I started scanning every thrift store book with my phone before buying and it saved me $40 last weekend
I used to just grab whatever looked cool at Goodwill and hope for the best, but last month I got burned on a $6 hardcover that turned out to be a book club edition worth nothing. So now I pull out my phone, check the ISBN on the copyright page against sold listings, and last Saturday at the Salvation Army in Tacoma I walked away from three duds and grabbed a $2 first printing that comps for $45. Does anyone else do this or am I just being paranoid about wasting money on junk?