perl4ever parent
My impression is that most options are very illiquid, and I've gotten discouraged by the huge spreads. A few things have liquid options, but not interesting stuff. Just trying to buy and sell at the best available price seems very difficult when I see for example a bid/ask of $0/$5.
Couple things - most options trade a spread of 1-3% depending on how far from the money they are and how near expiration. Option interest also follows interest in the underlying.
In a less traded issue - I guaranty the real price is not $0/$5, it is just nobody has bothered to show interest yet (and sometimes brokers do not provide the true market). Assuming you have a reasonable idea of where the bid should be, low ball it a little and put an order in. Like magic, you'll be joined by a few hundred contracts and in fact, probably out bid. An offer may also appear too.
What are you trying to trade that has a bid of (near) $0 and ask of $5? Most stocks are generally way more liquid. Also you'll find you can get hit at/near the midpoint even when the bid/ask spread is large. (Which makes sense ... as long as you offer a price slightly worse than what the theoretical pricing model dictates ... why wouldn't the market makers want to trade against you?)
OTM, non penny program symbols is my guess.
Get closer to in the money. Also look up the penny program symbols. SPY is frequently a penny wide spread ($1 per contract).