Before classified ads, people advertised unwanted items using a well-nailed telephone pole sign or a well-written forehead tattoos. Avoid indelible dealings with today's Groupon: for $10, you get a three-month classified ad from The Big Ads (a $45 value).

The Big Ads' classifieds pair wayward wares with their new owners thanks to distribution in nearly 3,600 stores throughout New England as well as online. Each biweekly issue showcases a plentiful potpourri of ready-to-sell stuff, heralding whatchamacallits ranging from a 2006 Subaru Outback and a 4.5-foot ball python to a solid oak entertainment center and a pair of burial plots. Call attention to individual articles with a single item ad, luring in potential buyers with a description of up to 50 words alongside an optional photo. Each ad runs for up to three months, giving buyers the time necessary to match merchandise with new homes or lure dubious couches out of their living room pillow forts.