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Used Books = Save Money!

 
Old 07-09-2007 at 12:06 PM   #1
Chad
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Used Books = Save Money!

Saving Money with Used Books

Why spend $100 per book, when you can get it used for cheap $$$?

Don't buy textbooks before classes start unless you're buying them from the bookstore. IF you're buying used textbooks from the bookstore then go a bit early because yes... used textbooks are limited stock on the shelves so they go first since they are cheaper to buy. Once all the used ones are gone, you'll have no choice but to buy the new book at significantly higher cost if you need to buy the latest version from the bookstore.

HOWEVER... if the textbook in your book list isn't requiring the NEWEST version (some textbooks come out this year and are newer versions with different rearranged pages, so you need the new textbook to follow along properly in classes with the right page numbers, etc). While most classes will allow the use of an older textbook that you can buy USED off a student that already took the course. In this situation... BUY IT FROM A STUDENT. You'll save way more money buying it second hand directly from a student.

Option 1: Seeking out others to buy their used books off them

Each year you spend anywhere between $500 - $1000 on textbooks and courseware for your school year. A tip to help you save money is to write down your book list for all your courses, and then look those books up in the Used Book Classifieds.

To do this, first look up your book list by course subject. (NOTE: FOR SEPTEMBER, THE BOOK LIST WILL BE UP IN AUGUST)

Second, go to the Bookswap/Classifieds service provided by Titles and search for your book title or ISBN number. You will get a list of books that students are selling from last year. If the book is being re-used this year, there is a high chance you will be able to get it for 50-80% savings by purchasing it off another student. Simply e-mail the seller, setup a meeting time, and make the exchange. You can roughly save about half your cost of books each year by doing this!

Other places to find used books is through Facebook Groups, and MacInsider's own Marketplace. CLICK HERE FOR A LIST of where to buy textbooks online.

Now, the above methods are for getting used books through students, what about through the official bookstore?

Option 2: Buying used books directly from the bookstore

Titles Bookstore on campus offers used books. Where will you get your books? Most students will buy from either the temporary bookstore or the Tank. To read more about where to get your books, click here. Buying used books from the McMaster Bookstore (Titles, The Tank, etc) is convenient and easy because they have all of your course material organized and you simply look for the books that have the 'used' sticker on them so you get the discounted price!

Option 3: Ask around in the MacInsiders forums

There are plenty of threads in the forums with people asking for textbooks or selling them. Check out just some of the textbook discussions in the Marketplace

At the end of the year Titles has a "Buy Back" period where they buy your textbooks back from you for a fraction of the price (and I mean a fraction!). They then put them back on the shelves as used books the following year and re-sell them as used textbooks. If your textbook this year is the same as it was last year, you're in luck! The bookstore will most likely have used copies of the book available.

What is Custom Courseware?

To keep things simple: custom courseware is a bunch of photocopied articles that your professor may require or encourage you to read for the class. Those articles are then bound into a package and usually sold for a hefty price. You can not return custom courseware. Some students prefer to wait until classes start and they are a week into class before purchasing textbooks and courseware because you DO have the option of changing classes (add/drop) within the first few weeks of class. Custom Courseware is non-refundable, so once you buy it... you're stuck with it. For this reason, usually wait until you are positive on your course selections before buying it.

When do you recommend getting books?

You most likely won't need textbooks until after your first week since the first week of classes usually consists of introductions and going through the course outline. However, getting your textbooks early is always a good idea. Why not read ahead while you don't have a huge workload yet?!


With used textbooks it is recommended that you act fast. There are usually not a lot of used textbooks on the shelves, so you'll want to get shopping as soon as classes start. The nice thing about textbooks from the bookstore is that you can return them, so buy early and if you drop the class, return the textbook without penalty.

Buying textbooks from other students however, is where you can save a LOT of money. We have a whole separate article on that, check our Articles & Tips section for listing of where you can find used textbooks, and also be sure to check the MacInsiders Marketplace

hchan, lilpups, pinkshuniza, Quester, smashpro1123, spiotrowski, xxsumz, ~*Sara*~ all say thanks to Chad for this post.
Old 07-10-2007 at 12:21 AM   #2
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Agreed. For all incoming first year students, this is THE way to purchase your books. As you go into upper years it can be more difficult to get your books used, so take the advantage while you can (and save a poopload!)
Old 07-10-2007 at 07:58 AM   #3
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The only negative about buying used books is that you need to buy them early... since they go so fast. This means you need to buy them BEFORE school starts, usually a week in advance is when they start going quick.

The bad side to that is that you need to buy your books ahead of time. Sometimes people like waiting for the first week of class to see which books are necessary, which are most important, and sometimes people drop/add courses in the first week so they don't buy their books until they are 100% sure on their course choices.
Old 07-10-2007 at 04:35 PM   #4
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great tips! I buy used books every year
Old 07-10-2007 at 04:35 PM   #5
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I had a mom tell me today (I was volunteering for the first year orientation)that the course listings for Titles goes up on the 22nd of August.

I didn't have a problem finding used books in my first year, if I recall...I think I just asked a bunch of my reps and got the ones I could that way.
Old 07-12-2007 at 12:53 PM   #6
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oh so .. aug 22nd is when i can figure out my books then??
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Old 07-19-2007 at 02:14 PM   #7
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From what we know right now, yes. Check the Titles website for more info.
Old 07-13-2008 at 04:36 PM   #8
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thx a lot that helped.
um.. i'm wondering if we have to buy the 'optional materials' too..
i checked out my book list as Chad suggested and in every course i'm gettin a fair list of optional materials too.. so does it mean i have to get all of them or...???
Old 07-13-2008 at 05:03 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilpups View Post
thx a lot that helped.
um.. i'm wondering if we have to buy the 'optional materials' too..
i checked out my book list as Chad suggested and in every course i'm gettin a fair list of optional materials too.. so does it mean i have to get all of them or...???
hey. i'm ont sure where you checked the booklist from. The titles booklist for the 2008-2009 school year is out on Aug 11. the one that is on the website now is for the summer. Although many of them might not have changed for this upcoming school term, it might and that's something to be aware about. Optional materials, generally you don' tneed them. for some of hte courses its just books with extra questions, etc. or there might be a chapter in it that your professor is teaching from. Sometimes, the textbook might be on the course reserve of the library, so if you need to look at it, you can borrow it from there. Generally, i never buy optional material. if it was really necessary, it would be "required"

lilpups, spagnoac, spiotrowski all say thanks to Eva C for this post.

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Old 07-13-2008 at 05:07 PM   #10
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ooohh.. wow allrite den i check da wrong book listing thx a bunch...
yea.. okie then i think imma check the optionals in the library too..
thx..
Old 07-17-2008 at 11:28 PM   #11
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When or how do we find out what textbooks will be used in our courses for 2008-2009? i know we could probably look up the course on the mac website but what if they change them, as well as the new courses such as Psych 1X03 and stuff...
Old 07-24-2008 at 06:24 AM   #12
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It becomes available on the Titles website August 11th.
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McMaster Combined Honours Cultural Studies & Critical Theory and Anthropology: 2008
McMaster Honours English with a minor in Indigenous Studies: 2010
Carleton University Masters of Arts in Canadian Studies: 2012 (expected)

We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement



Old 07-30-2008 at 01:56 AM   #13
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hey all the first years
i am selling my first year books for science
am selling books for the following:
CHEM 1A03 and Chem 1 AA3 + labs + notes
stats 1 CC3 ( old edition ) along with the minitab software and formula card
physics lab notebook + labs ..
Calc MATH 1A03 ( old edition )

BIOLOGY 1AA3 text book
PSYCH 1AA3 + 1A03 handbook
prices are negolible...
e-mail me with the details of which text book at [email protected] otmai<WBR></WBR>l.com
thank u for your interest !!!
Old 08-08-2008 at 07:58 PM   #14
angel27
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i was wondering...do we buy our books for the whole year now? or can we buy our books for term 2 later on in the year?
Old 08-09-2008 at 12:17 PM   #15
lorend
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Don't buy your second semester books until second semester. You can't return them in second semester if you no longer need them/switch courses.
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McMaster Combined Honours Cultural Studies & Critical Theory and Anthropology: 2008
McMaster Honours English with a minor in Indigenous Studies: 2010
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We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably into the world we inherit. -- Port Huron Statement




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