Top Five Back to School Textbook Tips
The start of a new college semester means lots of to do to get ready. You’ll be needing many books to insure a successful school term. This doesn’t need to be a hassle or huge expense if you take the time to make good choices. Here are a few tips to make buying your textbooks a breeze:
Plan Ahead
Many students wait until the last minute to buy their textbooks. With classes about to start (or already started!) there isn't much time to shop around for the best price. This means running over to the campus book store and purchasing brand new textbooks at full price. Getting a list of required books as early as possible will allow you to shop around and explore your options. You may be able to find better prices online, at other book stores, or through private sale.
Sell Your Old Books
If you have textbooks you no longer need from other semesters, selling them is a great way to get cash to use toward the purchase of the books you’ll need this term. The easiest way to sell your books is at the campus book store. They will almost always buy all of your old books and you will have the cash in hand right away. Unfortunately, you will only get a fraction of what you would get elsewhere. If you have the time and patience, consider selling your used books privately. Talk to friends who may be taking classes you have already taken, or you can sell online through websites such as e-bay and Craigslist.
Buy Used Books
Just like automobiles, books depreciate in value. Buying used books is a great way to save money. If you are shop early enough in the season, your campus book store should have plenty of available used copies of the books you need, and they will be sold at a discount. If you have the time though, it pays to shop around. You will probably be able to find even lower prices on used textbooks through the internet or private sale.
Buy International Textbooks
Another great way to save money is to buy international textbooks. Publishers sell books all over the world, and the books destined for countries with more challenged economies are sold at much lower prices. The text is no different from books intended for sale in the United States. You may find that your international textbooks are printed on lower quality paper, have paperback covers, and use a lower quality paper for the pages than American textbooks.
Take Care of Your Investment
Even though your books lose resale value once you have used them, it still pays to take good care of your investment. Books in good condition will still bring you a better price at the end of the term than those which are torn, dirty, or written on.
The start of a new college semester means lots of to do to get ready. You’ll be needing many books to insure a successful school term. This doesn’t need to be a hassle or huge expense if you take the time to make good choices. Here are a few tips to make buying your textbooks a breeze:
Plan Ahead
Many students wait until the last minute to buy their textbooks. With classes about to start (or already started!) there isn't much time to shop around for the best price. This means running over to the campus book store and purchasing brand new textbooks at full price. Getting a list of required books as early as possible will allow you to shop around and explore your options. You may be able to find better prices online, at other book stores, or through private sale.
Sell Your Old Books
If you have textbooks you no longer need from other semesters, selling them is a great way to get cash to use toward the purchase of the books you’ll need this term. The easiest way to sell your books is at the campus book store. They will almost always buy all of your old books and you will have the cash in hand right away. Unfortunately, you will only get a fraction of what you would get elsewhere. If you have the time and patience, consider selling your used books privately. Talk to friends who may be taking classes you have already taken, or you can sell online through websites such as e-bay and Craigslist.
Buy Used Books
Just like automobiles, books depreciate in value. Buying used books is a great way to save money. If you are shop early enough in the season, your campus book store should have plenty of available used copies of the books you need, and they will be sold at a discount. If you have the time though, it pays to shop around. You will probably be able to find even lower prices on used textbooks through the internet or private sale.
Buy International Textbooks
Another great way to save money is to buy international textbooks. Publishers sell books all over the world, and the books destined for countries with more challenged economies are sold at much lower prices. The text is no different from books intended for sale in the United States. You may find that your international textbooks are printed on lower quality paper, have paperback covers, and use a lower quality paper for the pages than American textbooks.
Take Care of Your Investment
Even though your books lose resale value once you have used them, it still pays to take good care of your investment. Books in good condition will still bring you a better price at the end of the term than those which are torn, dirty, or written on.
