textbooks are like cars...

...they both depreciate in value.
the more you use 'em, the less they're worth (miles/very good, good, poor... ya you know what im talking about) - the older they get the more new editions and models are to replace them. annnd, if you don't have 'em you don't get very far... you can always borrow one from a friend or a library, but if you wreck it or lose it you're going to get fined. the exception is the jewel: that original classic that you've kept in mint condition and you don't let anyone touch - but they can look - because the older it gets and the better condition it's kept in: the more it's worth.

my favorite is paying up the you know what for textbooks and turning around to sell them back for nearly nada - definitely made this mistake the first semester of my freshman year. same thing with selling your car to a used car company - you might as well just sell it yourself and save the couple grand they are ripping you off.


so classes start wednesday - yeah this past month has flown by - and I gathered a list of my materials and resources needed, and recommended, according to my professors. books can get kind of spendy so there's a little procedure that must be carefully abided by in order to save a few bucks: I call it NICOLE'S TEXTBOOK PLAN

1. check students at your university (especially roomates and hallmates) who had/have the same classes or need/ed the same books and see if you can borrow or buy for extra cheap or make some kind of deal (i do not suggest sharing a book with someone unless it's just one other person and you guys are close, and if you are at a school like HIU don't share a book with the opposite sex - it gets kind of tricky)
2. nick books off the list that you can definitely get by without - usually ones on the professors' "recommended list". find out how often your respective professors even use the textbook (i.e. my Physics professor listed and expensive textbook for his class and throughout the semester we used it maybe twice. when I had him again for Chemistry and Biology I didn't make the same mistake of purchasing the textbook).
STEPS ONE AND TWO ARE WHERE YOU SAVE THE MOST MONEY

3. with the remaining list of books that you need: compare the prices of your University Bookstore USED books to that of an online store (such as ecampus or alldirect). try to buy most of your books AT ONE ONLINE STORE - don't spread it out because you will reap the consequence when it comes to shipping costs (most companies offer free ground shipping if your final purchase is over $50 - but realize FREE means you are waiting up to 2 weeks to receive your books SO GET STARTED EARLY if you want to save $$ on shipping costs). If you need your books sooner choose a faster shipping option and make sure that the cost does not exceed the amount you are saving from buying the books online versus buying them at your on campus bookstore BECAUSE THIS DEFEATS THE PURPOSE. If you are purchasing at least ONE book online that you found a good deal on, it is a good idea to buy NEW books online if they are the same price as USED books at your on campus bookstore only in order to save on shipping costs if you are using the STANDARD GROUND SHIPPING, because it is a free option.
4. so you've bought your books, eh?? well YOU'RE NOT DONE... time to sell them back. i suggest keeping novels, becuase you aren't gonna get much more than a buck for 'em and I know you probably didn't read them anyway, so maybe you will some day. for ones that you did read and enjoyed you might as well keep 'em and start a collection. BUUUUUT for those damn textbooks, well those are just so big and heavy and uneeded so they have got to go. the easiest thing to do is sell them back to your university bookstore, and you know why??, because you aren't going to get crap for them. So i recommend finding a freshman and ripping them off - ha no im just kidding - but the first thing you should do is advertise around the dorms and such that you have books and you want to make a deal or sell them for real cheap (be a good fellow collegemate and sell a book to student for the same dirt cheap price you would be selling them back to the university store for). if you are really looking into getting most money out of it possible, try selling a book to an online bookstore (compare the sell back price to your university bookstore) OR open up an account with an online bookstore and sell to others online for whatever price you choose... the service is FREE.


When you are all done - total the amount of $$$ you saved and pat yourself on the back... then go take your favorite person out and splurge OR pay for your First Aid and CPR fees, your new passport photo fee, your passport renewal fee...