An Education in Saving on Textbooks
By Heather Wallace
Every year students flock to the college
bookstore to purchase the various textbooks
that they require for their classes. Little
do these students realize that, in doing so,
they are throwing good money away. As unbelievable
as it may seem textbooks, in some cases, actually
cost as much, if not more, than tuition.
On the surface the college bookstore
may seem like a convenient source for
textbooks. Titles are usually in-stock
and students may purchase new textbooks
or opt for the cheaper alternative of
used books. In truth the money saved by
purchasing used textbooks from the college
bookstore is only a fraction of the amount
that students could be saving if they
shopped online.
More and more online booksellers have
begun selling textbooks at a considerable
discount off of the cover price. In fact,
many major booksellers now have special
areas of their web sites that are devoted
to selling nothing but textbooks. Online
used bookstores are another source for
college books as they stock a large number
of textbooks, which means sizable savings
for students. There are also web-based
retailers whose inventory is entirely
devoted to college books.
Students should avoid purchasing their
textbooks at the first store that they
browse. Instead, they should investigate
the alternatives offered by other online
booksellers. Price isn't the only factor
to consider when making an online purchase.
Students should also factor in shipping
costs and delivery time when making their
buying decision.
Online auctions are another option for
students seeking a bargain. This option,
however, has its pros and cons. A plus
is that students can get incredible bargains
when obtaining books via online auctions.
One downside is that established retailers
have channels in place to ensure that
you receive your order within a reasonable
amount of time. With an auction purchase,
however, you are at the mercy of the auction
seller's timetable.
One way that students can really save
is by obtaining books for free. Project
Gutenberg is one resource that English
majors will find invaluable. At this site
students can peruse a vast collection
of classics that have entered the public
domain. In the past students seeking assistance
with their studies had to pay for the
privilege of that help by purchasing study
guides. Today that is no longer the case.
Cash-strapped students can now visit Spark
Notes for free downloadable study guides
as well as free downloadable classics.
Students who elect to buy online will
no longer be able to resell their books
to the college bookstore at the end of
class, but that doesn't mean that they
are stuck with the textbooks. Many web
sites that sell textbooks also offer students
the option of selling their books to fellow
bargain-seekers. This allows students
to easily recouping a portion of their
money.
Textbooks normally consume a major portion
of a student's budget, but that doesn't
have to be the case, because while the
cost of tuition may be set in stone the
price of textbooks isn't. By taking the
time to do a little research on the best
textbook values available college students
can save money now rather than acquiring
debt to be paid back later.
Copyright © 2004 Heather Wallace
Heather Wallace is founder of http://www.BargainMartian.com
Visit to take advantage of the out of
this world bargains from leading merchants
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