How much should I bid on a $45 item with no reserve please?

There are no rules, but here are a few options. Good that there is no reserve as the winning bidder when it closes is the winner.

Bid $45 now so the seller can't edit any details or increase the price.

If you feel the item is worth more to you, say $150, then you could place a $100 bid in the hope to scare other bidders away.

You could place an autobid up to your absolute maximum which will place the $45 starting bid now then top it up to keep you leading until your max is reached.

You could not bid at all now, wait till closer to the finish by setting a reminder or alarm and then save your bidding till closer the end as long as you know you will be online. This of course risks someone else coming along, asking for a Buy Now and snapping it up.

Kia Ora Nathan,

You would start the Bid by placing a Bid on the $45. - if you want you can place an Auto-bid first at the sum you are prepared to pay for the item, just remember to toggle the switch to auto-bid on the Pop up screen once you've selected the place a bid Tab - Auto-bids start at the current price and increase one bid placement above any other bids being made until your maximum auto-bid is reached, if no one else bids it will remain at your first bid amount i.e. the $45. - You can place further bids above your auto-bid if the auction price goes above your maximum auto-bid placed. 

I'll refer you to the Help file which explains the bidding process below... All the Best!

Reference: Place a bid – Help - Trade Me

Kia Ora Nathan,

My Comment for you has gone into Pending Status awaiting a TradeMe staff member to clear - Meantime this is how it reads and if you type the beginning of the blue Highlighted words into the Help search bar at the top of Community pages you will find the Help page you want to read Otherwise you will be able to Link through once this is cleared. - Cheers.

Thank you for your reply. If there's 'no reserve' does that mean the last bid on this item will win when the auction ends? 

Yes! Nathan,

That's correct, the last bid on a No Reserve auction is the winning bid. - All the Best!😊

Nga mihi - thank you so much, have a great day! 

Your welcome Nathan,

Happy to help & you have a great day too - Cheers.😊

Nathan - another way to go is ask the seller if they want to add a buy now. They may not want to, but if they do they amount might be a lot less than you were happy to pay. Of course if its too much, then you'll need to bid to ensure someone else doesnt hit the buy now. Also, you run a risk that someone else might get to the buy now before you do