With the start of a new semester comes new classes. What is one thing students need for almost all classes? The course textbook of course!
One fact we all know, whether we’ve had to buy our own books before or not, is that textbooks are downright outrageously expensive. According to the National Association of College Stores (NACS), during the 2007-2008 school year, students spent an average of $488 on course textbooks per semester.
If that is just a bit out of your price range, here are some helpful tips that could save you some cash.
While purchasing your course textbooks from the bookstore is more convenient, most of the time it is also more expensive.
Try searching around online for a better deal. Cheapbooks.com, Amazon.com and Half.com are all Web sites which offer prices that are much cheaper than the university.
Sometimes, a “NEW” or “LIKE NEW” book sells for the price of a “USED” book. Just be cautious when buying: Be sure you are not buying an out-of-date edition or international edition because as the content may be different, and be aware of the costs to ship the book to you, because they can make a good deal into an expensive one.
Also, have a reasonable time-frame in which to receive your book(s). If today is Friday and your class is on Monday, you may have no choice but to buy from the bookstore.
As you go through college and make friends, you will definitely meet people who are pursuing the same major and taking the required general education classes.
Find someone who has already taken the class and ask for their book. You could even offer to pay them a fraction of the price they paid for it if only to take it off their hands.
So, instead of buying that Culture and Civilization book for $67, give a friend $34. You save some money and your friend gets rid of an unwanted book.
While they are not visually appealing, a few torn pages, bent covers or creases in the spine aren’t really a big deal if you’re only using the book for a few weeks.
Regardless of if you shop at the university bookstore or online, USED books will always be cheaper than new ones.
It all comes down to how much highlighting or margin notes you are willing to put up with.
Online sites will usually state whether or not there is any highlighting in the book, and you can ask for minimal highlighting from the bookstore. Just remember, sometimes what is in stock is what you get.
This tip can probably save the most money. If your textbook is available in the library, it’s free to use!
You can do just about everything with a library copy of the book that you can do if you had your own, with the exception of highlighting and taking margin notes. If your textbook is not available in the library, encourage your professor to make a copy or two available for use.
Dr. Valerie Perry, Assistant Proffessor of English, makes other options available for her classes. For example, the rules for MLA formatting have changed.
“Because MLA recently changed its guidelines, I like to refer them to the Purdue University Online Writing Lab, which is a highly accurate (and free) resource,” said Perry.
She also said that putting a book in the library could result in the “inconvenience of […] library reserve.”
“Perhaps the answer lies in the rise of electronic books that students can download – these will soon be much more affordable (and in some ways more user-friendly) than our traditional paper-based system,” Perry concluded.
Until something better comes along, students must shop around to try to find a good deal. Hopefully these tips will help you save some money when you purchase your textbooks.
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