Craigslist isn’t dead. It’s just underused… which is exactly why it still prints money.
Here’s the core idea from your transcript, rebuilt into a clean Freedom Formula tutorial:
When you can scrape a marketplace, you can:
find mispriced opportunities (arbitrage),
find buyers already raising their hand (“WANTED”), and
sell those leads to someone else (without ever touching inventory).
This article is a step-by-step guide to doing all three.
The Big Concept: “More Eyeballs = More Money”
Arbitrage exists because some platforms have more buyers (demand) than others.
So if you:
buy where there are fewer eyeballs (Craigslist)
andsell where there are more eyeballs (Facebook Marketplace / eBay / niche buyers)
…prices often jump without you changing the product.
That’s the game.
And scraping is how you do it at scale.
What You’re Building (Pick 1 of These 6 Models)
Model A: Simple Marketplace Flips (no code, no scraping required)
Buy low on Craigslist → relist elsewhere → pocket spread.
Model B: “Lead Broker” (my favorite — no inventory)
Scrape listings → identify motivated sellers → sell leads to flippers/dealers/services.
Model C: Wanted-Post Matching (buyer-first is easiest)
Scrape “WANTED” posts → find matching sellers → connect them → get paid per lead.
Model D: Alert System / Deal Finder
Scrape daily → filter “need gone”, “moving”, “today only” → send yourself (or clients) hot deals.
Model E: Niche Job Board
Scrape jobs → populate site → charge for listings or sell sponsorships.
Model F: Service Offer to Sellers (the “unlock” model)
Scrape sellers with a specific problem → offer a small service that increases item value → automate fulfillment.
You only need one to start.
Your Tool Stack (Simple + Beginner Friendly)
You need three tools, total:
A scraper (no-code) that exports to CSV
Google Sheets (to sort/filter)
ChatGPT (to analyze data, spot deals, and generate outreach)
That’s enough to start making money.
Step-by-Step: Scrape Craigslist the Easy Way
Step 1: Choose the right category
Pick a section where people are actively buying/selling:
“for sale” (broad)
“cars & trucks by owner” (high ticket)
“wanted” (buyers raise hand)
Avoid dead categories. You want velocity.
Step 2: Copy the URL
Go to Craigslist → pick your city → pick the category → copy the URL.
Step 3: Paste URL into your scraper
Set:
Location/server: United States (or your region)
Render JavaScript: ON
Output: CSV
Step 4: Start with a basic schema (fields)
Tell the scraper what to pull using plain English, like:
title
price
location
post_url
posted_time
Run it once.
Step 5: If a field is missing, use “page source → AI”
If “posted_time” comes back blank, do this:
Right click page → View Page Source
Copy the source text
Ask ChatGPT:
“What fields can be scraped from this page and what are their schema names?”
Then paste those fields back into your scraper schema and re-run.
Step 6: Export to Google Sheets
Download CSV → paste into Sheets.
Now you can filter, sort, and score deals fast.
How To Find Money Inside the Data
Once your sheet is populated, you’re looking for signals.
Signal 1: “Need gone” / “moving” / “must sell”
These are motivated sellers. Motivation = discount.
How to use it:
filter titles/descriptions for urgency keywords
prioritize newest posts (“posted today”)
Signal 2: “Wanted” posts
Wanted posts are cheat codes because the buyer is already there.
Your job becomes:
find sellers with matching items
connect them
charge a fee
Examples:
“Motorcycles wanted any condition”
“Buying pinball machines”
“Old coins wanted”
This is lead brokering and it’s clean.
Signal 3: Underpriced brand-name items
High-value categories where mispricing happens:
camera lenses
tools
fitness equipment
musical instruments
electronics
vehicles
You can have ChatGPT scan:
title + price
…and tell you what’s likely underpriced.
Signal 4: “Low eyeballs platform” arbitrage
If Craigslist demand is lower than other marketplaces, items may be cheaper.
Lowest-friction play:
buy on Craigslist
relist on a higher-eyeball marketplace
sell for more
The Two Best Beginner Plays (Do These First)
Play #1: The “Buyer-First” Wanted Match
Goal: Get paid to connect buyers and sellers.
Step-by-step
Go to Craigslist → “wanted” section
Scrape all “wanted” posts daily
Identify repeated buyers (flippers/dealers)
Build a “buyer list” with:
what they want
how to contact them
their buying constraints
Scrape sellers in other markets (Craigslist + other marketplaces)
When you find matches, send them leads.
How to charge
$5–$25 per lead (depending on item value)
or$250–$1,000/month retainer for “X leads/week”
This is the “you don’t touch inventory” route.
Play #2: Car Deals Without Being a Car Flipper
You don’t have to flip cars.
You can:
find mispriced listings
package the best deals
sell leads to:
flippers
small dealers
wholesalers
Step-by-step
Craigslist → Cars & Trucks → By owner
Filter “posted today” (fresh deals only)
Scrape these fields:
title, price, location, year, make, model, mileage, condition, post_url, posted_time
In Sheets:
sort by newest
filter out “dealers”
filter out “not running / mechanic special / parts only” keywords
Use ChatGPT:
“Which listings look underpriced vs typical market price?”
Spot-check the top 10 deals manually.
How to monetize (no inventory)
sell “hot deal” leads to local flippers
or post same listing on higher-eyeball platform after you verify it’s real
or charge a subscription for a daily “deal digest”
The “Lead Broker” Outreach Scripts (Simple + Effective)
Script to recruit a buyer (flipper/dealer)
Subject: Quick question — do you still buy [ITEM TYPE]?
Body:
“Hey [Name] — I saw you buy [item type] in [area].
I can send you leads from multiple marketplaces.
Would you rather pay per lead or do a flat monthly fee?”
Script to send a lead
“Found one that looks like a fit:
[Link]
Price: $____
Location: ____
Notes: ____
Want me to send more like this?”
Script to pitch pay-per-lead
“I’ll send leads daily.
It’s $X per qualified lead — only when it matches your criteria.”
Quick Start Checklist (Do This in 48 Hours)
Day 1: Pick your model
Choose ONE:
Wanted matching (buyer-first)
Car deals lead broker
Underpriced brand-name flips
Day 1: Build your first scrape
pick one city + one category
export CSV
paste into Sheets
Day 2: Create your “deal rules”
keywords to include/exclude
min price / max price
posted today only
by owner only
Day 2: Find 10 buyers
flippers
dealers
collectors
resellers
Day 2: Send 10 DMs/emails
Offer:
“I’ll send you 3 leads free today. If they’re good, we’ll talk pricing.”
That gets you your first yes fast.
What to Avoid (So You Don’t Waste Time)
scraping everything in every city (start small)
trying to build the perfect automation before you have buyers
flipping low-dollar junk (go higher ticket sooner)
competing with professionals where margins are thin (dealers/deep niches)
Start where speed + simplicity wins.
HERE’S A STEP BY STEP GUIDE FOR EACH MODEL
Model A — Simple Marketplace Flips (No Lead Selling, Just Profit Spreads)
What you do
Buy underpriced items on Craigslist → resell on a higher-demand platform.
Best categories
Cameras/lenses
Tools (Milwaukee/DeWalt)
Fitness (Peloton, weights)
Musical gear
Electronics (Apple)
High-end furniture
Step-by-step
Pick 1 category + 1 city
Search Craigslist with urgency keywords:
“need gone”, “moving”, “must sell”, “today”, “price firm”, “obo”
Cross-check resale value:
eBay “Sold” comps (fastest reality check)
Facebook Marketplace search (local demand)
Message sellers fast (speed wins):
“Can pick up today. Cash. Any issues with it?”
Relist same day on:
Facebook Marketplace (more eyeballs)
eBay (bigger audience; shipping required)
Pricing example
Buy for $120 → resell $200 → net ~$60–$70 after fees/time
Mistakes to avoid
flipping low-dollar clutter
no comps check
slow pickups
Model B — Lead Broker (No Inventory) ✅
What you do
Scrape listings → identify likely deals → sell leads to buyers (flippers, dealers, resellers).
Who pays
car flippers
motorcycle flippers
equipment resellers
collectors
small dealers/wholesalers
Step-by-step
Build a “Buyer List” (10–25 people)
what they buy
price range
“running only” / “title in hand”
distance radius
Scrape supply daily (Craigslist “for sale”, “cars by owner”, etc.)
Filter:
posted today
by owner
underpriced keywords (“need gone”, “moving”)
Send leads to buyers via text/email.
Pricing models (pick one)
Pay-per-lead: $5–$25/lead (depends on ticket size)
Retainer: $300–$1,500/mo for X leads/week
Success fee: “$100 if you buy it / close it”
Buyer recruitment DM
“Quick question — do you buy [item] in [area]?
I find underpriced deals daily and can send leads.
Do you prefer pay-per-lead or monthly?”
Model C — Wanted-Post Matching (Buyer-First Cheat Code)
What you do
Scrape “WANTED” posts (buyers raising their hand) → find sellers → connect.
Step-by-step
Scrape “WANTED” posts daily:
title
contact
what they want
price range if listed
Build a “Wanted Buyer Sheet”
Scrape sellers:
Craigslist supply
Facebook Marketplace
OfferUp
Match + send intros.
Monetization
charge buyers per lead ($5–$50)
or monthly access (“we send you 10 matches/week”)
Why it works
In most markets: buyers are the hard part. Here, Craigslist gives you buyers for free.
Model D — Deal Alerts / Deal Finder Newsletter
What you do
Scrape daily → filter best deals → publish/send alerts.
Step-by-step
Pick niche (examples)
“Camera Deals in [City]”
“Tool Deals Under $100”
“Used Gym Equipment Deals”
Scrape daily
Use Sheets rules to score deals:
posted today
brand keywords
price cap
Publish as:
a daily email
a Telegram/Discord
a simple blog feed
Monetization options
affiliate links (where applicable)
sponsorship (“featured deal slot”)
paid membership ($9–$29/mo)
Model E — Niche Job Board (Scrape Jobs → Sell Listings)
What you do
Scrape Craigslist jobs in one niche → repost to your job board → sell employer postings.
Best niches
trades (HVAC, plumbing, electrical)
medical assistants
dental hygienists
warehouse & logistics
remote customer support
Step-by-step
Pick niche + region
Scrape job posts daily:
title, company, pay, location, link, date
Post to your job board (or even a simple site)
Drive traffic:
SEO + social groups + partnerships
Sell:
premium job postings
featured placements
Pricing example
$49 standard listing
$99 featured for 7 days
$299/mo subscription for recurring employers
Model F — “Small Service That Increases Value” (Automation + Fulfillment)
What you do
Find people selling something with a fixable problem → offer a simple paid service → automate fulfillment.
Modern examples (safe + legit)
“Listing optimization” (photos + description rewrite)
“Device cleanup & reset” service
“Certificate / documentation help” for certain items (where legal/appropriate)
“Pickup & dropoff coordination” for bulky items (white glove)
Step-by-step
Choose one pain point:
bad photos
weak listings
buyers don’t trust condition
Scrape sellers with keywords:
“locked”, “needs”, “won’t”, “as-is”
Offer quick fix with simple checkout:
$29–$99 service
Fulfillment:
you do it
or outsource to freelancer/VA
Monetization
per job fee
bundles (“5 listings optimized for $149”)
Fastest to Cash (Ranked)
If your goal is money ASAP:
Model B (Lead Broker) — quickest + no inventory
Model C (Wanted Matching) — buyer-first is easy
Model A (Simple Flips) — fastest solo cash but requires pickups
Model D — slower but scalable
Model F — more moving parts
Model E — slowest ramp, most long-term
