Two Hour Tuesday: Earn Money From Your Books, CDs and DVDs

At one point I had a closet full of boxes. Each time I moved these boxes were the bane of whatever friends I had bribed into helping me, as each weighed just a few pounds shy of an elephant. You got it—they were full of books! Most of us treasure books and are adverse to just tossing them out, even if we know we are never going to read them again. CDs are the same way. W may never listen to them anymore, having long ago loaded our favorite songs onto the computer and mp3 player, but yet we still keep them neatly stacked in a corner, gathering dust.

It doesn’t have to be this way! Spend a couple of hours sorting through your books, DVDs and CDs then sell them for cold, hard cash. Keep the the ones you really enjoy or regularly use, then sell the rest. It frees up space in your home, which is another benefit. Here are some ideas of where to sell them:

Half.com

Half.com is Ebay’s alter ego for all things book. But unlike Ebay, Half.com is not an auction site. You set the price and wait for a buyer. Textbooks and popular titles do best here. Ebay is another option, especially if you are selling boxed sets of DVDs or collector’s books. They aren’t really worth it if you are selling single, readily available DVDs.

Hastings

Hastings is a nationwide movie rental chain that also sells books, CDs and other sundry items. I unloaded a bunch of CDs and books here when I was first married and we were getting rid of the double titles we brought to the marriage. Hastings buys CDs, DVDs and hardcover books. Their cash payout isn’t that great, but you have the option of store credit which pays out a lot more. Since they have a range of products and many locations also have onsite coffee shops, store credit can be a very attractive option. It is also an easy option. Bring the stuff in, browse around while they determine what they will buy, then collect your cash or credit. No headaches, no hassle.

Independent Bookstores

Nearly all cities and many smaller communities have an independent bookstore nearby. Many of these bookstores also sell used books and they are always looking to increase their stock. Rules vary by store, with some wanting only hardbacks and others wanting popular fiction. Call the store before you lug your books down to find out their preferences. Most offer a choice of cash or store credit, and they give you a bit more if you choose store credit.

Music Shops

While there aren’t as many used music shops as there once were, these still exist. In my experience they are often located near university shopping districts. They buys CDs and in many cases record albums as well. Selling to these can be especially lucrative if you have a collection of alternative and independent artists to sell.

Pawn Shops

Believe it or not, pawn shops often offer the best price on large collections of DVDs and sometime CDs. Most pawn shops are independently owned, so call around to find out what they offer. There are some that offer a measly $1 a movie, and others that offer $5 a movie. I’ve found the nicer looking ones in better areas of town offer more, perhaps because they attract more shoppers that browse and pick up small items like DVDs to purchase.

BookByte

Have some old college textbooks gathering dust? Try selling them to Bookbyte.com. This is one of the most painless textbook sites out there. You go to the site, type in the ISBN off the back of the book, and they tell you right then what they’ll pay for it. If you accept the offer they pay for you to ship the book to them and pay you. We used them a lot when Andrew was still in college.

There are a few other places both online and offline that buy these items, these are just the ones I have had luck with. You may not make a million bucks, but for just a couple of hours time you get some cash in your pocket and a more organized home. Can’t beat that!

Do you recommend any place that buys used books and DVDs? Leave a comment!