How to buy textbooks without applying for a loan.

Ahhh, the Holiday season, time for goodwill and cheer. However, if you were at the UIS bookstore, you saw absolutely none of that this year. While I'm happy that we have such a good bookstore on campus, book prices have always been absurd... since the beginning of time. So absurd, in fact, that before I took classes this semester, I wandered to our bookstore to price some books, and I was in shock to see that 4 books would cost over 600 dollars! I'm a grad student, nay, I'm a full time grad student. I don't have that kind of scratch!

Who does? So, this blog is going to help you buy books without having to end up on the street corner with a coffee cup begging for change. Each option will get more and more ludicrous, so be warned.

1)Start Early- Before you go to the bookstore, either ask your professors or check Blackboard for the required texts for the class. Usually the bookstore will have all the books for your classes before classes start, so get a week's head start. You still may want to check 2 weeks before class starts because this will give you a major head start in pricing books.

2)Do your Recon - That's right, release your inner Harriet-The-Spy (Oh yes I did), and go to the bookstore to see what the prices are for each book. Professors love shiny, pretty new editions. What they fail to grasp is that this costs you a ton of money because there are no used books for that class. I'll get back to the "How to Buy New Books" later, but in the case where your class has USED books, we have a couple of options:

OPTION 1: If the class has used books, and you want to sell it back:
By all means, by the book from the bookstore. The Bookstore does a pretty good job of getting you at most 50% buyback on your used book. Don't ask me why this works this way, but buying a used book and turning it in actually gets you more money than selling back a new book you bought from the same book store.

This makes as much sense to me as installing screen-doors on submarines. (For the wit-deficient, it means it doesn't make any sense at all).

OPTION 2: If the class has used books, price the book to see if the price is reasonable.
If the price is reasonable, then go back to option 1. Otherwise, stay tuned for the other options... we're going to use this magical tool called... THE INTERNET.

Why yes! The Internet!

Buying New Books or Buying Used Books over the Internet

Going to websites such as half.com or even just searching manufacturer's websites you will either find the latest copy of the book or an International version. Make sure you know the exact name of the book, the ISBN, and the authors.

In the case where you see a cheaper earlier edition, ask the professor how much is lost if you revert one issue. If the only thing different is homework assignments, you may do well mooching off one of your friends shinier copies for a quick Xerox.

Ask your professors if going to an earlier version is a huge problem, chances are that it really isn't... unless you're dealing with modern science or perhaps History, but in the case of Math, Chemistry, and Bio, you're pretty okay. Or even all the books you need for Business Administration.

Don't just sit back and take outrageous book prices... there is usually a way out! If you know of ways, let me know too!

Hope you're enjoying your holiday break!