section, you can make contact with people looking to sell their stuff. The section is broken up into smaller categories to make it easy to find what you're looking for. Need a deal on a laptop? Check out the computer board. Looking for some rims for that new ride? Cruise to the auto parts board. You can even find small household items, and if you're really fortunate, you might stumble upon exactly what you're looking for in the "free" category. Sometimes people post coupons they don't need in this category, so it pays to check it out every so often just to see if you can get a discount on something you buy frequently.
There a few caveats about this particular mode of frugality. First, if you have issues about buying used goods, you may want to shy away from buying from Craigslist posters. Most things being sold on CL tend to be items people either don't want or no longer use, so if you are strictly into brand new, steer clear. If you don't mind a gently used toaster, though, CL is perfect for you. Second, be sure to note how you are supposed to actually take possession of your purchase. Some buyers will deliver, some will ship, and some require you to make a pick up. Work this out beforehand. A third warning applies to purchases in general, not just on CL: caveat emptor. Enough said.
In short, Craigslist is the frugal shopper's dream. Buying used goods directly saves on overhead costs, which is great for you, the buyer. In expensive cities like Chicago, saving a few bucks on Craigslist can make all the difference in the world.
Job hunting can be a daunting task. You have to search through what seems like endless listings, fire off resumes in ridiculous quantities, and (if you're lucky) dress up for uncomfortable interviews in which you try to sell yourself to a potential employer. The agony of the whole process can be amplified if it is necessitated by a move to a new city. If you are fortunate enough to be moving to a city like Baltimore, however, you will find it advantageous to know that Craigslist is on your side.
Craigslist is a network of sites for communities throughout the United States and around the globe. The Craigslist network helps connect people for things like garage sales, apartment subleases, job interviews, and even romantic encounters. A unique and novel idea at the time, it initially began as a resource for the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995. By 2006, there was a Craigslist site representing each of 450 cities worldwide. With a few exceptions, advertising on Craigslist is free, and postings can be placed in myriad sections, all organized into major categories for easy browsing and navigation.
On Craigslist, getting started looking for a job is simple. First, simply visit http://baltimore.craigslist.org. Next, check out the plethora of categories in the "jobs" column: everything from accounting & finance to writing & editing and beyond! Whether you are looking for work as a corporate accountant, short order cook, or software engineer, you can find postings here. You may also notice a job category labeled "ETC," where jobs that are less traditional or that don't readily fit into the other categories are often posted. Some of the jobs in the ETC category include at-home Internet-based work, such as reading e-mail advertising. Other jobs listed here include delivery drivers, cleaning services, and campaign activists. There is even a category specifically for part time jobs, directed at those not looking for a full time gig.
And speaking of gigs, that's another section on Craigslist Baltimore! Located job below the jobs column, the gigs section offers postings looking for people to help with one-time jobs in a variety of fields, such as creative, talent, writing and labor. Here you can find a variety of quick jobs of all types. You can get paid to help someone move next Saturday, or submit a short story for publication in a magazine. Freelancers, this is the section for you!
The final Craigslist section of interest to the job hunter is the "resumes" section. Remember having to send off all those resumes during your last job hunt? Well, on Craigslist Baltimore, job seekers can post their resumes for browsing by potential employers. This allows you to market your own skills, and have potential employers come to you! No need to send out dozens of resumes and wonder which people are actually interested, just post one and wait for the offers to come in.
Finding a job is not often easy. When embarking on the journey toward to new employment, it is important to use every advantage at your disposal to make the entire procedure is painless as possible. One of these tools is Craigslist, and it can be used to your advantage in cities such as Baltimore.
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