Chat
I usually hang out in the Trading and Auctions chat board. You can lose out on serious money by just chatting, and chatting and chatting . . . not making any money. Once in a while you will find a good deal, and you make friends there, which is fun. I post stuff every now and then to see if anyone wants what I have, or is selling something cheap, or for advice about a deal. In general though, I don't "hang out" in chat much.
A chat window looks like this, if you haven't been there.
One tip about the Trading and Auctions board, they usually trade paint brushes and plushies. If you want to trade battle equipment, I suggest you try out the battledome chat as well.
I know it's fun, and easy just to talk to people, and that's fine. You're supposed to have fun. It's just that it won't make you rich. I think after you become pretty rich, you tend to chat more, and get lazy. You don't want to face rejection at the trading post, or losing auctions, so you get lazy and chat. Hope it doesn't happen to you.
If you do hang out there a lot, here's some tips.
Being the first in the shop of a Buyable Unbuyable