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Rejoice with me: It's possible I just ordered my son's books for the first semester for under $50.


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I'm in the process of listing and adding up all of the projected expenses for the next month so that we can figure out how we're going to pay them. I went to the website of my son's college bookstore to look up and price his books for the semester. There is one class for which a book is apparently required but has not been posted. There are three that do not require books (although I am mentally prepared for the possibility that he may need to pay for handouts or something once class starts). 

 

Of the six books that are required, none is a traditional (expensive) textbook. I reactivated my dormant PaperbackSwap account and discovered that two of the six may be available there. (I've requested them, but we'll need to wait and see if the other person responds.) And I found the other four on Amazon for a total of $39 and change, including shipping, which is less than buying them used through the college bookstore.

 

Plenty of time for things to go wrong, of course. Something from one of the Amazon sellers may turn out to be out of stock. One or both of the PBS folks may not respond or may not be able to find the book. 

 

But still, considering my daughter's books for her first semester cost me over $300 a few years ago, this feels like a win this morning.

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That is wonderful.  Mine took one class this summer, and I was pleased that I only had to buy only an access code ($40) because he used my textbook (I teach the same class).  Only one class.

 

And I just checked, and a used Spanish book with access code is $150 if you buy it online from the bookstore, $212 at the college.  I checked elsewhere, and that's going to be our best bet.  Thankfully it is used for two semesters.

 

I guess I'd better order today while they have a used one with an access code in stock...

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So far, so good. I've received notification that all four of the books I ordered through Amazon have been shipped. And one of the two PaperbackSwap ones says the label has been printed. (The other is still "waiting for member," but it appears there may be other copies I can try requesting if this one fails to respond.)

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I suppose it's one nice thing about having an artsy kid. 

 

Of course, since those same artsy kids are unlikely to make any money after they graduate, I guess it's only fair.

Nope-artsy isn't the only reason, apparently. Ds is a math\physics major and just told me he spent $48 on ALL of his books for this coming fall, his junior year. I don't know the details about where he got them though. In the past, he's used Abe books, Amazon, and also gotten books cheaply from friends who are finished with them.

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I suppose it's one nice thing about having an artsy kid. 

 

Of course, since those same artsy kids are unlikely to make any money after they graduate, I guess it's only fair.

 

Marine Biologists don't make much money after they graduate either.  Can I use this reasoning to insist we pay less once I find out what his books are? :tongue_smilie:   We won't even know until the middle of next month... I'm bracing myself for having to pay higher prices than I'm used to... and we just paid roughly $1000 to update his scuba diving equipment since he'll be using it far more than we do on vacations.

 

I've bought 3 of 4 for middle son and a at $360 - far better than the $600 I'd be at having him buy used at the bookstore, so I still feel we're on the winning side - esp when I know he can resell them at the end of the semester for as much as I've paid (new"ish" books both in publication date and look).  The bookstore still has to LIST one of the books he'll need...  :glare: He already has what he needs for his 5th class and his 6th doesn't need a book.

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I'm in the process of listing and adding up all of the projected expenses for the next month so that we can figure out how we're going to pay them. I went to the website of my son's college bookstore to look up and price his books for the semester. There is one class for which a book is apparently required but has not been posted. There are three that do not require books (although I am mentally prepared for the possibility that he may need to pay for handouts or something once class starts). 

 

Of the six books that are required, none is a traditional (expensive) textbook. I reactivated my dormant PaperbackSwap account and discovered that two of the six may be available there. (I've requested them, but we'll need to wait and see if the other person responds.) And I found the other four on Amazon for a total of $39 and change, including shipping, which is less than buying them used through the college bookstore.

 

Plenty of time for things to go wrong, of course. Something from one of the Amazon sellers may turn out to be out of stock. One or both of the PBS folks may not respond or may not be able to find the book. 

 

But still, considering my daughter's books for her first semester cost me over $300 a few years ago, this feels like a win this morning.

 

:party: :party: :party:

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