Some buying/selling curriculum questions....

[shanvan]

At what point do you give up looking when you want to try to save money and buy something used?

 

I have been trying to get Elemental Science Biology for logic stage. I know it's somewhat new to the market, so hard to find used. I lost out on 2 listed for sale. I'm thinking it's time to give up.

 

At what point do you give up on selling? For example, I've got some BJU sets that include unused workbooks, and I think I have them priced pretty low. They are extras like music and Bible. No one seems to want them. Maybe it's time to give up. I might try homeschoolclassifieds.

[Soror]

I don't like to push it to less than 2-4 weeks out from when I'm going to use it, depending on shipping time and such.

[ereks mom]

I start browsing curriculum for the next school year sometime in January/February, and usually start buying used items in March/April. I search on the WTM board as well as VegSource and Homeschool Classifieds. I also check Paperback Swap, eBay, Half.com, Amazon Marketplace, Alibris, Better World Books, etc. online and I shop nearby thrift stores and used book sales. I look for used items until about 3-4 weeks before we start school, and if I haven't found them by then, I give up and order new--or (more often) just substitute something else instead. If it's something I really, really need and can't substitute, I usually buy it from Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Rainbow Resource.

 

As for selling, I usually take my used items to area used curriculum sales. I price items anywhere from 25%-75% off the new price, depending on condition and whether the item is in demand. Whatever doesn't sell, I list on WTM, VegSource, and Homeschool Classifieds, with the price adjusted to accomodate postage & insurance. Any items that still don't sell get passed along to the thrift store or given away for free to someone local.

Edited July 25, 2012 by ereks mom

[shanvan]

I start browsing curriculum for the next school year sometime in January/Februaru, and usually start buying used items in March/April. I search on the WTM board as well as VegSource and Homeschool Classifieds. I also check Paperback Swap, eBay, Half.com, Amazon Marketplace, Alibris, Better World Books, etc. online and I shop nearby thrift stores and used book sales. I look for used items until about 3-4 weeks before we start school, and if I haven't found them by then, I give up and order new--or (more often) just substitute something else instead. If it's something I really, really need and can't substitute, I usually buy it from Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Rainbow Resource.

 

As for selling, I usually take my used items to area used curriculum sales. I price items anywhere from 25%-75% off the new price, depending on condition and whether the item is in demand. Whatever doesn't sell, I list on WTM, VegSource, and Homeschool Classifieds, with the price adjusted to accomodate postage & insurance. Any items that still don't sell get passed along to the thrift store or given away for free to someone local.

 

What you describe has been my approach, too. Unfortunately the local homeschool group cancelled their yearly curriculum sale. That's where I always sold all my older editions and thin teacher supply store books--anything that I wouldn't normally be able to sell online-- very cheaply. Added up the sales made for a nice chunk of change.

 

Thanks for posting. You have confirmed for me that it is time to say uncle and just get it done!