Hello Lovelies! And welcome back to another issue of A Blonde and the Books!
Today I’m going to talk about probably the most frustrating and money-consuming problem of college today.
BUYING THE TEXTBOOKS.
It’s terrible.
First off, they say that they’re required. and then they NEVER USE THE TEXTBOOK.
Secondly, THEY COST MORE THAN AN ORGAN. like seriously, $300 for A BOOK?! I wouldn’t even pay that for like a REALLY GOOD BOOK. Heck, I don’t even do that for clothes!
Thirdly, what are you supposed to do with it after the semester is over? Do they expect us to keep it and reference it everyday because it taught us so much? Especially if it’s a biology book and you’re a FILM MAJOR. *hint hint*
I don’t understand. But I digress, we all can agree that textbooks are ridiculously overpriced. So I’m here to help you with that.
Tip1// Don’t buy from the university bookstore.
Can you say Markup Central?! I can almost guarantee that you will be overcharged and ripped off by almost every university EVER. Their aim is to make as much money as possible off of naive and new students and that’s where they get you. New students think that they need to buy their books at the bookstore because otherwise they won’t get the right ones, but let me tell you, THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES TO GET THE RIGHT BOOKS FROM.
Tip 2// Print off a list of all the books that you need for your classes.
This seems like a “duh” tip, but some people go into the bookstore and just say, “Here are my classes, I’m buying all the books. Let’s go.” And they end up getting all the recommended, suggested, and unnecessary books that anyone has ever recommended for this class. Make sure that you know what books you truly need, the author, the edition, and the ISBN number for the book.
Tip 3//Ask Around.
Ask people if they have taken your class before. In addition to telling you if you really need that textbook they’ll have a good idea of how hard it was, what the teacher likes to focus on, and how the tests and exams will go. You roommates, peers, and friends can be your biggest resource, so don’t forget about them!
Tip 4//Don’t buy your books until you’ve gone to class.
This can sometimes be scary because you’re not sure if the books will sell out or if you will need it the first day or what. But there are ways to have more confidence when you’re waiting to get your textbooks. First, check your email, blackboard, or whatever way your teachers communicate with the students at your school. They will usually email out a syllabus to you a week or two before classes letting you know if you have any homework assignments due before class starts (this really is the biggest bummer of life right here) or anything else you need to know. Most of the time you don’t have homework due the first day of class and they realize that you don’t always need the textbook or you’re waiting for it to come in, so they’re mostly understanding if you don’t have it by the first day of class. In addition, a lot of college classes these days don’t even use the books in class. It’s a lecture in class regarding the reading or explaining it further and you have to do the reading as homework. Some professors will even scan the first chapters of a book if they want you to read it the first couple days of class. So don’t worry. (:
Tip 5// When you are finally ready to purchase your books, check slugbooks.com.
This is probably the best website you will ever come across in your entire life. You enter in your University or College, your department, and the class you’re taking and it does the rest! It compares all the websites selling or renting books online and tells you the prices of each website so you don’t have to go searching for them! You will honestly save hundreds of dollars doing this.
Tip 6//Think about renting your textbooks.
Instead of buying a textbook in hopes of selling it when you’re done or having it collect dust in your closet for the rest of your life. Why not consider renting the book in the first place?
Here’s my criteria for decided if I want to rent a book or purchase it?
1. Does this book look interesting to me?
2. Will I use this book after I’m done with the class?
3. Is it a good reference guide for something that I do frequently?
4. Will this help further my job in the future?
5. Would I spend this kind of money on it by itself?
Honestly, if I answer any one of these questions with a “No,” I rent the book. Truthfully, I rented all of my books this year (except for the ones that I couldn’t) because it’s SO MUCH CHEAPER and I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to do with it after the semester is over. Usually I don’t reread a book anyways, so it’s not necessary. And I don’t like taking the risk of wondering how much of it I’m going to get back if I try to sell the book on my own.
Tip 7// Check out the return policy.
This is just a good thing to know if you end up buying the book early and you end up not needing it. Most bookstores have a week where you can return any book you bought there for a full refund. But it’s just a good thing to make sure you know when you’re dropping a big chunk of change on a stack of cut up trees, I mean textbooks.
Well I hope this helps you in your quest of saving money on textbooks this year! Maybe with all the money you just saved you can pick up that new purse you’ve been eyeing or those gorgeous new leather riding boots, you know, fall’s just around the corner. (;
happy shopping!
