Remember when I first started doing paid blogging and I told you I wouldn’t present anything I wasn’t willing to use or associate with myself? Well, that’s still true. I have actually turned away what could have been high-profit posts because I wasn’t willing to advance the content.
I have endorsed a couple of things I wish I hadn’t. In both instances I pulled the ad as soon as I figured out there was a problem. Some of you may have encountered them on your feed reader and then wondered why you couldn’t click through. Most recently I pulled a post because the ad told me they were offering an item for $9.95 — a deal I thought was amazing and said so, and when I checked their website again the next day that same item was suddenly $39.95. I’ll be danged if I am telling anybody full price is a super deal, even though the product is one I like.
I recently endorsed BookSwim without ever having used it, but I did a lot of research online and was satisfied that it was, indeed, legitimate and that I would use it if I were acquiring new bills (unemployed you know). Well, I am very pleased to share a personal testimony from a mom I know and love. From my previous book swim post:
Tilden says her daughter is thrilled with the 
BookSwim textbook service (click on the word TEXTBOOKS on the BookSwim site). The only drawback, of course is that one can’t keep the textbooks — but I have something to say about that. Every semester my college professors told us, “Keep your textbooks, you’re going to need them. They are invaluable resources.” HA! The truth is, they are very valuable resources — to the authors and publishers and bookstores selling the textbooks.
No book has a shorter shelf life than a textbook. Grab the one closest to you and look at it. Which edition is it — 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th? And how different are the 3rd editions and the 12th editions?
I carried my books around for 10 years after college without ever opening them again. Finally it dawned on me that they were no longer of any value beyond the exercise I was getting from moving them from this place to that.
Rent your textbooks. Keep your notes. They’re much more valuable.
Thank you, Tilden!
Textbooks are SPLENDID for the apres-education bonfire.
Other than that yeah you’re right. Doorstops.
You’re selling me on this pay-per-post thing you know. Veeerrrrry interesting…
Any drawbacks so far?
.-= Susan at Stony River´s last blog ..Friday Flash 55: Getting Ahead =-.
Drawbacks? Well, the post has to remain up on the blog for 30 days before one actually receives a paycheck. AND, one has to think about the offer and what it means to their site, the time it will take to prepare it and the actual payout. Plus there are a few hidden rules I have learned from other PPP bloggers, but for the most part I haven’t found any “whoa Nellies” yet.
If you decide to sign on, let me know. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned and add a couple of more impressions — especially about choosing a blog “crew”.
You know, as far as I’m concerned if you want to advertise products you hate, that’s ok by me. Maybe we can just have a safe word among readers. Like “I love this product and commend it to you, your family and your chimpanzee, Abram.” If you really like the product, you can call the chimp “Sarah.”
.-= Doug´s last blog ..Adonis =-.
LOL! You know, Doug, don’t tell Amoeba, but I think I love you. You have no idea how much I needed a positive comment right now.
I checked out Bookswim. It looks like a wonderful company, especially for those college students who could go broke just paying for their text books. Thanks for the info.
.-= Church Lady´s last blog ..Guest Blogger – Introducing Nature Girl =-.
CL — It is on my “after I get a job” list of indulgences for sure!
for you…
YES!
.-= a postive comment´s last blog ..Ruby Tuesday… =-.
Nancy — you are wonderful! I think I will keep you. (I am lobbying for a house in FH that will be big enough for you to have your own bedroom.)
Hey?
You answered everyone else but not me and I was first?
*sniff*
.-= Susan at Stony River´s last blog ..Friday Flash 55: Getting Ahead =-.
Susan — just getting even I guess. You forgot me TWICE last week, so I still have one to go ….
well, i’m hoping colleen will look into renting textbooks too.
we haven’t received any texts yet, but we expect two in the next couple days.
i’ll keep you posted!
.-= tilden´s last blog .. =-.
Keep us posted, Tilden.
That makes sense to me. Keep the notes and rent the books.
.-= Jientje´s last blog ..A Meme from a Mama … =-.
Jientje — Universities everywhere will soon come to hate me …..
Well, I think I’ve caught up here.
Let’s see, still posting for pay, getting published, and moving – say what? I don’t know. A wet rainy coast opposed to bright sunny Hawaii. I’d so have to think way long and hard about that. Thom will be lost!
.-= Carletta´s last blog ..Thank Heaven For Little Girls =-.
Carletta, Hawaii is a really nice place to visit. The longer one stays the less nice it gets. And Washington State has a few things Hawaii doesn’t — my family, and a job.
I must admit that I still have my college books with me. I guess it’s time to move on and let go of them. BookSwim looks like an interesting choice. Have a wonderful day, Quilly
.-= Rosidah Abidin´s last blog ..The Book Tag & Get Well Wishes for A Friend =-.
Rosidah — I moved mine and moved mine and moved mine and was about to move them to Hawaii when I paused to wonder when I had opened them last. And they were several additions out of date by then as well!
I agree that we never open old textbooks once we have graduated. I should have sold mine and gotten cash for the next semester’s books.
One thing, though, I am glad I saved — my essays and term papers!!! I needed at least one paper to submit to grad school admission office as a sample of my writing.
.-= gigi-hawaii´s last blog ..He’s baaack! =-.
Gigi — yes, I kept my papers and most of my notes.
That sounds like a decent service. Good idea.
.-= Anthony North´s last blog ..THRILLER =-.
Tony — I agree.
I don’t do paid posts but I will write about things I have used if I think they’re good value.
.-= Akelamalu´s last blog ..Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 87 Red Carpet =-.
I rarely ever look at my notes after the class is over and done… so why did we ever save those old textbooks??
I’m definitely keeping bookswim in mind for when my kids head off to college (the first one goes next year).
.-= kcinnova´s last blog ..Yodeling weekend plans =-.
Yea… I did pass this on to Krysti — I’m pretty sure she’ll find it worth her while!
.-= Melli´s last blog ..Friday’s Fave Five! =-.
Wish we had had that when I was still a student.
Oh well
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..Hot times 6 / 365 =-.
I am about to start school again and I will check into this. I never used to keep the textbooks because they would come in handy later. I kept them because the amounts that they wanted to pay me to buy them back seemed insulting, and I figured that if I ever got cold, I could burn them for heat.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Hearts and Lace =-.
bookswim/chegg update!
all the textbooks have arrived.
all are in remarkably good shape. if they arent new, they are quite close to it.
the textbooks came in about 8 days. manda says she can keep them for the semester. when its time for them to go back, she will go to the website and print a mailing label and ship them back, in the boxes they came in, for free. she paid for the rental up front, and to ship them out to her. she has the option of buying them at the end of the semester, if she chooses.
so far, manda is well pleased.
.-= tilden´s last blog ..Sky Watch Friday =-.