Comments on: Keep Your Child Out of Debt – Alternative Options to Save Big on Textbooks http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/ Tips for living frugal while still having a life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:11:29 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: liz http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-31145 liz Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:18:36 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-31145 It can also be a bad idea to buy online sometimes. Once, I ordered a book that simply never showed up. There was no notice, so I thought it'd just come at the end of the time window, but it never did. I was fortunate and passed the class anyway, but if it had been something like math I would have been out of luck. It can also be a bad idea to buy online sometimes. Once, I ordered a book that simply never showed up. There was no notice, so I thought it’d just come at the end of the time window, but it never did. I was fortunate and passed the class anyway, but if it had been something like math I would have been out of luck.

]]> By: DDFD at Defensive-Entrepreneurship.com http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30988 DDFD at Defensive-Entrepreneurship.com Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:30:18 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30988 Great tip! Last semester's textbooks were usually available for sale by other students at a nice discount-- I usualy checked bulletin boards. Great tip! Last semester’s textbooks were usually available for sale by other students at a nice discount– I usualy checked bulletin boards.

]]> By: Headless Mom http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30979 Headless Mom Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:58:22 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30979 I would suggest checking prices before you buy. My daughter just started at a small bible college and the bookstore prices are BETTER than any other source. And, the other cool thing about her school is that most classes will use the same books over and over, so no selling back, and lots of reuse. Now that's a program that I can get behind! I would suggest checking prices before you buy. My daughter just started at a small bible college and the bookstore prices are BETTER than any other source. And, the other cool thing about her school is that most classes will use the same books over and over, so no selling back, and lots of reuse. Now that’s a program that I can get behind!

]]> By: David@DINKS Finance http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30937 David@DINKS Finance Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:19:22 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30937 I am a student and sometimes it's dificult to find cheaper books online because profs like to use the absolute newest editions which are hard to find for much cheaper than the campus book store. *On a side note, while bringing my bro. to college on Saturday their book store had old editions of textbooks for sale - only .50 - $1 each! I bought three finance text books in case I ever need to brush up on some key ideas before a job interview. I am a student and sometimes it’s dificult to find cheaper books online because profs like to use the absolute newest editions which are hard to find for much cheaper than the campus book store.

*On a side note, while bringing my bro. to college on Saturday their book store had old editions of textbooks for sale – only .50 – $1 each! I bought three finance text books in case I ever need to brush up on some key ideas before a job interview.

]]> By: Austin http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30871 Austin Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:19:26 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30871 @Lisa Glad to hear there are other fans of interlibrary loan out there! Too many people brush it off because it sounds boring and complicated, but the process is rather simple once you get the hang of it. I saved at least $50-$200 every semester and was amazed when I would tell my friends but they would just ignore me and go to the bookstore. These are the same people who are now tight for cash and having to take the first job that is thrown their way. Savings = Freedom! @Lisa Glad to hear there are other fans of interlibrary loan out there! Too many people brush it off because it sounds boring and complicated, but the process is rather simple once you get the hang of it.

I saved at least $50-$200 every semester and was amazed when I would tell my friends but they would just ignore me and go to the bookstore. These are the same people who are now tight for cash and having to take the first job that is thrown their way. Savings = Freedom!

]]> By: Lisa http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30835 Lisa Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:31:33 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30835 We are the few and the proud. You are one of the only people I have EVER heard of getting a text through interlibrary loan. I did it in college 15 years ago. Those were the days before Amazon when choices were really limited. I can remember being thrilled when I found texts at the library and when students had internet posting groups for used texts. To this day, I can not buy a book at Barnes and Noble because I felt price gouged for years... We are the few and the proud. You are one of the only people I have EVER heard of getting a text through interlibrary loan. I did it in college 15 years ago. Those were the days before Amazon when choices were really limited. I can remember being thrilled when I found texts at the library and when students had internet posting groups for used texts. To this day, I can not buy a book at Barnes and Noble because I felt price gouged for years…

]]> By: Christine http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30797 Christine Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:19:31 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30797 I just returned to college (after many years away). I bought my books and saved by using Amazon. However, warn students to not write in books! My college-age daughter informed me that I can sell my books for only a pittance, if at all, because I have written in them. She says the college bookstore won't even take them back. I've learned something already! I just returned to college (after many years away). I bought my books and saved by using Amazon. However, warn students to not write in books! My college-age daughter informed me that I can sell my books for only a pittance, if at all, because I have written in them. She says the college bookstore won’t even take them back. I’ve learned something already!

]]> By: Stephanie http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30795 Stephanie Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:04:10 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30795 As a senior lecturer at a university, I have to agree with Sarah that you need to talk to the instructor before you buy an older edition of a book. Homework problems DO change from one edition to the next, and in some fields the information changes considerably. I teach chemical engineering, and for some of my classes I specifically tell the students it doesn't matter which edition they use, and for others it does. Another option for saving money is to purchase electronic books from the publisher directly. One publisher (Wiley) has made several of our engineering textbooks available this way, for about 25% of the cost of a hardcover book. The students are able to download the file as a PDF document and keep it forever if they want to. As a senior lecturer at a university, I have to agree with Sarah that you need to talk to the instructor before you buy an older edition of a book. Homework problems DO change from one edition to the next, and in some fields the information changes considerably. I teach chemical engineering, and for some of my classes I specifically tell the students it doesn’t matter which edition they use, and for others it does.

Another option for saving money is to purchase electronic books from the publisher directly. One publisher (Wiley) has made several of our engineering textbooks available this way, for about 25% of the cost of a hardcover book. The students are able to download the file as a PDF document and keep it forever if they want to.

]]> By: Jenessa http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30781 Jenessa Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:57:05 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30781 While it is always a great idea to save money on textbooks, remember that you usually have to use a credit card to buy books online. This is fine if the student is responsible and pays it off right away. However if they ignore it long enough that cheap book could end up costing them a lot in finance charges. While it is always a great idea to save money on textbooks, remember that you usually have to use a credit card to buy books online. This is fine if the student is responsible and pays it off right away. However if they ignore it long enough that cheap book could end up costing them a lot in finance charges.

]]> By: Kosmo @ The Casual Observer http://frugaldad.com/2009/08/28/keep-your-child-out-of-debt-alternative-options-to-save-big-on-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-30777 Kosmo @ The Casual Observer Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:56:47 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=3526#comment-30777 I'd be a little careful with the old editions, too. I remember some instances where the content was changed quite a bit from one edition to the next. I suspect that this would vary a bit, based on the subject - some are simply more prone to changes than others. IT books, for example, probably change a bit more than Geometry books. I’d be a little careful with the old editions, too. I remember some instances where the content was changed quite a bit from one edition to the next. I suspect that this would vary a bit, based on the subject – some are simply more prone to changes than others. IT books, for example, probably change a bit more than Geometry books.

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