Where to find low-grade comics for cheap(er)?

[El Sombrero]

I would like to get a copy of Uncanny X-Men 266 (first appearance of Gambit) to work towards completing a run. I don't care about re-sell value, this is only for reading and my personal collection. It seems like it's virtually impossible to find this issue for under 50 bucks, which is way more than I want to pay. I was wondering if people knew of a good source to acquire low grade copies for cheap. I don't care if the issue has damage that would normally make it undesirable (spots, tears, etc) as long as the thing is readable.

I may ultimately just settle on a reprint of this issue, but all of the others in my run are the original single issues so for OCD-ish reasons I'd rather have the original.

[zwixxx]

There's one listed on ebay.co.uk for 30 GBP (current bid) but that's > than $50, right ?!
You've put the issue on your eBay watch list, so whenever a new one gets listed you're notified, right ?!
I did that for Robin 54 (Aftershock) as I needed it to finished my No Mans Land collection. Took me 3 goes before I got one suitable.
BTW, re: your not-wanting-to-go-the-reprint-route. To complete my collection I also need the Harley Quinn one-shot (the first appearance of Harley) and eBay had copies listed at ~60 GBP. Much more than I'd ever spent on a comic, but I just HAD to have it otherwise my collection was meaningless. Turned out, moments after I bought a 2nd printing copy (~40 GBP) I found a listing for the reprint version for just 5 GBP. So I say, screw your OCD, if you find a cheapo reprint then snap it up. Then spend all the money you've saved on a nice bottle of wine to congratulate yourself for kicking your OCD in the nuts.

[El Sombrero]

I actually forgot to use the eBay watch list feature, that's a good point. I'm hoping someone puts up a low grade issue but I never see one listed. I'm kind of surprised it costs so much since I thought Uncanny X-Men had a high print run around that time.

Yeah my basic plan is that if I get to that point in the series during my reads (i.e. when I have read up to issue 265 and still haven't found an affordable copy) that I will just say eff it and get a reprint.

[zwixxx]

Hopefully someone will put one up in a bundle along with other USED comics (you're searching for bundles too, right ?!), although someone people idea of used-quality might be lower than even you're happy with having in your collection.

[El Sombrero]

I haven't bothered searching bundles...I only need two other Uncanny issues (besides 266) to complete this run, and I already know I can get them for a pretty reasonable amount (about 10-15 bucks). I don't want to wind up with a bunch of other issues I don't want just to get 266.

[zwixxx]

Ah, there's the rub (to quote Shakespeare). You may not find your issue listed singularly at all, but do find it bundled up with others you've already got. And it may turn out to be cheaper to get ones you'll just bin then buying it singularly when it eventually turns up. That happened with my Robin 54, bundle < single. And if you don't bother with the bundle and choose to wait for a cheaper single, you may find that single never comes along ever again. Though sods-law says which ever way you jump you'll end up paying more, darn it.