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Welcome to Student Financial Guide Online! Dealing with financial matters before, during, and immediately after college leads to many tough decisions. Equiping you with the knowledge you need to help make these tough decisions is what we do here. Take control of your financial life!
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The dawn of a new semester is rapidly approaching faster than you can lather on the last of your sunscreen. Whether the thought is exciting or exhausting, the perks of higher education are sometimes outweighed by the perils. One burden for the financially struggling college student is the rising cost of textbooks. If you find that your semester’s worth of textbook purchases are rivaling that of your tuition, it’s time to re-evaluate your purchasing habits and find alternatives to the campus bookstore. Although your options may seem limited, there are definite solutions that may help alleviate the strain on your wallet.

  1. PURCHASING ONLINE: One of the most popular out-of-the-bookstore way to purchase textbooks is through Internet retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. By registering for a user name on their server, you can browse and buy used books from other college students nationwide.
THE CONS: Not being able to see the book firsthand before you buy limits your knowledge of its condition. Ask plenty of questions as need be of the seller. Check the seller’s feedback and see what other buyers have said. Also, time constraints may be an issue. If you need the textbook immediately, this option may not be the most suitable.

  1. TRADING/BUYING FROM FRIENDS: This is an exceptionally helpful tactic if you are taking undergrad general education courses or have contacts in the same major. Have a friend who took Algebra while you suffered through Biology? Now the two of you are taking the opposite courses? Swap books. Don’t have that kind of coincidence? Chances are still good that one of your friends is completing a course that you intend to take in the future.
THE CONS: Offer at least 30% of the cost of the textbook (or buy dinner on you), in exchange for the textbook. Expecting the book for free is unfair and unreasonable. Depending on the level of your relationship, you may be offered the book for free. After all, what are friends for?
  1. ADVERTISE ON CAMPUS: “For Rent – 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Apartment,” “For Sale – Used 1996 Honda Civic.” As you walk through the hallways and underpasses of campus, bulletin board advertisements beg for buyers. Why not utilize this service for book seeking or selling? Let’s say you are looking to find a Biology book for next semester. Place an advertisement seeking this textbook in the Science building bulletin boards on campus. Don’t price – leave that as “willing to discuss.”
THE CONS: First research with the bookstore or book manufacturer whether or not that version of the text will be used in the upcoming semester. Some books update more frequently than others; be weary of buying an unusable copy. Since you’ll be conversing with strangers, arrange to meet on campus rather than at your home.
  1. TAKE A LOOK AT THE LIBRARY. One semester, I was too broke to buy a music education textbook that cost well over $100. I found out within the first few days of class that the book was available for studying in the library. When assignments were given or review sheets were handed out, I headed for the library and took notes from the book. See if your professor has reserved a copy of the book for student use in the study carrels. What’s better than cheap? Free!
THE CONS: Making trips to the library may cause inconvenience or become a hassle. Also, since the book cannot be taken from the library, borrowing it is not an option.

  1. E-TEXTING: A NEW ERA. Some college courses are enlisting to what has been referred to as “E-Textbooks,” an online version of the hardcopy original. Since printing costs are not an issue, the e-books tend to be cheaper and more thorough at the same time. Also included are activities to help student’s review, study, and grasp the concepts of lessons.
THE CONS: E-Textbooks are a new “invention,” so it may be difficult to find a course at your school that offers them. But if a professor is using one over a professor that isn’t, don’t necessarily opt for the latter. You may find that paper textbooks will soon be a thing of the past.

Textbooks are an asset to your college education, but they do not have to be a detriment to your financial assets. A little research can go a long way in cost-cutting measures. Besides, with all of that extra money you save, a spring break vacation is all the more tempting (and affordable!)

Author’s Bio

My name is Anna Olivo and I am a senior at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. I am an advertising/public relations major with a strong interest in writing and reading. I hope to one-day work as an entertainment publicist and also continue with freelance writing. I am a music fanatic and love reality television. I am also a contributor to the StudentFinancialGuide.com website.
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