Posted on: Thursday, April 29, 2010
College students can save money through used textbook sales
By Sharon Harvey Rosenberg
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Final exams are year-end rituals for college students. But the semester's end also offers opportunities to earn (or save) cash through used textbook sales. There are several options — old school and high tech — for students looking to sell, buy or rent textbooks.
Book markets: Internet-based services include BookSwap.com and BookXchange, which provide electronic bulletin boards for sellers and buyers to trade books. Online markets such as eBay and Amazon also provide large markets for used books. Sellers are required to pack and ship the books to buyers. For the cheapest shipping rates, send books by "Media Mail" offered by the U.S. Postal Service. For more details, check out www.usps.com. Green books: Students can rent or sell textbooks through Chegg.com, which operates with an eco-friendly business model. The company plants a tree every time a customer rents a book through this online service. Launched in 2007, Chegg lists 4.2 million textbooks in its catalog, and the company estimates that students save about $500 a year by renting books. Likewise Better World Books combines book sales with social consciousness. A portion of the proceeds from each book sale are sent to one of several literacy initiatives. The company reports that it has raised about $7 million for global literacy groups and recycled more than 33 million books. Old school: Of course, flyers featuring a list of available text books can be posted on campus bulletin boards, in dorm laundry rooms, student centers and other public spaces. The school-run bookstore is another traditional source of cash for used books. As a student, I often sold my books to the campus bookstore. The bookstore offered less than other buyers, but with little effort or advertising, I had a guaranteed buyer for my used textbooks.———
(Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of the "Frugal Duchess: How to Live Well and Save Money" — a coming-of-age memoir about money — and a contributing writer in Wise Bread's "10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget," both available on Amazon.com.)
