I must have good karma or something (or how to save 300$ on uni textbooks)
Oh, the cleverness of me! You've probably all heard that education is free (yeah sure... that's why 75% of the students on my campus are indebted...), but the textbook, class and lab notes bill for this term was an appaling 575$. So I says to meself, I says: "There's no way I'm going to spend so much on the textbooks!" It's only money, but why waste it, eh (especially when you're a student)? So I did some research.
Inverterbrates Zoology: A class I hope will not be too gross. We had to buy a 107,25$ CAN (123,36$ CAN tax included) textbook plus the lab notes. Luckily for me, as I was making holes in freshly printed Ecology notes in the library (talk about being at the right place at the right time!), a guy came at me out of nowhere and sold me his used Invertebrates Zoology book for 90$, 80$ if I paid him right away. I wrote him a check. Hah. *is very happy to be carrying checks everywhere* The book looks brand new. Saved: 43,36$ CAN.
Biostatistics 1: Maths, blah. We didn't have to buy a textbook, but we have four class notes documents to buy, plus the lab notes. Meh.
Biochemistry 1: The prof. has a funny accent and a good sense of humour. AND he's not boring us silly with Power Point presentations, so it should be nice. The prof. had us buy the lab notes and recommended a textbook that we won't be using so much for this class, but for the next biochemistry class next year. Right. Well, since I'm planning on changing programs next year to study in the MSE (McGill's School of Environment), I won't be taking the next biochemistry class and there's not much of a point in buying a French textbook. The prof is putting some copies in the library reserve anyway. Saved: 123,36$ CAN
General Ecology: This class ROX MY SOX!!! :Moey We need the textbook and the lab notes. I found a copy of Ecology and Field Biology for 88.95$ tax included on Amazon.ca. I'll get it in a couple of weeks, but I can borrow my apartment mate's copy until then. Saved: 34,41$ CAN
Animal Histophysiology 1. We needed (again) a textbook, class notes and lab notes. The class seems to be sort of a continuation of the physiology class I had in college (and I liked that class very much! :D), so I asked the prof. if I could use my Campbell textbook and he said yes. YAY! I can't believe my friend, who already had the Marieb book, bought another textbook... Saved: 123,36$ CAN
Total savings: 324,49$ CAN
Haha! And some people actually DID pay 575$ for the whole booklist. Most of them are too lazy to look for alternatives or too snob to buy second hand because they think it makes them look cheap or something. Whatever. *rolleyes* I may be cheap, but I'm smarter and richer! Hah!
Tips to save on school books?
1. Buy second hand. Some of them are like new and you'll save a bundle.
2. Order online. They ARE new and you'll save a bundle. You might even get free shipping!
3. Sell your used books when you're done with them. Why keep a book you don't need? If they're in good condition, you'll sell them easily for a reasonable price and get some money back. That makes two people happy! :D
I've been doing #1 and #3 since college and saved a lot of money I can put on tuition and groceries instead... ;)
*Hugs and wub*