Category: Savings - PFwise.com

Where to Find the Best Air Travel Deals?

2/8/2020

The 3 websites below could help you find great values on airfares and hotels -

Scott's Cheap Flights
It will send out international deals to subscribers for free

Airfare Watch Dog
It will send out daily emails with a long list of fares from airports you choose. The emails will flag sales, including from Southwest which is normally absent from daily newsletters.

Secret Flying
It provides instant alerts on flight deals that depart from cities across the U.S. to subscribers who download its app.

How Does Your Family's Spending Compare With National Average?

9/24/2018

Q. How do my family's spending compare with other families' spending?

A. If you want to cut down your household expense, one way to start is by comparing your family's spending on different categories with that of national average figures.

The Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks consumer household spending across a wide range of categories, providing insight into what, exactly is (and is not) material to the household budget.

A Guide to Cut Travel Costs

8/17/2018

Airfares

a. Know the differences between aggregators and third-party sites

Aggregators such as Kayak, they scan airlines and other sites and point you to other sites to buy.
Third-party booking sites, such as Expedia, might not offer the full picture because some airlines might not sell through third party sites.

b. Many sites belong to the same owner

Expedia owns Travelocity, Orbitz, and Hotwire
Booking Holdings owns Priceline, Kayak, Momondo, and Booking.com

c. Check out less well knowns

Hipmunk, Google Flights, CheapOair, Airfarewatchdog, and Skyscanner
Stand-alone airfare apps, such as Hopper, Kiwi, and Hitlist

Lodging

a. Online private rentals

HomeAway, VRBO, VacationRentals, Airbnb, TripAdvisor, FlipKey, Booking.com

b. Niche sites

Onefinestay (luxury rentals), Wimdu (rentals in Europe), Homestay (lodge for a family), Misterb&b (gay travelers)

c. Hotel reviews

Hotels.com and TripAdvisors are good places to read reviews

d. Last minute deals

HotelTonight, One:Night

e. Book directly from hotels

Many undercut third-party booking sites and offer web-only discounts

Cruise

a. CruiseCompete: it compares offers from multiple travel agents

b. Websites specialize in cruising

They may offer incentives and discounts, some top sites are: Cruise.com, CruisesOnly, SeaHub, iCruise.com, VacationsToGo.com, CruiseDirect

c. Seasons with best deals

Wave season (Jan - Mar), Hurricane season for Caribbeans, Spring and Fall for Alaska, One-way repositioning cruises

Package Tours

Check out The United States Tour Operators Association: it is a good online resource

Donation Sites for Appliances, Cellphones, Books, and Shoes

5/13/2018

Where to donate -

Appliances, building materials, furniture, etc -

https://www.habitat.org/

CellPhones -

https://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

Books -

http://operationpaperback.org/

Shoes -

https://soles4souls.org/

Save On Travel Related Costs

5/12/2018

If you want to save on travel related expenses, you need to try new and less known booking sites, here are a few of them:

Flight deals -

Hotel deals -

Restaurant and Retail Freebies at Your Birthday

4/25/2018

Restaurant Freebies by just showing your ID

Denny’s: Score a free Grand Slam breakfast just for showing your ID in what’s become one of the most popular birthday giveaways.

Capital Grille: Show up on your birthday for a complimentary chocolate espresso cake to top off your meal.

The Cheesecake Factory: Let your server know it’s your birthday and receive a bowl of ice cream accompanied by the birthday song!

Cracker Barrel: Tell the server it’s your birthday, and he or she will usually bring you a free dessert.

Iguana Mia: Get a free entrée (up to $18 value), free fried ice cream and a free picture of yourself in a sombrero on their website. Must show ID.

Western Siz zlin: Eat for free on your birthday. Must show ID.

Benihana: With this restaurant, you do have to sign up to become a member of the Chef’s Table. But you get a $30 gift certificate you can use during the whole month of your birthday.

Non-restaurant freebies
When it comes to freebies that have nothing to do with food, most retailers require you to sign up for their rewards card or e-newsletter to get a birthday bonus.

American Eagle Outfitters: Sign up for AERewards and receive 15 percent off during your birthday month.

Anthropologie: Sign up for their customer loyalty program and receive a 15 percent discount during your birth month.

Benefit Cosmetics: Get a free brow arch on your birthday. Contact your local Benefit Brow Bar beauty lounge for information.

The Body Shop: Sign up for email updates and get a $10 reward offer during your birthday month.

Columbia Sportswear: Sign up for the Greater Rewards program and get a 20 percent off coupon for your birthday.

Sephora: Sign up to become a Beauty Insider, and you’ll get a free gift during your birthday month that you can claim online or in a store.

Victoria’s Secret: Sign up for the Angel Card program, and you’ll get a free birthday gift.

CVS: Members of CVS Extra Care Beauty Club receive $3 to spend in the store for their birthday.

Golf courses: Many golf courses will give you a free round of golf the week of your birthday. Just ask!

Ace Hardware: Receive a free $5 off coupon when you join Ace Rewards.

Ulta Beauty: Receive a free gift by signing up for the Ultimate Rewards program.

DSW: Get a $5 gift voucher for shoes and more on your birthday.

Hallmark: Get a coupon for 20 percent off an item.

Famous Footwear: You get a free gift when you sign up for the rewards program.

Useful Websites

3/27/2018

Allergy self-defense
You can find out the symptoms, triggers, and treatments for different kinds of allergies - seasonal, cats/dogs, dust, food, mold, and more at ACAAL.org/allergies

Tech know-how
You can learn how to buy, use, and fix digital cameras, drones, smartphones, smartwatches, and other wearables at LifeWire.com

Free movie/TV shows
You can access the fully legal, ad-supported service through laptops, smartphones, Roku, Xbox, and other devices at Crackle.com

Travel Apps That Will Save You Money

2/27/2018

Hopper
It is not only a flight search engine and highlights the cheapest days to fly, but also uses historical data to predict whether prices are likely to drop or increase in the near future.

LoungeBuddy
It offers one-day lounge access at airports around the world for as little as $25.

Turo
It is a peer-to-peer car rental service that lets individual car owners rent out their vehicles at prices far below those airport brands you know.

Dayuse
It allows travelers to book hotel room stays between the hours of 10am to 4pm for 50% to 75% off the nightly rate.

Roomer
It saves travelers money by enabling people to snag nonrefundable hotel rooms at steep discounts.

Top 10 Best Cashback and Rewards Mobile Apps

2/19/2018

Here are the top 10 reward and cashback mobile apps:

1. Drop
Drop is a slick app with a user-friendly interface that boasts more than 300,000 users. Their appeal is earning points with your debit card and double the points with your credit card. Five thousand points equal $5 in rewards value. This app is best for users who don’t rely heavily on rewards credit cards and prefer to use their debit card and still get rewards.

One of the benefits of the app is also the fact that you’re spending your own money rather than racking up credit just to earn points. Drop has a sophisticated security system to ensure that your personal data and transactions are safe. They claim transparency and have a lengthy security explanation on their website.

Drop has an excellent customer service department and a thorough FAQ page that should answer most of the common questions you might have. In particular, Drop is focused on the millennial demographic, who may use debit cards rather than credit cards.

2. iBotta
iBotta consistently scores well with savvy savers. It’s user-friendly and available for both iOS and Android. Just download the app and unlock the rebates. A series of tasks bring the idea of gamification to an otherwise tedious task, making saving money even more fun. Users see each job as a challenge that needs to be completed, and you can also get the whole family in on it.

Once you’re ready to go shopping, buy the products you’ve unlocked at any of the stores that are listed on the app. Next, you will need to verify your purchases by scanning the barcodes and submitting a photo of the receipt. You’re ready to cash in, and the money will appear in your iBotta account within 48 hours.

This app continues to evolve in its ease of use, which means the developers are responsive to reviews and actively seeking the best possible consumer experience. Many retailers allow you to process receipts in real-time, which means money in your pocket faster. Some of the benefits of iBotta include no more cutting and carrying coupons; you have one accessible portable device to start saving and earning money. According to iBotta, the average user is making about $30 a month. That’s $30 that you can keep or spend on something else.

3. Bitwalking
Whether you’re a walking enthusiast, spend a large part of your workday walking, or you just want to get fit, Bitwalking is the app for you. Advertising themselves as the “new global currency,” Bitwalking will get you moving and participating in the larger world around you.

Bitwalking is egalitarian and practical. You’re not paid to walk; you generate the money on your own. So that means the woman in Uganda who walks five miles to get water every day is at the same advantage as the casual walker in San Diego who meets her walking group each morning. Bitwalking provides the platform to convert it to a currency that can be spent in the Bitwalking store or through third-party partners.

You can also trade walking dollars with other users. Walking dollars can also be transferred to anyone, anywhere in the world. Imagine earning money just from walking? It really gives new meaning to your resolution to get fit in 2018. You can potentially watch your waistline get slimmer while your wallet gets fatter.

4. Mobee
Have you ever thought of becoming a secret shopper? Mobee makes shopping fun as you get to go undercover as a secret shopper. Many people love this idea because not only do you get to evaluate products but you can comment on the customer service, and you will actually be able to see results of your feedback.

Once you have the app, you can open Mobee to see stores near you that will pay you to shop. Each Mobee shop will ask you to complete a set of missions that relate to a specific area of the business that they want you to review. When your shopping trip is over, take a few minutes to answer 5-10 questions, and the job is done.

One of the best benefits of this app is the fact that you’re getting paid for a service while also improving shopping conditions and customer service for everyone at the same time.

The Mobee team performs a manual quality control check on your results and credit you points. These can be used for a range of prizes, gift cards and in some cases cash. The interactive nature of this app makes your shopping experience more enjoyable, and you have a direct impact on the future customer service policies of the business. Think of it as a quest for cash and rewards.

5. Belly
Belly’s goal was to replace multiple loyalty programs with a straightforward app. You’ll often notice the Belly logo around the cash registers of some of your favorite stores or restaurants. Since it’s a “universal loyalty program” many different establishments use it at once, and you can collect points on one simple app replacing the numerous rewards cards you might have taking up precious space in your wallet.

Belly also has a unique feature where it can show you nearby stores and restaurants that are Belly participants, which could, in effect, influence your shopping decisions.

6. Fronto
Fronto is your companion app, like a best friend who’s there but never judges you or gives you bad advice. It’s interested in everything that you’re interested in. Whether you’re browsing news articles, looking for a new outfit or shopping online for the kids, Fronto allows you to unlock and redeem points that can be used for cash or gift cards from the retailers you’re already buying from. You can browse online and earn points while working or completing schoolwork. The app is non-intrusive.

With more than nine million downloads and more than $5 million in redeemed rewards, Fronto has longevity and success. It’s been around since 2012 when they launched the first world’s first lock screen media app. They get great press and reviews, and the concept is so simple. Making your smartphone smarter just by waking it up and swiping is as easy as it sounds. Your reward points can be used with Amazon, Gift Card, and PayPal.

7. Cosign
If you’re the type of person who is always sharing on social media, Cosign is the app for you. Specifically targeted to the clothing, tech, beauty, and food industries, Cosign lets you tag your favorite brands in your pictures and then receive money when your friends buy the same products.

In a world where influencers seem to be driving marketing trends, this app enables you to become your own influencer while making money off social media posts that you would probably be posting regardless. It essentially turns your social media feed into a ready-to-buy stream of recommendations that your friends can trust. As people purchase your products, you collect cash rewards; once you hit $40, you can cash out and transfer the money right into your bank account.

8. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is another app that wants to be a part of your life and the routine activities you would be doing online anyway. Watching online videos and taking short surveys will earn you gift cards. The polls will make you feel like you’re part of something bigger and the retailers are listening to your opinions. Bloggers and remote workers love this app, and it’s especially great for people who are home a lot of the time and want to earn extra rewards while going about their daily routine.

There are a lot of useful tips out there for using Swagbucks, and we recommend reading them before you start so that you can get the most out of this app. Bonus features and the ability to passively earn while playing Swagwatch and SBTV offer even more ways to reap the rewards. Signing up for the Swagbucks survey profile will help you receive more surveys that you qualify for, thus increasing your rewards potential and allowing you to have input with companies that fit your lifestyle and spending profile.

9. Shopkick
Shopkick allows you to earn points in-store and online. Shopping in your regular stores, scanning the items and making a purchase will earn you reward points. Submitting your receipts is easy. They call their reward points “kicks,” and they can undoubtedly kickstart savings for you as you collect and redeem points for gift certificates at your favorite stores like Starbucks, Sephora, and Toys R Us.

As its popularity continues to grow, more companies will partner with Shopkick to provide, even more, options for redeemable features. At the moment, AMC, Marshalls, and more are just a few of the other brands you can secure deals with.

10. Checkout 51
Working similarly to iBotta, Checkout 51 is everyone’s best friend when it comes to grocery shopping. New offers get loaded every Thursday. You can go into the app, load your offers, and head to the stores. Just upload pictures of your receipts to take advantage of the cashback.

The one area where Checkout 51 differs from iBotta is the fact that offers can be redeemed at any store, which makes it much easier to use on a national scale. Once you have earned at least $20, you can transfer your Checkout 51 rewards to cash in your bank account.

Read more at: https://www.moneyunder30.com/cashback-and-rewards-apps-are-they-worth-it

The Best Month To Buy Things

1/15/2018

Here is a list of the best month to buy things, put on your calendar and enjoy the savings -

January
Bedding
Carpeting
Cds and Dvds
Computer monitors *
Cookware
Houses and condos *
Furniture *
Linens
Swimwear
Toys
Exercise equipment like treadmills
Tax filing software
Winter clothes*

February
Electronics
Humidifiers
TVs *
Home theaters

March
Digital cameras
Small electronics
Smart phones

April
Computers *
Lawnmowers
Spring clothing
Jewelry
Vacuum cleaners *

May
Athletic apparel and shoes
Camping and outdoor gear
Carpeting*
Cordless phones
Mattresses
Small consumer electronics *
Refrigerators

June
Camcorders*
Gym memberships
Indoor furniture
Pots, pans, and dish ware
Summer sports gear

July
Furniture
Swimwear
Suits
Tools

August
Air conditioners
School supplies*
Dehumidifiers
Lawnmowers*
Outdoor furniture
Snow blowers*
Swimwear

September
Big appliances (except for refrigerators) *
Bikes*
Cars*
Gas grills *
Outdoor perennial plants*
Thanksgiving travel tickets
Wine*

October
Air conditioners
Camcorders*
Christmas travel tickets
Digital cameras*
Toys*
Wedding supplies and services requiring vendors*

November
Baby goods
Fresh Christmas trees
Recreational vehicles
GPS navigators
TVs*

December
Home appliances
iTunes gift cards
Tools
Holiday decorations (after Christmas)*

A Real Competitor to Mint

2/8/2017

If you are tied of the same credit card balance transfer offers from the same sponsors of Mint.com (which is a great personal finance site), you will be pleasantly surprised to find a real competitor to Mint:

Clarify Money

Clarity Money works a lot like Mint.com by connecting to all of your accounts at a central dashboard, but what's more, Clarity Money provides real-life recommendations that can improve your financial health, for example, it can suggest you ways to save money by lowering your recurring bills, cancelling online subscriptions, setting up savings account with its savings features.

Clarify Money is free, and only charges you a portion of your savings if it successfully helps you lower your bills.

Some Creative Use of FSA Money

1/20/2017

Q. My employer's FSA plan allows me to spend the money till March 15. I am having trouble figuring out how to use the money. Any suggestions?

A. Here are some ideas to use your FSA money -

You can use FSA money to pay for acupuncture
Pay for massage to treat a medical condition (need a letter from your Doctor)
Use FSA to pay health club dues (with a letter from doc)
Use FSA to pay for a swim or dance class to treat a medical condition
Purchase a nightguard (for teech grinding)
Purchase sunscreen (SPF15 or greater)

How to Avoid Bank Fees?

1/18/2017

Q. How to avoid the various small bank fees?

A. Here are some tips to avoid the various small bank fees:

Overdraft Fees
A bank cannot charge you the overdraft fee unless you opt in for the service. You might have signed up this service many years ago and have forgotten about it, if this is the case, call the bank to cancel overdraft protection program enrollment.

Monthly Fees
Many banks have various requirements, such as setting up direct deposit, complete a minimum number of transactions, etc. if you want to avoid the monthly fees. The trick is if you have any change, such as change a job, move to another location, etc. and it's hard to meet those requirements. It's key to shop around and find the bank that best meets your needs.

Low Balance Fees
If you have a savings account that requires a minimum balance otherwise there will be a fee, it's wise to evaluate if it's worthwhile to let a large amount of money sits on the savings account and eanring near 0% interest rate, or simply change a bank that charges no low balance fees.

Is Budgeting Really a Good New Year's Resolution?

1/11/2017

Q. My New Year's resolution is to get more organized and start tracking budget. Is there an alternative to that?

A. Yes, budgeting is very hard to enforce, and it doesn't have to work that way. Below we will introduce an alternative to budgeting:

1. Figure out your future cash needs
Here you need to be as detailed as possible, and also don't forget inflation.

2. Figure out how much you will have
Find out how much income you will get from social security and pension, the gap between this and your cash needs is what you need to prepare on your own.

3. Figure out how much you need to save each month now
Given your investment target, assume a reasonable investment return, you can work backwards to figure out how much money you need to invest now each month. You can use our online calculator to do the calculation.

4. Figure out how much money you have left
After subtracting the savings you need each month, the rest is what you could spend each month. Go ahead spend all of it, there is no need to worry about budget!

The Most Popular Money Transfer Options

12/12/2016

Q. What is the lowest cost option to transfer money to a non-US country?

A. There are quite a few options, and some of the most well known overseas money transfer options are -

MoneyGram (a partner with Walmart for over 20 years)
Western Union (partners with WeChat and Viber)
TransferWise (caters to SMB too)
Xoom (a Paypal company)
Remitly
OFX

When you compare these options, make sure you consider two factors: for the same amount of US Dollar you send, how much will it cost you as the sender, and how much the recipient will receive in local currency.

Deal or No Deal on Amazon?

12/7/2016

Q. Generally, which categories of products are good deals on Amazon.com and which ones are not?

A. The following deal or no deal could give you a general guideline for shopping at Amazon.com:

Toys: Deal. Amazon usually has deals during holiday season.
Tools: No deal. Home Depot and Lowe's typically meet or beat Amazon prices, especially during holiday season.
Books: Deal. It's hard to beat Amazon's book prices.
Name-brand clothing: No deal. You can't find a good deal on Amazon for name brand clothing.
Video-game: Deal.
PCs and Apple products: No deal. The best bargains can be found at Best Buy and Walmart.

How to Get the Best Foreign Exchange Rate When Travel Overseas?

12/4/2016

Q. I will travel to Europe soon, how to get the best exchange rate when I travel to there?

A. Get a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees, you can get the best exchange rate by charging purchases to your credit card.

Avoid exchanging money before you leaving home or at an airport when you arrive the foreign country, you will have the worst exchange rates in such locations.

Watch a Broadway Show for Less

12/3/2016

Q. How to get a Broadway show ticket without breaking the bank?

A. To find a show in New York with a great price, you can visit broadwayforbrokepeople.com, it has links to many great Broadway shows at deeply discounted price, via a lottery. If you were a winner, you would be notified a few hours before the show.

5 Ways to Save On Shoe Buying

10/15/2016

Q. How to save when buy shoes?

A. Here are 5 ways to save when buying shoes:

Subscribe to deal alert services from: DealNews.com, Shoes - Daily Deals & Coupon app
Buy from discount online sites such as: Groupon, OnlineShoes.com
Shop at offline discount retailers such as: Costco, Sam's Club
Buy from clearance, for example the clearance section at Overstock.com
Buy from brand names on sale at their eBay stores

What Are the Tipping Protocols in the U.S.?

10/14/2016

Q. What are the tipping standards I should follow when I travel in the U.S.?

A. See below for tipping protocols while traveling in the U.S.

Skycap: $2 per bag
Airport wheelchair attendant: $5 or more
Rental car shuttle bus driver: $1 - $2
Bellhop: $1 - $2 per bag
Hotel maid: $2 per night
Taxi driver: 15% - 20% of fare
Tour guide: $5 / half day - $25 / full day
Bus tour guide: $5 - $10

How to Choose the Right Bank? II - Cons of Different Types of Banks

3/3/2016

In our last blogpost, we discussed the pros of the 4 different types of banks in the U.S. Now we will discuss the cons of the four different types of banks.

National Banks
National Banks tend to be the ones not having the lowest loan rates and fees. Also, their free checking accounts typically require minimum balances in order to avoid fees.

Regional Banks
Convenience is the biggest problem with regional banks as their reaches are usually very limited.

Credit Unions
The biggest drawback of the credit unions is its membership requirements, you are most likely not qualified to join a credit union. Credit Unions' online banking features might be limited too.

You can find a credit union near you by visiting MyCreditUnion.gov.

Online Banks
If you want human interaction, the online banks are not for you, although for this sacrifice you will be compensated with higher interest rates for your savings account.

In Short
Banks are not one-size-fits-all, the right bank for you is the one that meets your current needs as well as future needs.

How to Choose the Right Bank? I - Pros of Different Types of Banks

3/2/2016

Q. I am new to the U.S. How do I choose the right bank?

A. There are four major types of banks in the U.S., they are:

National Banks: such as Citibank, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo.
Regional Banks: they typically operate within a region.
Credit Unions: they are membership-based banks, could be regional, could be national.
Online Banks: they only operate online.

What are the Pros of these 4 different types of banks?

National Banks
These giant banks have locations across the country and ATMs located in branches, drug stores, supermarkets, etc. in short, they are super convenient to make deposit and withdraw money.

National Banks tend to be one-stop shops for your financial needs and offer services such as mortgage, investment, credit card services, et.

National Banks also often offer free checking and most have online services.

Regional Banks
A regional bank more likely to offer incentives that big banks don't have. Because of their smaller sizes, they are more customer friendly and focus on relationship building, and lower fees.

Credit Unions
A credit union has its customers as members, and its mission is to help its members. Credit Unions often are linked to labor unions, employers, or certain large organizations, although there are community-based credit unions as well.

Due to non-profit status, a credit union might offer lower fees, lower loan rates, higher interest rates, and free checking.

Online Banks
Online banks conduct businesses online, most customers transact business on their computers or smartphones. Online Banks often offer call centers and in-network ATMs for customers.

In our next blog post, we will discuss the Cons of the four types of banks.

Which goes first: student loan, down payment, and retirement saving?

9/17/2014

Q. I have a student loan needs to pay back, want to buy a house as soon as possible, and also want to save for retirement as early as possible. How should I prioritize them?

A. Of the three, saving for retirement should be your number 1 goal, unless you have a student loan with a very high interest rate.

The right way to prioritize these three saving goals is:

a. Retirement saving first
Save a minimum amount of 401K to at least get your employer's match. If you can set aside 10%, that will be better.

b. Budget for student loan payment
Estimate how much student loan you need to pay back each month. While you want to pay back all of the student loans asap, but it's more important to develop a pay back plan that factors in your other saving goals.

c. Prepare a rainy day fund
Save a few months' emergency fund that can last at least 3 months.

d. Save for down payment
Start saving for your down payment, aim for 20% down payment saving, plus closing costs.

4 Tips to Improve Your Credit Score

9/15/2014

Q. What can I do in a short period of time to improve my credit score?

A. There are many factors that influence your credit score, but there is only one factor that is truly under the control of you - your Credit Utilization Rate.

Credit Utilization rate is calculated with total amount of credit used divided by total amount of credit allowed. Here are 4 tips you can use to improve your credit score, they are all related to improving your credit utilization rate:

Apply for a higher credit amount: make sure to ask if the credit card company will do a hard pull to make the decision, if they do, stop immediately. If you just had your credit card in less than 12 months, or you asked for a credit increase in less than 6 months, there is no need to try, you won't get approved again so soon.
Pay back your outstanding balance: if you have multiple credit cards with outstanding balances, start with the one that charges the highest interest rate.
Do not use credit card frequently: even you pay each credit card balance in full every month, the utilization rate's calculation will use that month's total transaction amount as the numerator, so if you want to improve your credit score, don't use your credit card too frequently.
Merge multiple credit cards: this applies when you have multiple credit cards from the same institution. Make sure you merge the newer card into the older card, not the other way around. In this way, you can improve your credit history.

Resources to Save College Books

9/10/2014

Q. What are the ways for me to save on college textbook expenses?

A. The College Board estimates each year a college student spends around $1,200 on textbooks. Here are some good ways to save on college textbook expenses:

Shop around
BigWords.com: compare all the textbook stores all at once

Rent Textbooks
Chegg.com
eCampus.com
Bookbyte.com
BookRenter.com
CampusBookRentals.com

Download Textbooks
OpenStaxCollegecom: free download books in PDF format

Buy Second Hand Textbooks
Amazon: save up to 90%
Barnesandnoble.com
Half.com
AbeBooks.com
CengageBrain.com

Sell Used Textbooks
Valorbooks.com: a guide to sell used textbooks
Amazon: a few books to guide you how to profit from selling textbooks