How to Set Up Automatic E-mail Notifications for a Craigslist Search Using IFTTT

A while back, we wrote about the wonders of IFTTT, which automatically updates us when a new posting for something cool shows up on Craigslist.  Shortly after, Andrew from Green Machine Farm took it one step further, showing how to make more sophisticated Craigslist searches that filter out unwanted results and capture related searches in a single IFTTT recipe.  Today, we wanted to run through the steps of how we actually set up an automated notification for a Craigslist search.  Just in time to pick up some last-minute Christmas bargains!

Start out by going to www.ifttt.com, and clicking on either sign in (if you've been here before) or sign up.

If you clicked 'Sign In,' it should take you here (assuming you remembered your login).  If you clicked 'Sign Up,' you'll have to click through a few pages to get to this page.  Once you're here, click 'Channels.'

Then scroll down until you see the Craigslist logo.  Click on the peace sign.

Then scroll down until you get to the Triggers option, and click it.

The one we like the best is on the far left, which tells IFTTT to send us an e-mail when a Craigslist search results page is updated.  Click that button.

That should take you to this page, where it gives a spot to enter the url of a Craigslist search.

Now open a new tab in your browser and navigate to your local Craigslist.  Enter in a search term or click on one of the subcategories.  Today, we're going to look only for free stuff.

Search for something you'd like to find.  Katie says, "why would you eat pancakes you found for free on Craigslist?!"

Good point, Katie.  Let's use some of Andrew's tricks to search for free windows instead so we can make a greenhouse!  Then, copy the url from the browser address bar...

...and paste it into the IFTTT form, then click 'Add.'

Success!  Now click 'Done.'

That takes you to a page where you can give the recipe a title.  That's helpful if you set up more than one search, because they all default to the same title.

That's better!

Then, scroll down and click 'Update.'   You're done!  You'll get an e-mail from IFTTT whenever the results page for your search is updated.  Normally, we get the e-mail about an hour after something has been posted.  To see stats on your recipe, scroll back up to the top and click on 'My Recipes.'  Happy Craigslisting!

Do you have another tool for getting automatic notifications when a good deal pops up on Craigslist?  Let us know in the comments section below!