Buying a basic, no-frills office chair and desk at OfficeMax will run you at least $170, a phone/fax machine will cost another $60, and brand-new cubicle units may be tagged at anything from $500 to $3000 apiece, depending on configuration, wall height, and filing options. Spend a few minutes on Craigslist, however, and you'll find plenty of office furniture that sellers need to get rid of for cheap--or even free.

The trade-off is your time. Though you could find a chair, a desk, a fax machine, and even some cubicles in Craigslist's 'Free Stuff' section, you have to be fast to pick up, because in many instances the stuff is simply left out on the street for the vultures (that's you) to pick over. We'll help you streamline your search process and seal the deal, but be aware that bargain hunting on Craigslist can be a time-consuming process--and you might be better off investing that time elsewhere in your business. When budgeting for your Craigslist searches, figure time into the calculation: If you end up spending an extra 3 hours to save $20, you might have been better off buying the furniture at full price in the first place. In short: The goal is to get on Craigslist, get the deal, and get on with your workday.

Let's start with searching. Unless you have all the time in the world, you shouldn't begin by aimlessly browsing the 'For Sale' sections; instead, zero in on the relevant categories ('Furniture', 'Business', and 'Free Stuff' are sensible choices) and then start searching. Try entering a general query ("office furniture") in 'Free Stuff' just to see what's available at the lowest price of all.