Getting Paid for Reading?

In my last post, I mentioned I'm a voracious reader. What do I do when I've finished a book? I SELL IT, of course! There are a couple of easy ways to sell books:



HALF PRICE BOOKS

This is what I consider my lazy way out. Half Price Books buys hardcovers, paperbacks, current issue magazines, CDs, DVDs... So it's a good way to de-clutter but perhaps not a good way to earn top dollar. I think they pay 10 cents for magazines, 25 cents for paperbacks and a few bucks for best seller hardcovers. For me, I can get about $10 a month with what I read.



SELLING BOOKS ON EBAY

If I can, this is how I want to do it. Yes, you need a PayPal account but opening one is no cost. Yes, you need an eBay account but again it's no cost. To sell books on eBay:

1. Choose "Sell" and enter your category as "book"


2. eBay will prompt you to enter the ISBN number (it's on the barcode of every book or DVD)


3. eBay populates all the info -- title, cover photo, number of pages, plot synopsis...


4. You enter in the price you want to sell and what you'll charge for shipping

Voila. It pays to check out the title on eBay beforehand so you have an inkling if the book will sell and for how much to help you determine if the 25 cents at HPB is a better deal. Yes, eBay will charge you fees but it's usually less than $1. Yes, PayPal will charge you fees but again it's usually less than $1. Yes, it's a pain to go to the post office to mail things. But at the end of the day you'll have a few bucks in your pocket to spend on new books and other fun things!

Got a tip for the Recessionista? Want to promote your deals here? Send an email to the Valley Ranch Recessionista at TheValleyRanchRecessionista@gmail.com