Sure there’s wacky stuff on the Web, but there are also great deals to help you stretch your shopping dollar.

What do Willie Nelson’s new CD, posters for your classroom, and a Toyota Camry have in common? They’re all for sale on eBay. And eBay isn’t the only online general store out there these days, either. Here are some of the top Internet marketplaces:

eBay.com—Make a bid and buy items in online auctions. Can’t wait to see if you’ll snag that vintage Jetsons lunchbox for your little one? Choose the “Buy It Now” feature and scoop it up for a fixed price before the first bid comes in.

Amazon.com—It’s not just for books anymore. This site features auctions and fixed-price sellers offering a wide variety of wares. A new feature now lets you buy new, gently used (even signed) books from a private seller on the site for less than Amazon’s own retail price.

Half.com—Buy and sell books, movies, music, video games, and more for fixed prices. Sick of watching Steel Magnolias? Don’t just toss it. Unload it on someone else and make some money.

Craigslist.org—A hip version of your newspaper’s classifieds section. In addition to local personals, job listings, and discussion forums, there are also sales listings for everything from auto parts to houses. You can even barter with others or scoop up free items that folks are trying to get rid of in your city. A recent posting on the Omaha, Nebraska, Craigslist page offered a free praying mantis hatchling, calling it “great for science projects or school.” Can’t find a much cheaper classroom pet than that.

How to Haggle

It’s simple enough to buy something you find offered for a fixed price online, but navigating auctions can be trickier. Below are some tips for buying at the best price:

First, engage in some due diligence. Check out the seller’s reputation. Has he sold many items? Is the recent feedback from other buyers who did business with him mainly positive? Look up closed auctions to get a sense of price ranges for past sales. Look at prices on several sites, in case you stumble upon a clueless seller offering the item for a song.

 Read the item description carefully, and make sure it’s what you expect. Is it made of wood when you wanted metal? Is it new or used? Take note of the shipping and handling charges, and make sure you can deal with the payment options offered. Some sellers won’t take personal checks, for example, while many will take PayPal payments, which are handled on  another Web site to which you’ll be directed. At sites such as Amazon.com and Half.com, you’ll likely pay via credit card, with the Web site serving as middleman, sending a payment to the seller.

Hold off as long as you can before bidding to avoid driving up the price. At eBay, you can “watch” all the items you want, and track the auction deadline by adding them to a list maintained on your “My eBay” page. You can also set up searches on eBay to alert you by e-mail whenever a new item is listed that meets your search terms.

Get a Move On

There’s no getting around the fact that moving from one home to another is a big pain. But it doesn’t have to cost as much as you think or be as much of a burden as you fear. Here are some tips:

Traditionally, people think of two options: save money by renting a truck and doing all the heavy lifting, or pay professionals and part with more hard-earned dollars. There’s another option, though. Do your own packing, rent your own truck, and hire movers only to load and unload it. For example, U-Haul’s Web site links to a directory of movers in your area, with customer reviews and contact info.

Get written estimates from professional movers . Consider letting them pack your fragile or expensive items, so they’ll be responsible for any damage. (Don’t forget to buy insurance.) Number all boxes and keep good records of what’s in each, lest one or more get lost. You can save money by not moving in the summer, moving mid-month, and moving Monday through Thursday.

Don’t make boxes too heavy . Use smaller boxes for books. You can get free, sturdy boxes from liquor stores, grocery stores—which typically stock shelves late in the evening—and other retailers.

Keep valuables such as irreplaceable photos, documents, medications, and computer equipment with you, and move them yourself . You don’t want the only photo of Aunt Gertrude tangoing at your wedding to end up in a box that falls off the truck. Also keep the moving company contract with you in case you need to refer to the terms during the move.

Try to do as much as possible at your new home , such as cleaning, painting, and refinishing floors, before you move in.

Learn more and get estimates at http://www.moving.com/,http://www.homefair.com/, and http://www.homestore.com/ . Get tips for avoiding scams at http://www.movingscam.com/.