Monday, March 7, 2011

Textbooks

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High variable cost such as publishing, editing, paper, and etc., leads to high book prices.  Thanks goodness to BlackBoard, I am able to study from my notes online. However, there are some classes where textbook or more than one textbooks are required.  Worst, some classes even require us to purchase a program. If you're lucky, that program is on a disc and you can borrow from a classmate and install onto your computer.  And if you're not, you are required to purchase an "access code" that can only be used by you. Without that access code, you cannot get your notes, do your quizzes or whatever.


Being a sad college student for years, I need to find a way to save on textbooks. Here is my all time favorite website that I use to buy my books for cheap.

DealOz.com - new and used textbook price comparison.

This is good because it lists all the prices, condition of the book, shipping cost, method, and speed, different stores, and coupons all on one page. This site save myself some headache from traveling from one site to the next comparing prices.  Must I add, DealOz is a user friendly site.


Chegg.com - Rent a book

This site has been around and a known site to rent textbooks.  It's cheaper to rent sometimes.  However, there are times when rent a book cost $10 less than purchase price listed on DealOz.com.  When this happens, I'd buy the book and resale them later.


Other sources:
As far as I know,

  • CSU bookstores on campus has a selection of textbooks for rental. 
  • There are always at least one off-campus bookstore nearby a college that has lower price for the same book sold at on-campus bookstore. Look for it. 
  • Buy International Edition textbooks.  Make sure the content is exactly the same, book cover may be different. Look carefully if it's printed with colors too or just black fonts and charts. Online bookstores or private sellers would clearly state these infos in the description box. I saved up to $300 buying int. ed. books a semester. 
  • Your books may be reserved at your campus library. Check with your professors.


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