Patent ID: 8156041

Claim:
A method of allowing access to web-based content, comprising: allowing a potential spender to prepay money into an account stored in a database where, at a time such prepayment into the account is made, the prepayment is not associated with a particular sales transaction for web-based content; receiving from the potential spender an indication that the potential spender desires to initiate the particular sales transaction for the web-based content; receiving a purchase price cost for access to the web-based content; and authenticating that the potential spender is currently logged into the account and obtaining a threshold value for a purchase price limit set by the potential spender; providing an indication to the potential spender, prior to initiating the particular sales transaction, that access to the web-based content will be granted when the potential spender has been authenticated as currently logged into the account and the threshold value for a purchase price limit set by the potential spender is greater than or equal to the purchase price cost of the web-based content.