The following is a guest post from Claire at Choyster Cash.
Although I use libraries and garage sales for most books I need, when I am looking for something in particular and need to “own” or “gift” a copy of that specific book, I turn to Half.com, where I can find any book I am looking for. Tonight, after ordering a number of books for my grandmother, my mother stood over me shocked. “How do you pay *so little* for books?” she asked.
Once again, I thought this was one of those things everyone did.
Here is how I “work the system” to get the cheapest books possible online:
1. I log in to Cashbaq or Ebates so that anything I do buy I will be receiving a percentage back on for what I pay. If you do not have account at either of these places, sign up *now* for a $5 bonus directly deposited to your account!
2. I then do a search on Half.com for the most important book I am looking for on my list. This would be the one that you have to buy in this transaction.
3. Of the options available, I find the cheapest ones (usually $0.01-$0.99 for me).
4. Of those cheap options, I find the seller with the highest number of books sold (the number is right next to the name).
5. Then, in another screen I open up the seller’s store to see if they have the other books I am looking for.
Essentially – it’s important to buy all the books from the same seller so as to reduce the shipping cost of the $0.01-$0.99 books you are ordering.
I have been doing this for years, and I swear that I usually find 90% of the books I am looking for at a price of far less than one dollar ($0.01 is actually common!).
Although you simply *must* be using your local library for most all of your book needs – this is the way to buy the ones you do need at a price far cheaper than anywhere else with an endless selection!
Are you a Choyster? Do you have too many choices? Is the whole world your oyster? Choyster Cash is a blog devoted to helping you wade through the many financial choices in this world. I recommend checking it out!
Claire at Choyster Cash
Thanks for posting and have a fantastic day!
Cher
Hummm…I sell on Half.com and the lowest it will let me price an item is $.75 cents.
Cher´s last blog post..Money Made in Month of December 2008
Anonymous
After reading this post I decided to check out the “Choyster Cash” blog and have to say I’m a bit shocked. The latest “giveaway” is a potential $5 if you sign up for Revolution Money Exchange (where you get another $10). What Claire fails to mention is that she gets a referral fee for each person she signs up (she encourages readers to sign up using a button within her post). It’s sad to see someone attempting to take advantage of dedicated readers in order to make money for yourself.
Deal Seeking Mom
Thanks for pointing that out. While I do check out all sites that submit guest posts, just because I’ve posted them should not be taken as an official endorsement as is stated in my User Agreement which can be found on my About page. (crazy that I would even need one of those!)
That post was not up when this guest post was posted, but I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. Let this serve as a notice to all of my readers that Revolution Money Exchange affiliates are paid $10 for each referral that signs up for an account.
Claire at Choyster Cash
HI Anonymous and Deal Seeking Mom,
I’m very sorry (and quite embarrassed) that it appeared I was taking advantage of readers as that was not my intent. New users of Revolution Money Exchange and their referrers get $10 upon signing up for Revolution Money Exchange (it says this when you sign up). So if someone were signing up and they were a new subscriber they and I would each get $10 – at least this is my understanding of the deal last week.
Already existing Revolution Money readers would not be referring on any fee nor earning any fee.
However, this can definitely be misleading and I deeply apologize.
I immediately changed the text following your comment to make it clear to everyone that that any new reader would indeed be sending a referral fee to me, and if they should not want to they should definitely not do so.
Any profits made off the misleading Giveaway post were donated to my two non-profit organizations Hope Runs and IBECOME that I started and run in East Africa (we work in AIDS orphanages).
Claire at Choyster Cash
Claire at Choyster Cash´s last blog post..Free KIWI Magazine and $5 in Earth´s Best Coupons
Claire at Choyster Cash
More follow up for readers:
Of the 20 people who entered the contest only one was not already a member of Revolution Money Exchange – so I sent that $10 on to charity.