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the book as you go, but you never know if that book is going to be gone the next time you need it.

You can buy used textbooks from the bookstore or from on-line sellers. The advantage of buying them directing from the bookstore is that you can look through the books to find the one that is in the best shape. When I was in college I couldn't stand seeing the left behind highlighter marks of my fellow students. If you're not picky about that kind of thing, buy on-line could be a good option for you. Just be sure that you figure in the shipping costs to your total to make sure you get the best deal.

Students should also wait until they go to class the first time to find out which books they really need. Oftentimes professors will order multiple books and then will decide not to use some of them, or they will order four books and let students pick one they want to write about.

At the end of the semester, you can sell your books back to the bookstore, but don't expect to make much. You will be lucky to get back 10% of what you paid for the book, less if it was used when you bought it. To get more for your used books, don't highlight or make any marks in the book during the semester. That way you'll have more money to spend on books for the next semester.

Another way to save on your textbook bill is to pay with cash if you can. Don't charge it to your student account or you will be more likely to pick up a little something on the way to the cash register. These days college bookstores look like a mini department store. Avoid temptation and avoid the makeup counter and the racks of college sweatshirts on your way back to the textbooks.

And if you can't find a way to sell your used books for a decent price, remember it's ok to hold on to them. Twenty years from now, those books could remind you of one of the best times of your life. (And it's fun to see how soon all that information you learned becomes obsolete.)

Sources: www.thesop.com
www.gutenberg.co m

Learn more about this author, Helen Richardson.
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