The hunt for the cheapest SD card.

[Xanthe_2871]

I was setting up my 2017 taxes when the thought came to me, an SD card would fit much more nicely in my tax binder than a USB drive. Sure, there are those weird credit card sized flash drives, but for a cheap solution SD cards are pretty flat, and most computers and laptops can read them without an added accessory these days... so a small SD card would fit all my files and fit perfectly in that little side pocket inside the binder. 

 

Only issue is, the price. I don't need an 8 or 16 GB SD card, all my spreadsheets and documents total around 20 MB. I thought maybe I could find some old 256 MB SD card for cheap on Amazon or eBay, but they are being sold at a premium because of the demand for them from people using older devices that can't accept a SDHC or SDXC card. Next I tried hunting down 2 or 4 GB cards since those were mass produced in the hundreds of thousands and I don't care how fast or big the cards are, but those are also selling for more than many 8 GB cards.

 

It was at this moment that I decided, why not ask the LTT community? If anyone would know where to find cheap SD cards, it would be someone here. Micro or full size, what's the cheapest SD card available consistently online (not a one time auction on eBay)? This is what I've found so far, 4 GB for $5.61.

 

Price per GB, speed, brand, none of that matters. Just a cheap SD card that works and can hold a small number of small files for use, maybe a few times a year.

 

The hunt is on!

[ChuckMaurice]

If you go cheap you need to be sure for it not to be counterfeit, I encountered 2 or 3 counterfeit microSD cards even on Amazon, that died or were corrupted after a few months. I'm sure there is some brands that are less subject to counterfeiting, maybe there's a list. Two of mine were Samsung ones if it helps.

[Xanthe_2871]

1 minute ago, jldjul said:

If you go cheap you need to be sure for it not to be counterfeit, I encountered 2 or 3 counterfeit microSD cards even on Amazon, that died or were corrupted after a few months. I'm sure there is some brands that are less subject to counterfeiting, maybe there's a list. Two of mine were Samsung ones if it helps.

Actually, even the fake ones have at least 512 MB or 1 GB, I only need 20 MB so that would still be fine.

[SuperShermanTanker]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0024BKDM8/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1485230879&sr=1-10&refinements=p_n_feature_two_browse-bin%3A6518302011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=micro+sd+card As cheap as I can find on anazon

[Xanthe_2871]

1 minute ago, SuperShermanTanker said:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0024BKDM8/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1485230879&sr=1-10&refinements=p_n_feature_two_browse-bin%3A6518302011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=micro+sd+card As cheap as I can find on anazon

Oh. I appreciate the help! But with Prime, the card I had is cheaper since that one has $4 shipping.

[ChuckMaurice]

I'm not familiar with taxes or accounting, so it may be a silly question, but why do you want multiple SD cards instead of just one with multiple files?

[Xanthe_2871]

Just now, jldjul said:

I'm not familiar with taxes or accounting, so it may be a silly question, but why do you want multiple SD cards instead of just one with multiple files?

One would be plenty, but if they're less than $3 or so then it would be nice, for organizing and labeling. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

One would be plenty, but if they're less than $3 or so then it would be nice, for organizing and labeling. 

Looks extremely shady but it's worth a try, I mean afterall it's not like you are buying a used 4K ultrawide where 2 dollars is something can make you bankrupt?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-High-Capacity-1GB-Micro-SD-TF-MicroSD-TF-Memory-Card-1GB-with-SD-Adapter-ER-/361443057814?hash=item5427af6096:g:z3sAAOSw3mpXIIwX

[Xanthe_2871]

1 minute ago, deXxterlab97 said:

Looks extremely shady but it's worth a try, I mean afterall it's not like you are buying a used 4K ultrawide where 2 dollars is something can make you bankrupt?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-High-Capacity-1GB-Micro-SD-TF-MicroSD-TF-Memory-Card-1GB-with-SD-Adapter-ER-/361443057814?hash=item5427af6096:g:z3sAAOSw3mpXIIwX

That looks perfect! Unless anyone finds one even cheaper somehow. It's generic, but for holding a small number of files and only being used on rare occasions, that should work perfectly.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

That looks perfect! Unless anyone finds one even cheaper somehow. It's generic, but for holding a small number of files and only being used on rare occasions, that should work perfectly.

Amazon alternative (for more) and it doesn't look bright though. https://www.amazon.com/Eachbid-High-Speed-Memory-Adapter/dp/B012CWF864/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1485231383&sr=8-12&keywords=1gb+sd

So be careful with the ebay one

[ChuckMaurice]

I think the only way to get a lower price is to get tax-deductible SD cards ^^

[NumLock21]

I have this, got plenty of them in different sizes. This one is better cause it has a USB card reader. Not every machine will have a SD card reader.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139527&ignorebbr=1

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

I have this, got plenty of them in different sizes. This one is better cause it has a USB card reader. Not every machine will have a SD card reader.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139527&ignorebbr=1

No SD to USB, only Miscro SD to USB *sad face*

But the deal though

Save: $1.00 (9%)

[NumLock21]

6 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

No SD to USB, only Miscro SD to USB *sad face*

But the deal though

Save: $1.00 (9%)

The actual memory is the microSD card itself. Both the full size SD and USB are the adapters.

MicroSD adapter for use on built in card readers, a dedicated microSD slot are rare.

USB reader for card readers that can't read the new SD standard and for those who lack a card reader.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

The actual memory is the microSD card itself. Both the full size SD and USB are the adapters.

MicroSD adapter for use on built in card readers, a dedicated microSD slot are rare.

USB reader for card readers that can't read the new SD standard and for those who lack a card reader.

Yeah well it's cheap so no complaints but would be nice for SD to USB since user can then use micro SD to SD too and then to USB

[NumLock21]

1 minute ago, deXxterlab97 said:

Yeah well it's cheap so no complaints but would be nice for SD to USB since user can then use micro SD to SD too and then to USB

Then that will basically be a standard card reader.

[kirashi]

1 hour ago, SuperShermanTanker said:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0024BKDM8/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1485230879&sr=1-10&refinements=p_n_feature_two_browse-bin%3A6518302011&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=micro+sd+card As cheap as I can find on anazon

With a name like EasyStore, you know it's gotta be good! I'd recommend grabbing a couple of 32GB or 64GB SD cards personally @Xanthe_2871 and storing ALL of your yearly important documents, pictures, and files on them. Maybe have 2 for each year, since Flash Memory can fail if not regularly accessed. Store your years' worth of pictures, tax documents, scanned receipts, family-related projects, etc. on them. Almost like a yearly time capsule. Don't forget to backup to the cloud as well as another magnetic spindle based hard drive too.

[Xanthe_2871]

29 minutes ago, kirashi said:

With a name like EasyStore, you know it's gotta be good! I'd recommend grabbing a couple of 32GB or 64GB SD cards personally @Xanthe_2871 and storing ALL of your yearly important documents, pictures, and files on them. Maybe have 2 for each year, since Flash Memory can fail if not regularly accessed. Store your years' worth of pictures, tax documents, scanned receipts, family-related projects, etc. on them. Almost like a yearly time capsule. Don't forget to backup to the cloud as well as another magnetic spindle based hard drive too.

Ha. Ha ha. Ha.

 

I think I'll download some more RAM while I'm at it. I recall seeing a good deal, 16 GB for just $24.99!

[kirashi]

11 minutes ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Ha. Ha ha. Ha.

 

I think I'll download some more RAM while I'm at it. I recall seeing a good deal, 16 GB for just $24.99!

Good idea. You can store the RAM with your tax documents so you won't forget where you placed them.

 

Seriously though, you could also try looking for multipacks of SD cards. I remember that two packs of 16GB SD cards were a few bucks cheaper than a single 32GB when I worked retail, so that might be an option to stock up once and never need to buy additional cards.

[Xanthe_2871]

2 minutes ago, kirashi said:

Good idea. You can store the RAM with your tax documents so you won't forget where you placed them.

 

Seriously though, you could also try looking for multipacks of SD cards. I remember that two packs of 16GB SD cards were a few bucks cheaper than a single 32GB when I worked retail, so that might be an option to stock up once and never need to buy additional cards.

That's a good idea too! I just wish I could find cheap cards with a smaller size, it seems wasteful to buy 4 or 8 or 16 GB cards when I'm using less than 0.01% of the space.