Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Abebooks vs. Amazon – Comparing the top textbook market places

Given the constant influx of youths entering college, the demand for textbooks is nonstop. Textbooks are available not only in standard bookstores but also in second-hand stores, in eTextbook downloadable forms and, of course, in online market places.














The two most popular textbook market places would be Abebooks and Amazon. What many people do not know, however is that Abebooks and Amazon are not rivals in the textbook market place; Abebooks is actually a subsidiary of Amazon. The main difference between the two is that while Amazon sells generally anything one can think of, from textbooks to toys to music memorabilia, they specializes in dealing with textbooks alone. Also, Abebooks is unique in the sense that it does not just sell textbooks but it purchases them as well.

Abebooks is actually known to be a very big help to students looking to save or make money because it helps them do exactly that. Offering competitive prices for old and used textbooks, Abebooks allows students to get rid of their old textbooks and earn some money at the same time. As a special bonus, Abebooks even takes care of the shipping costs of purchased books by making them eligible for free shipping.

Another great thing about Abebooks is that they purchase textbooks from all over the globe, not just in the United States of America. In fact, the payments made for the purchased books are guaranteed to be made in the currency of the country they were from for the convenience of the seller. A strength given to them by Amazon, Abebooks is considered a major contender in textbook marketplaces.

In order to make a textbook purchase or sale, the process is quite simple. For sales for example, one must input the textbooks into the sites, wait for a suitable quote then have it shipped off. Free shipping labels can be printed out during this process. When the textbook has arrived at its final destination, the payment is sent and the process is complete.

In conclusion our Abebooks vs Amazon comparison shows that Although there are a handful of textbook market places, Abebooks is certainly one to consider for those who are looking for easy and fruitful transactions. Catering to students worldwide, visit their site and have a look at how Abebooks can help you today. That about wraps it up, the only thing to remember is to head over to our coupon site and take advantage of an available Abebooks Coupon Code that you can apply to your order cost. Its a simple step that will help you save even more cash on your books. Good Luck!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Top Textbook Rental Sites – Which should you choose?

As many people know, a college education does not come cheap. Apart from heavy tuition expenses to pay for, one must also pay for food, transportation and, of course, textbooks. Although tuition, food and transportation costs are difficult to dodge, some have found that it is possible to save on textbook costs; while every college student needs a textbook to keep up in class, not every college student needs to actually own these textbooks.

Easy, cost-effective and practical, more and more students are choosing to rent rather than purchase their yearly textbook requirements. Due to this growing trend, textbook rental sites have grown in number as well; but though the plethora of options makes renting textbooks more accessible, it does not necessarily make the choice easier. For students new to renting textbooks from textbook rental sites, the vast number of textbook rental sites can make it quite confusing. To make one’s choice easier, one should know the basic things that make one textbook rental site better than the other.

Offhand, one should do a little bit of research. Blogs, polls and testimonial sites usually offer useful information, at times even ranking top textbook rental sites along with detailed descriptions of the rankings. Also, one should note the things one is willing to pay for and give up when it comes to renting textbooks. For example, if one is looking to find newer textbooks, one should be ready to pay a little bit more. On the other hand, if one is looking for cheaper prices, one should be prepared to get older, slightly more used copies.

Textbook rental sites also vary in terms of the collection of textbooks they have, as well as the time periods within which you can rent them out. Be sure to check the different options each textbook rental site offers to see which services suits one the best. Many textbook rental sites also offer regular promotions ad discount rates for students looking to cut their costs even more. If caught at the right time, these sites can help one slash an average of about 10-15% of their rental fees off.

With just a little bit of effort, one is sure to find the right textbook rental site. If in doubt, one should turn to the lists of top textbook rental sites and simply go choose among those; although they may be a little bit more expensive than other, less popular sites, one can be assured that one’s money will not be put to waste.

Monday, July 18, 2011

College Expenses List - How To Get Your Expenses In Order

If you are about to embark on the adventure of college life, it is extremely important that you get your expenses in order first. Because college is a generally costly expense that stretches over a span of about 4 years, it is necessary to plan out one’s expenses in order to ensure the steady flow and proper maintenance of it.

Here is a college expenses list to help you get your expenses in order:


1. Tuition: without a doubt, tuition expenses will be the most costly of all. For those struggling to make full payments, most colleges offer alternative payment plans that can afford one more time. Also, if one foresees some difficulties making payments, one can apply for a scholarship or aid program.

2. Textbooks: although the price of a single textbook is generally affordable, having to buy 3 or 4 of them every semester can make expenses go up. As alternatives, one can opt to purchase textbooks from second-hand bookstores or rent them from online textbook rental sites. Purchasing eTextbooks on digital devices is also another option.

3. Supplies: one’s expenses for supplies can either go up or down depending on how smartly one shops and maintains items. It is best to purchase good-quality pieces for items that are essential and will be used for a long time such as a school bag or school shoes. Although these good-quality items will initially be more expensive than other options, the time it takes before you actually have to replace them makes up for the cost. The items that one can choose to save on are the pens, notebooks and pads of paper.

4. Food: just like with supplies, food expenses can go up or down. If one chooses to purchase meals, snacks and beverages every day, the expenses will surely rise especially if some of these meals, snacks and beverages are purchased in restaurants or eateries outside school. If, on the other hand, one chooses to pack food and snacks as well as take along a water bottle, food expenses will be very minimal. If one does choose to purchase some meals and still save some cash, these meals should be purchased on campus as prices as generally cheaper in cafeterias than in restaurants.

5. Transportation: getting a student to and from school will definitely cost money. In order to save, one can assess the different public transportation options available or perhaps even form a local carpooling system with nearby friends.

College Budgeting Tips for 2011

For many students, college is a time to be free and independent. Although this freedom and independence is usually seen as fun and exciting, it can also come to be difficult, especially when it comes to money. If a college student is unable to budget and manage his money properly, he may find himself free and independent yet also broke and struggling. In order to avoid this, here are some college budgeting tips for 2011 that will help you save big:

Keep track of your money: simple yet extremely effective, writing down the amount of money that comes into and goes out of one’s wallet can be a very big help. Most of the time, people are not conscious of the amount of money that they spend in a day, especially if it is spent in little amounts at a time; what happens is that while they are spending a few bucks here and a few bucks there, they never realize how much money they have spent in total. By keeping track of your expenditures, you can make yourself more aware of it and hence more in control.

Rent textbooks: as important as textbooks are to one’s educational experience, one need not purchase new textbooks every semester. Instead, one can opt to rent them from campus stores or online rental sites. Easy to do and very practical, renting one’s textbooks are a great way to save some cash.

Pack your own food: although it may be tempting to purchase food at a nearby eatery or at the school cafeteria, bringing packed lunch and a water bottle can be a big help on the budget. One should keep in mind that packing food need not be a daily practice, unless one is truly trying to save up. Otherwise, one can simply choose two or three days out of the week wherein food will be packed and treat oneself to purchased meals on the other days.

Get a part-time job: though college life seldom leaves time for standard part-time jobs, there are many alternative job options to explore, especially online. Using the internet and just a little bit of effort, one can make a substantial amount of extra cash. Whether it be selling old items, freelance writing or basic tutoring, taking an online job is something one should definitely give a try.