Best way to accept money for a laptop?

[postdiction]

Hi, I did not know where to ask this question so I figured here would be the best place.

So the situation is that one of my friends needs to sell his MacBook Pro.

He wants to try to sell it on Craigslist.
This machine is worth $1000-1200. So accepting that much cash can be a dangerous, and problematic if counterfit money is involved.

So my question what are alternative safe ways to change money
Here is what I came up with

check - but you would need for the check to clear which can take a few days
USPS money order - safe and reliable

How else do people accept money for laptops?
He would like to stay away from internet based methods (paypal) as they will no doubt take a decent cut of the money.

Thanks

[Hugh Chardon]

He wants to try to sell it on Craigslist.
Well, good luck. But, as he suspects, the cream of society does NOT buy used computers on a bulletin board (which is Craigslist...) So be aware he will be dealing with people who, for lack of a better term, will need instruction (LOTS !)

This machine is worth $1000-1200.
This brings me to a pet peeve, Should your "friend" decide to sell this, and to maximize his gain (Nash's collorary) He should make sure it is PERFECT. That means NO FLAWS. as in-"it was just un-shrink wrapped yesterday", or that it has that apperance. Then, and only then, will it be worth upwards of a grand.
Because if your "friend" is a college student, I'll warrant it looks like a napkin at a Polish wedding. In other words, VERY USED. So This machine is worth $1000-1200. constitutes fraud. It's worth whatever the buyer will pay for it, usually 1/2 of your needs, as of the moment of transaction (Chardon's collorary), So to answer, go to a bank, have "the buyer" receive money from the bank, and then give it to your "friend".
Solved
BTW eBay says "I'm the market's fair price, based on users, and transactions" Take the model, average the selling price, and ask for 10 % more for face to face delivery. Go to the bank, get the cash from the bank, and viola !

[aaa]

Cash is usually the craigslist way to go...

[underclocker]

I suppose your stuck with cash or gold.

It's slightly embarrassing and potentially insulting, but just hold each bill up to the light to see if the special thread is inside. If it looks good to you, it probably is real.

Here is more info on currency security features --> http://www.secretservice.gov/KnowYourMoneyApril08.pdf

I'm not sure how to tell if a one ounce bar of gold is real, but with gold over $900 per ounce, that's all you'd be getting. Plus a cup of coffee, depending upon where you meet the buyer.

[rkawakami]

Haven't had any personal dealings with craigslist so I can't help you there (did buy a Sun workstation but that was using the company's petty cash account). Here's a PayPal calculator:

http://www.rolbe.com/paypal.htm

Note that the default fee rate is 2.9% if you have a business account. Personal PayPal accounts levy a 4.9% fee if the payment is made via a credit card. However, personal accounts also have a $500 monthly limit on accepting payments so I don't think you could use that for an anticipated $1000 sale.

As far as holding up the bills to the light, there's also some special pens that you can use to test the currency.

Oh, and bring a friend or two to the transaction and hold it in a very public place...

edit: About those pens... they are not fool-proof as some can indicate a false positive

[ajkula66]

Never, ever accept PayPal for an item that you sell in person, otherwise you have an excellent chance of losing both the money and the item.

PayPal requires tracked and signed for shipping on a transaction worth more than $250...no such thing when you sell the machine face to face...

BTW, a lot of counterfeit USPS MOs have been going around and I wouldn't accept one during a face-to-face transaction...

[skitty4gzus]

meet at the buyers bank and be there for the withdrawal. go with a couple friends that look like they are ready to break something off on said buyer if tries something funny. And, if you have friends that are strapped that wouldn't hurt to bring them along as well.

[tomh009]

meet at the buyers bank and be there for the withdrawal. go with a couple friends that look like they are ready to break something off on said buyer if tries something funny. And, if you have friends that are strapped that wouldn't hurt to bring them along as well.

That's a lot of effort just to avoid paying 3% to PayPal ...

[yak]

Because if your "friend" is a college student, I'll warrant it looks like a napkin at a Polish wedding. In other words, VERY USED.

Hehe, I had to laugh . I come from Poland (only moved to Germany about 4 years ago) but the napkins at the weddings I've been to were all new. Maybe I was lucky?

[Hugh Chardon]

Hehe, I had to laugh . I come from Poland (only moved to Germany about 4 years ago) but the napkins at the weddings I've been to were all new. Maybe I was lucky?

Just so you know, I'm from the midwest originally, lots and lots of Polish and Russian and so forth friends and relatives (my bro is married to a Vavroski...) so I'm speaking more like at the END of the wedding... when the VFW hall looks like two bars the morning after...