Stretching lines, time-consuming waits, ringing cash register, fatigued cashiers and frustrated students-it’s a familiar scene engraved in the minds of many students. With a few simple marks of a pen or the swipe of a care-hundreds of dollars suddenly disappear.
In fact, Carey Horn, a first-year student enrolled in the Business Administration program at Sinclair Community College, watched as nearly $550 was withdrawn from her bank account after buying her books.
So, how can a student save a little money during these tough economic times? One secret may lie in how and where students purchase their textbooks.
One available option is the purchasing of used books. This method is effective for cutting costs but Ron Bultema, Sinclair Bookstore manager, says the typical percentage of savings isn’t easily calculated.
“Many contributing factors go into our used-book sell-price calculation. The number of units sold, condition of those received and how many more quarters the edition is scheduled to be used for all play a role,” Bultema explains.
Horn says she wasn’t able to purchase any of her books in used condition. Being a first-year student, she wasn’t aware of the limited selection of used books.
“It was a shock. That’s for sure,” Horn recalls.
Bultema notes that the number of used books available vary from quarter to quarter and from subject to subject. While there is no exact science to guaranteeing a used book, he suggests buying early.
Many students enjoy the convenience of buying books on campus. Though gas prices have recently dropped, some appreciate saving the time and gas by purchasing books while on campus. A large number of students choose Sinclair’s bookstore-as can be seen by the extensive lines during the first few days of each quarter.
While the on-campus bookstore has convenience on its side, some students prefer to explore other options. Less expensive options, in fact. It may take some research, but knowing where to look is half the battle. In the technological era that we live, students like Karimey Garr are turning to the Internet for alternatives.
“I buy all of my books online now. I shop around for the best price. Even the new books online are always cheaper than in the bookstore,” Garr says.
The Internet has the ability to save students money, but it could be time that they lose with this option. Numerous sites offer books for sale and taking the time to peruse each of them for the best price can add up.
If time is on a student’s side, sites like EBay, Amazon and ECampus offer discounts up to 90 percent on used books.
Also equally time consuming, but cost-effective are sites like BookRenter, Chegg and Campus Book Rentals. These allow site users to rent books for an entire quarter. While fees vary depending on the book and site, the average cost to rent ranges from $40 to $60. When the quarter ends, so does the book rental. It’s at that time that students send the rented book back in the pre-paid postage packet.
While all the options above can save a student time or money, there is one more alternative that many students overlook. The library has books available for rent. Perhaps best of all-they’re free. Sinclair’s Web site provides a link to the library, where students can search for books by title or author and check availability. The link searches Sinclair’s library as well as local public libraries. Did we mention that it’s completely free? The length of rental will not last an entire quarter, but if there is not a waiting list on the book, the library will allow students to re-rent the book.
The options are many. The pros and cons of each must be weighed and evaluated by the individual student. Comparison shopping, researching available options and buying early are the best ways for students to ensure they are getting the most out of their “all-might dollar.”