Textbooks and more

It is more than likely that time in the semester when you have already registered, or will soon be registering, for classes. Those $100 and higher textbooks are a reality. However, a little ingenuity will help you monitor those steep costs. .

Consider registering for free with Borders Rewards to receive a variety of (nearly weekly) specials throughout the year. For example, while it expires today, a recent email includes a coupon (for members) for 30% off any purchase of $10 or more, online or in the store. Do not despair, inevitably there will soon be another email with an additional book discount available. For more information regarding the benefits of joining, read the program benefits and facts. In the meantime, find out the titles and ISBN numbers for your textbooks, and this may be just one of many ways to begin cutting your costs.

In addition, if you are beginning to plan for the holidays, today's email provided a coupon (for members) for 40% off all Cd's (limit 3).

Barnes and Noble offers a similar membership card, however, they charge a $25 yearly membership fee. Given that many university bookstores are owned and operated by Barnes and Noble, this may be an option worth considering.

Also, begin to ask around at school to see who may have already taken the class you're intending to take. They may be willing to sell or lend it to you.

I'll cover a number of additional ways to save on textbooks in future posts. Stay tuned!