Want bargains? Go to the crappiest auction house you can find

If the recession has you jobless, overextended, or just plain broke, selling old stuff on eBay can be a fantastic way to raise quick cash.

If you're willing to take it a step further, developing expertise in a specialized area -- e.g. books, old video games, dolls, etc. -- can develop into a fantastic supplementary source of income that doesn't depend on the viability of your employer. All you have to do is figure out what sells on eBay, and buy it for less money at flea markets, thrift shops, yard sales, and auctions.

But in order to make money, you have to buy stuff cheap. With yard sale and flea market season coming to an end in many regions, that pretty much leaves auctions as the primary source of merchandise. But which auction? Here's my advice: the crappiest, least organized one you can find.