GeekSugar

12 Ways to Get a Craigslist Missed Connection

Tara Block — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:05:57 PST

If you spent Valentine's Day on your own or out with girlfriends, you may be scouring your local Craigslist Missed Connections today for a fellow single guy who caught your eye on the romantic holiday. These online personals range from funny to creepy to sweet, but who can resist the thought of finding love in such an unlikely way? Sure, cheesy or awkward Missed Connections can be fun to laugh at, but they can also be a fascinating way to look at modern dating habits. Brooklyn artist Sophie Blackall has even turned Missed Connections into art, becoming an expert on the ads along the way. And numerous studies across the US have been done on these Craigslist ads, deciphering where, how, and why they happen. So if you're hoping to see a Missed Connections with your name on it, check out these tips we've gleaned from the experts on how to make it happen!

5 Ways to Use Craigslist (Without Ever Visiting It)

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:19:33 PDT

I spend a lot of time on Craigslist - looking for tech goodies, apartments, garage sales, whatever - and you can get lost in its many offerings, and find yourself off track from your initial surfing goals. Sometimes, it's better to use a third-party app or tool to find what you want without ever visiting the site. This sure cuts down on spam and time, so check out a few ways you can find what you're looking for without ever pointing your browser to Craigslist.com.

Craigslist iPhone App (Free) - This iPhone app has been tried and tested by one of our TrésSugar editors during a recent apartment hunt, and she says this is the best one she's tried. Coming with the ability to filter and nail down goods, digs, and other free goodies on the go, this app doesn't crash like some of the other lesser-reviewed apps. Plus, it's free!
Housing Maps - Speaking of apartment hunting, Housing Maps allows you to see available rentals on a map instead of clicking through each listing, then opening new windows for a Google Maps locator. Filters include pets, price, keywords, bedrooms, and pictures, but the good news is, if the listing has photos, you'll see it pop up on the map without clicking through to the ad.

See the rest of the list after the jump.

Craigslist: A Good Way to Sell Your Home?

Emily Co — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:29:31 PDT

If you're pulling your hair out about how hopeless the sale of your house is going, maybe you should hop onto the Craigslist bandwagon. Scott Miller, a resident of Dallas, TX, decided to place an advertisement in the online classifieds network for his five-bedroom house, according to the Daily Mail. He's asking for $349,500, and has already received a bid that matches the amount. Miller says, "I think it could change the way people sell their houses in America because it puts the sales process in the hands of the owner."

Miller's going the nontraditional route of taking things into his own hands and not relying on a realtor. It seems to have worked - within two days of putting up the ad, Miller had received several bids. Would you consider selling your home on Craigslist?

Lifelike Craig For iPad Turns Craigslist Into Traditional Classified Ads

Kristen Hawley — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:00:36 PST

If you're looking for something - anything - near you, Craigslist is probably one of your first online stops. The site has essentially re-created newspaper classifieds for the Internet. Now, there's an iPad app that re-creates Craigslist for the iPad, using a classic newspaper design. Lifelike Craig is a new (old?) way to view and post to Craigslist with the look and feel of a newspaper's classified ads.

The app allows you to do everything you do on Craigslist - post and edit ads from multiple accounts or browse ads in landscape or portrait design. The app makes ads much easier (and prettier!) to read. It also targets your location, automatically displaying all available categories. You can view the location of any posted item on a map, forward ads to friends, and reply to ads without leaving the app.

Lifelike Craig is available for $2 in the App Store.

Would You Buy a Used Computer?

Michele Foley — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:00:03 PDT

My friend is in the market for a new laptop - well, sort of. She's been scouring Craigslist and eBay with hopes that a relatively new, but used, model turns up. This is against the better advice of almost everyone in her life, by the way. Her friends and family worry that she'll end up with a total lemon and not see the problems before it's too late. And because it's "for sale by owner," she'll lose the opportunity for a refund or warranty.

Her argument is pretty simple: buying a used computer can save her close to $500, and she'll take the necessary steps to ensure that she makes a good purchase. Do you think she's making a smart move, or is she looking for trouble?

What's Your Best (or Worst) Missed Connections Story?

Tara Block — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:10:41 PDT

I've been known to peruse my local Craigslist Missed Connections ~~daily~~ on occasion, mainly for its entertainment value ("Your friend offered me some cotton candy . . . I want to taste your 'other' cotton candy . . . " really?!), but I never thought that people seriously connected through them. But then one of my friends shared that several of her gal pals have found MCs about them.

Here's her true story about "Me: Guy at the end of the bar in the Giants hat that couldn't stop looking at you. You: Ravishing beauty with dark blond hair."

My roommate never went out - grad student, new to the city, not a lot of friends yet - and the one time she does, she gets an MC! I tried dragging her out for a drink for the 20th time, and she finally came. Another friend of mine who trolls MC saw the ad and remembered what she was wearing. It was definitely her in the ad. He described what she was wearing, said they kept making eye contact, and said, "It looked like you were dealing with your drunk, tattooed friend who was very loud." She remembered the guy as being cute but didn't write him back; she was too afraid. But one of the girls she was with did. And he didn't respond! I think he thought the email was fake, or he had regrets (he posted his MC at 3:30 a.m.).

Whether it was while riding on public transportation, at a sporting event, at the gym, or at another local singles hot spot (for us it's Safeway), do you have some juicy Missed Connections stories? Spill the deets!

Source: Flickr User Andy Mangold

Where Do You Sell Your Stuff?

SavvySugar — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 06:00:14 PDT

My BlackBerry and I have had good times - we laughed, we cried, we gossiped. But all good things come to an end, and it's time to sell it. I want to make sure that I'm getting the best price and I'm thinking about selling mine on Craigslist. Which website do you usually sell your stuff on?

What's Your Favorite Spot to Score Deals on Décor?

CasaSugar — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:00:00 PDT

This weekend at a swap meet I scored some hard-to-find wine crates for next to nothing, as well as two barely used oversized mirrors for only $25 (for both!). When it comes to thrift shopping for home décor items, I like to cover all my bases, perusing Craigslist, scoping out antique shops, and stopping at yard and garage sales. But I'm wondering, where do you find the best pieces on the cheap?
Source: Flickr User Monica Arellano-Ongpin

Open House: What's Your Definition of Newly Renovated?

CasaSugar — Sat, 29 May 2010 05:30:00 PDT

CasaSugar Community member MorganAshley recently asked, "What's your definition of 'newly renovated' as seen on a rental listed on Craigslist? Just curious how many years would qualify?" Personally, I wouldn't say the answer is how many years, but what has been renovated. For instance, I wouldn't mind 80-year-old hardwood floors, but yucky yellow linoleum floors from the 70s would certainly bother me. To me, it's most important that the kitchen is up to date with new, working appliances and that bathrooms don't have dated tiles. What's your definition of newly renovated? How new is new? What sort of appliances or home features do you consider dated? Have you ever been misled by a Craigslist ad? Tell me by commenting below!

Have a question of your own? Be sure to ask it in the Casa Q and A group!

Do You Trust Craigslist Listings Without Pictures?

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:00:00 PDT

Whenever I use Craigslist for apartment hunting, I tend to gravitate toward the listings with pictures, sometimes even eliminating those without altogether by checking the "has image" box. It seems like a no brainer: if you have an amazing place and want to grab the attention of a lot of people, you would make sure they can see how fabulous it is. So without pictures, potential tenants are thinking, "What's wrong with it?" But it has occurred to me that there could be legitimate reasons for why the posting doesn't include images. Maybe it's still being renovated, the landlord hasn't had updated photos taken, photos don't do it justice, it's too tiny for good shots, or the current tenant's furniture is still in the apartment. What do you think? Share your good or bad experiences with photo-free Craigslist ads in the comments below.