Your Money 2 Keep | Archive

The cheapest place to sell my superseded iPod

Posted on 25. Jul, 2009 by Stuart in Money, Music

Technology is advancing at such a rapid speed that the hottest new ipod is likely to be superseded by a newer model in a short amount of time. So, what is the cheapest way to sell your old, perfectly good, ipod when the next trend comes sailing around the bend? There are actually a two cheap options from which to choose, both of them with their own specific benefits and disadvantages.

Craigslist

One of the best places to sell your items at no cost is the online site known as Craigslist (@www.craigslist.com). This innovative interactive forum began as a small experiment in San Francisco and it has rapidly grown to service International regions across most of the globe. You can post an announcement on Craigslist and potentially let the whole world know that you have an ipod for sale.

Craigslist allows you to place your telephone number or email in your posting, or to provide an email link for interested parties through Craigslist, which keeps your personal information anonymous. You are also allowed to post pictures of your ipod from several different angles, as well as a short description of your ipod, its extra features and its current operating condition.

The greatest benefit of using Craigslist is the fact that posting is free of charge. Let me repeat, there is absolutely NO service charge included when you post on Craigslist; the profit from your ipod sale is all yours. In addition, your postings have the potential to be viewed by a large local audience, as listings are organized according to neighborhood. This means that an interested party could potentially meet you at a local coffee shop and purchase your ipod within as little as an hour after posting your item for sale.

The disadvantages of using Craigslist have mainly to do with the lack of security inherent in the posting process. Although you have the option of keeping your personal information safe, you will ultimately have to meet the prospective buyer at a local location in order to complete the sale.

In addition, if you choose to do business with an individual that is not local, you will have to exercise great trust in them to conduct your business transaction via the postal service. Be aware that there are a number of scam artists that target Craigslist users, promising to send payment in full as soon as the item is received in the mail. If you receive such an offer on Craigslist, refuse it or politely (but adamantly) propose that the buyer first send you payment via Paypal or another secure online site, designed specifically for the safe and secure exchange of funds for goods or services rendered.

eBay

Though eBay is not free, this online auction venue does not charge very much for its hosting services. They also frequently run promotions wherein sellers are not charged the usual “insertion fees” for displaying for sale items.

One major benefit to using eBay to sell your ipod is that you will enjoy a great deal of security surrounding the sale of your item. Each user is given a ranking based on their previous business transactions, which will let you know right off the bat who to trust (or not trust) with the sale of your ipod. In addition, eBay backs your sale by a “resolution center” that lets you log complaints if you do not receive payment for your item. If the buyer is found guilty of non-payment, they can be prosecuted and/or banned from eBay. This can give you a sense of security in the sale of your ipod, knowing the eBay is on your side when it comes to payment issues.

One disadvantage of using eBay is that the majority of buyers interested in your ipod will be out-of-state. This makes it difficult for you to explain fully the condition of your ipod and can result in an unsatisfied customer that wishes to return the item after sale. eBay does allow you to post pictures of your ipod and to write a description of your item, but it can never match the face-to-face exchange that can be achieved through a local Craigslist listing.

Photo source: scottwills

When will Ringtone providers be outlawed?

Posted on 07. Nov, 2006 by Stuart in Gadgets, Music, News, Teen Money

How long will society accept ringtone providers exploiting our children?
Ringtone providers are the 21st century equivalent of con artists and shysters. They peddle their wares to impressionable teenagers eager to keep up with the latest trends and unwise to know when to stop.
It seems every prime time TV show is now a carrier for ringtone adverts. Their message is simple, “Buy now so that you aren’t left behind.” Teenagers race for their phones and dial the number and instantly they’re rewarded with a ringtone of the latest song.
However, they managed to miss the fine print at the bottom of the advert stating that it is a service that will continue to send messages (for which they will be charged for). And the only way to stop it is to sms the company back, if you happened to remember their phone number, with the words “Stop now O Mighty Ringtone Provider” (all case-sensitive of course!) Failure to get the syntax right and the charges keep coming.
Sure, this is the blatant extreme. But what about those seemingly once-off purchases? Even in this example (pictured above), the only time you come in contact with a price is when you have chosen that must-have song and are about to download it. Then, and only then, is the price revealed albeit in faint grey font!
Ringtone providers are flawting what little legislation there is that regulates this industry. They prey on teenagers irrational thoughts and trick them into purchases that are exploitive at best. Not to mention the price of these ringtones being exhorbitant – ($6.60 for a piece of digital bits when a CD single costs less than $5 and includes an actual physical product!)
When will governments see that this is hurting our young people and legislate accordingly?

A-Z sites to download music legally

Posted on 13. Jul, 2006 by Stuart in Music

It wasn’t that long ago that downloading music from the internet looked like it would finally ruin some of the mainstream recording companies. Napster (the old version) and the music download software Kazaa were gaining in popularity, and notoriety. Every country with interests in copyright wanted them shut down and every week a new article would appear concerning a new legal battle.
That was then, this is now. Napster is now just another music downloading site among the plethora.
So, in an age where music, video and any other media is virtually on demand how do we go about obtaining it legally. For starters, if it’s mainstream and popular and you can get if for free – chances are that it’s probably not legal. Secondly, if you don’t have to agree to the site’s registration agreement then it’s most likely that the media has been copied.
Having said that, there are many sites which do offer free music and video that don’t require payment or registration. However, these usually offer less well-known bands or genre’s which are not popular such as indie, folk and world music.
To erase any doubt, I decided to compile a list of sites where you can download music legally. Some are global while others are restricted to certain countries. I hope it’s a benefit to you.