For those who homeschool, this usually means living on one income with a little extra possibly coming in from a side job....occasionally.  Ebay is a great resource for buying and selling books inexpensively and sharing information, as well as a tool for educating our children on the fine art of auctions, money management, writing skills, honesty, etc. 

   They key to buying and selling books is ACCURATE DESCRIPTION!  If you are selling, make sure you mention things like: the publisher of the book; whether or not it is a student or teacher's manual ( DO NOT try to sell a "teacher's edition" - it goes against ebay rules); the condition of the book ( does it have "dog-eared" corners, creases on pages or cover, is the cover missing, is the binding tight, are there stray marks or even purposeful marks, are there answers in the back of the book, does it include a separate answer key???). Remember, you want the book to sell and we all love a deal, so price your used books accordingly. I have found that the bidding usually rises naturally to a fair price that reflects the market value of my books, so I don't need to make the starting bid high at all! If you selling, make  sure you know all the things listed above and ask questions about the book. I recently purchased a book online that was not the text, but the

  If you love what you are selling, say that!  Let people know what you have enjoyed about the format of a book or the content of a book. Make sure you check for buyer questions frequently and convey your enjoyment of your books by answering questions completely and cheerfully.  The written word can be tricky as there is no "tone of voice"  or intonation to be heard in the voice, so your must choose your wording carefully so as not to inadvertently lose a sale because you seem  hard to communicate with.

   Finally, let your kids be involved in the process. It costs no more for them to list their "treasures" on ebay than to go out and buy posterboard and put up signs for a garage/yard sale - and ebay is easier! Have your kids think about what they want to sell and then sit next to them on the computer and have them type in the information, descriptions, prices, etc. under your strict supervision ( as you are responsible for the listing) and encouragement. They are learning about investments ( make them pay you the insertion fee whether they sell the item or not), the importance of accurate description ( creative writing anyone??), the "market" determining the value of an item ( economics the easy way!), waiting patiently while the auction runs its course,  and a term coined by one of my favorite authors, Richard Newbury, "TANSTAAFL" = "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!"......interpretation??? If it is truly junk, no one will buy it...but if it has worth, it will usually sell. (We found this out when our boys listed "broken" gaming devices with the games and the controls. What was junk to us was a gold mine for someone else as they Bought It Now in the first hour of the auction!)

   As you travel to the post office to mail your sold items, open the door to USPS to receive bought items, or sit and tally money saved or made on ebay with your children as part of an economics lesson, you are participating in the "spirit" of auctions and free enterprise that are definitely part of our American Culture.  So, enjoy your homeschooling via EBAY and let the bidding begin!