Cold Hard Cash

• If you're selling or buying something on Craigslist, cash is the ideal payment method to use. From a seller's point of view, cash is the simplest since you don't have to cash a check or wait for funds to transfer to your bank account through a Pay Pal account. From a buyer's point of view, you don't have to worry about a check bouncing. However, a buyer should never send cash in the mail. If this occurs, the seller may take your cash and never send you the product you have purchased. Or, the cash can get lost in the mail.
  
  

Personal Check

• Using a personal check may be a better idea for the buyer than the seller. If you're selling an item on Craigslist and receive a personal check, you may not know if it's going to clear or not. One way around this is to tell the buyer you must cash the check first before releasing the item for sale. If you're a buyer, a check is ideal for items that are rather expensive. For example, if you're buying a vehicle, you may not have enough cash in hand for the purchase. If you purchase something with a check, make sure you have enough funds to cover it, or ask the seller to wait for a few days until you do.
  
  

Other Options

• Depending on the people involved, trading can act as a form of payment on Craigslist. For example, if you are looking to sell a video game console to purchase another type of console, see if an interested buyer already has the console you seek. If so, offer a fair trade -- your console for hers. If trading isn't your thing, you can always use a credit card or PayPal account to make a purchase. Just be careful whom you give your credit card information to. Using a credit card or PayPal account is only advised if a check or cash cannot cover the bill. Never wire money into someone's account until you have received your item.
  
  

Be Cautious

• If possible, arrange a neutral meeting ground with the seller to examine the item and make the money transfer. If the seller refuses to meet with you -- or refuses to show you the item ahead of time -- take this as a red flag and reconsider the purchase. If the seller will only meet with you at his house, bring a friend with you for protection. If a great distance separates you and the seller, the item -- and payment -- will have to be shipped. If the item is being shipped, ask the seller for a tracking number so that you can confirm it has been sent.