My friend Deanna inspired this post. I joked recently about buying her some Used angel wings. Seriously, this woman finds everything on UsedVictoria.com. If you need something, just ask Dee, she will find it for you on a Used site. Anything you want. Just ask. It’s kind of a running joke with our friends, but it’s also really useful!

So I checked in with Dee to see what her tips are and I’ve added some of my own. I am guessing everyone uses Used in a different way, so please share your tips with other bargain hunters and environmentally responsible shoppers:

• Bookmark it baby – Dee has UsedVic bookmarked and centre on her favourites tool bar. I thought this was strange, but it turns out about 90% of my friends have the same thing
• Search – it’s an obvious one but remember to search in different ways. One person’s patio set might be one person’s garden furniture set. If you want something specific, be specific. Search for Nissan, but if you know the model you want, search Nissan Altima. Use the advanced search option to narrow down to area, price and types of sellers
• Alerts – You have to have an account to sign up for alerts, but this really is the smart way to use Used. This way you can save yourself the trouble of the refresh button and let those ads come to you. Alerts go by category and can either be sent to you via text or by phone
• Account – Sign up for an account and have access to more special features, such as the alert service explained above. If you are a frequent seller, an account makes everything so much easier, no need to add contact info each time you sell, it’s all set up for you already
• Barter – Dee always barters. Always. I however do not and I should. The worst people can say is ‘no’ and then it’s up to you how much you want the item in order to pay the asking price
• FREE – The Sunday just gone, Dee alerted me to a free ladies’ bike and a free car bed (any mom of a two-year-old boy can likely tell you how coveted these twin beds are!). There she was at home riding that free button and I know she wasn’t the only one, because despite emailing both sellers minutes after their ad went up, I was next in line for both! For tips on finding only free items on Used, check out this interview with Karen Bragg,  a local Victoria woman who renovated her whole property for free! Karen talks about etiquette, which can go a long way with being a successful Used user as well as offering other insights into being a pro searcher on Used
• Wanted – A wanted ad may just catch the eye of the person about to upload an ad for exactly what you are looking for
• Help – Hit the help button if you want to know how Used can work for you. There are lots of tips and FAQs covered on this page
• Social Media – When it comes to interesting and unusual finds, curiosities and collectibles, you can bet your dollar, that our Used team has scoured their home site and will post their finds on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If you are a serious collector, this is a great way to have an extra alert