We love to share tips here at the Sensible Moms that will make your life easier, such as a tailgating menu that doesn’t have any icky mayo to spoil or packing tips to get you on your way with your fourteen pairs of extra socks.
As of lately, advice centered around kids graduating from high school and going off to college has entered into the mix. Erin has launched her first baby from the nest and has written about what she wanted to say to her son before he graduated and how she needs to be treated now that he is snugly tucked into his dorm room.
Look at this kid.
Ellen is not too far behind with her high school senior:
Ellen may have rendered herself into a pile of mush by creating this side-by-side on the first day of school.
So along those lines, Ellen had some information fall into her lap that we wanted to shout from the mountain tops because even the internet didn’t feel completely adequate to get the word out.
Drum roll please . . .
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN RENT TEXTBOOKS??!!!
All above textual excitement was completely intended. Textbooks are expensive and renting tips don’t seems to be at the top of the information presented at orientations–Erin didn’t know. Ellen only found out because her daughter is taking psychology for college credit and it was casually mentioned that instead of going to the bookstore, she could look on Amazon for this book:
So list price at the bookstore was $189.00.
To buy it new on Amazon was $140.00 and buying it used was $111.00.
But then there was this little bubble to click that said “Rent.” Even though Ellen had never heard of such a thing, she clicked it and her curiosity was immediately rewarded. She could rent it for the semester for $28.72!
Do you hear heavenly hosts singing alleluia, too? You should! Even if you’re not to this stage of parenting yet, you have to know someone who is approaching this milestone. Be a hero and share this info with with them.
Ellen shared it with Erin, who immediately texted her son, who immediately jumped all over and saved himself some serious coin.
And we weren’t kidding about spreading this news like 1930s paperboys shouting headlines on the street corner. We told our friend, Mary, who has a high school sophomore, and were immediately rewarded with this little golden nugget:
“Did you know you could get cheaper textbooks on ebay’s site, Half.com?”
“No!”
It was too late for us to use this site for the fall semester, but our friend used it when she homeschooled and has been satisfied with it. You can also sell your textbooks back on the site. For comparison, here are the options for Ellen’s daughter’s book:
But back to the website option we’ve actually used: Amazon. Ellen learned an important thing while finding the links for this post. The Amazon prices fluctuate. Remember she got the textbook for $28.72 for the semester? Well, that was on August 28th. This is what the prices look like now in September:
So it’s a good idea to compare Amazon to ebay to get the best deal. The fluctuations in pricing would suggest that it is also a good idea to research and buy well before the semester starts.
Clarification: You should also compare renting to buying used and then selling it back to Amazon. When Ellen nabbed the book, renting was the most economical option. Now as the prices stand, buying and selling back would be a greater savings. Note however that the trade-in refunds fluctuates the same way the pricing does and trade-in amounts are heavily affected if a new edition is on the horizon. Also know that Amazon pays you for your trade-in with an Amazon gift card.
You definitely should check out Amazon’s FAQ, but here are a few highlights:
- You can return a textbook for a full refund for the first 30 days after renting if it is in its original condition.
- If you change your mind and want to buy the book, you are free to do so after the first 30 days.
- To return your textbook at the end of the rental period, simply go to your account and print out the free shipping label.
- If you need an extension, you can get it in 15 day increments. For Ellen, the extension is about $18.50. You can see the extension price for your textbook after you put it in your cart (but before you buy it).
As far as shipping and ease of service go, our families have Amazon Prime, but Amazon Student is an economical membership program for those in college. Check out the benefits here:
So there you have it! The Sisterhood Secret that has already saved us hundreds! Hope it helps you too!
Update: Our loyal reader, Lucy, had a couple of selling tips for purchased textbooks that have worked for her kids. 1. Search for Facebook groups created by students at your college and/or in your major, and if the rules allow, post to sell your textbooks there. 2. Check at the college bookstore to see what sections are using your textbook that semester. Email the professors teaching those sections asking if they would share with their students that you have a book for sale.
-Ellen and Erin
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