OK so there are no answers for how much to buy 1000 that fit the bill for my friend from Atlanta. He has changed the question . "What would be the best way to buy 1000 shares  as cheaply as I can" ?? I gave him what some would call a really whacky answer. First I would find out exactly where the shares were. So he said "How in the world would I do that" ? Many will tell you it's not a sound investment strategy until they take a minute to think it out but I said. I would put in an order to buy 1 share at the $49.51 bid price and yes I know it would cost $10.00 to do it. To me $10.00 is cheap for knowledge. If there were shares at $28.50 you would get 1 share for $28.50 and you would know where the shares were for the day. Checking for shares only costs $10.00. In New York next week that's the price of a pack of cigarettes.