Every new semester comes with a new list of overpriced bound pieces of paper that you have to purchase with your first born child. Now, I understand that they were written by some professor with tenure that researched in the field for years blah blah blah, but either way, shelling out $200 for a book pains me physically. Of course there is the obvious solution to rent your books from the school store, but I am here to tell you my friend, that this is not the cheapest option. If you're too frugal to pay the rental fee like I am, here are some tips to loading up on books for a fraction of the price.
1. AVOID THE SCHOOL STORE AT ALL COSTS. It may be hard to resist the convenient temptations of picking up your books on the way to class, but trust me these prices are marked way up. Especially for school supplies like folders, notebooks, etc. Walmart has the same products for a fraction of the price. My friend spent $2.50 on folders from the school store…they're sold at Walmart for less than $.50. Just sayin'.
2. Ok, so you HAVE to go to the school store. Supposedly. Professors sometimes write their own course books and make them only available for purchase at your school store. How convenient. Lucky for you, you're a social butterfly and have friends who have taken the same courses. Ask around to see if anyone has taken the same class with that professor and offer to purchase the book off of them for a reasonable price. If your school has a Facebook page, make a post. You can even put a post up in the wanted ads on Craigslist.
3. Can you use an older edition? Older editions are dirt cheap. Once the new edition comes out the prior editions become obsolete, even if it's a Calculus textbook and none of the content really changed. You may have a mixup with the page numbers but it's a small price to pay if you buy your textbook for $10. Email your professor and ask if it would be possible to use, worth a shot!
4. Amazon, my friend. Amazon is probably the cheapest forum for buying books, especially in the textbook realm. You can even rent the books now, with a rate much cheaper than most school stores. I recommend that you buy used and sell back.
5. Selling back. When it comes to selling books, sell them ASAP. There is a short window of time when people want to buy textbooks, and you have to jump on that train as soon as the course ends. Treat your books well and avoid highlighting (I use post-it notes instead) and you'll be able to sell at a significantly higher rate.
6. Do you need the book? Really? Most universities require each course to include a course book. Read through the syllabus and ask past students if they really utilized the textbook. Wait a few weeks into the semester, most teachers post the first few chapters online sI cannot tell you how many times I have bought a textbook for an arm and a neck only to have it be a dust collector on my desk.
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