School books/supplies are too expensive!

pc2801 · Jul 15, 2013

I don't know what I've spent over that past two school years on books and supplies but I can tell you how I chose to save money. I found uniforms for my school on craigslist. They were $5 for a polos and $10 for whites. We wear polos in lecture and lab and whites in the hospital. The price for polos new at the bookstore was $25 each. I did not find my textbooks online for my first semester so I searched the web for used and previous editions and saved at least half off the new price. Most times an immediate past edition will work just fine. Last summer I found a craigslist ad for 33 different text books covering both the ADN and BSN program at my school, the poster wanted $100 for all the books. I noticed that one book I already had in the lot was currently selling online used for $65+ and there were several good reference books I did not have in the lot. I paid $100 and within 24 hours had sold the one book for $65. I sold several more over the next two weeks and made my $100 back and now had about 20 books I paid nothing for. Because I will be done in October, I plan on passing most of my older edition study guides and reference materials to a friend starting at a different school in August.

thankful77 · Jul 18, 2013

I need a laptop! :)

Annachu512, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2013

I need a laptop! :)

I got a great one last year at Best Buy. 350 for a Toshiba :)

ShelbyaStar · Jul 19, 2013

I just got my books and paid less than half of the bookstore's prices by going to amazon. All in all I saved $377, and this is used book prices! One book was $63 at the bookstore and I got it for $9 on amazon!

Sometimes I also wait on buying a book until class actually starts, just to be sure that we're actually going to use it. I don't know if this school will do this but also at my last university we could borrow some texts from the library, sometimes for a few hours.

Caribbean Character · Aug 11, 2013

In our program you are required to have a laptop. I bought my books through Amazon com and only paid $530 for what would have been almost a thousand dollars in books from my bookstore.

Palmettosleeve · Aug 13, 2013

We were required to have just about every pocket guide there was on top of our lecture book and pharmacology book. all together they were $795.46! that doesn't include my shoes, scrub top, pants, jacket, school ID, or school supplies. im about $1000 into it already and class don't start until next week!

clf78 · Aug 13, 2013

I have saved more money by using Amazon. They also provide free shipping for students. I noticed on several of the local colleges that the books required for each course are posted on the bookstore website for the college. Most allow you to purchase books on your kindle for approximately 3 to 4 months at a much cheaper rate. For instance, one book was priced at a bookstore for nearly $200 and only $63 on the kindle.

gianegizelle · Sep 18, 2013

amazon have it all.. sometimes you can get the textbook you need for half price as the mall price are

MadisonG · Dec 18, 2013

I just started a BSN program, and books are so freaking expensive. Even the science pre req books were expensive. Most of my friends could spend a total of $200 a semester on books, but not me lol. I don't even try to get around it. I just pay full price and look at it as an investment. :sniff:

RunBabyRN · Dec 22, 2013

I think the first semester, everything totaled about $1500-2000. Thankfully the VA pays for all of that, since I'm a veteran!

Oh, that doesn't include the laptop they purchased.

merh · Jan 9, 2014

I bought some etextbooks online. It was way more cheaper than of amazon. Contact [email protected] if you need a etextbook. It sells a wide range collection of textbooks for all courses especially nursing and medical classes.

texasgirl22 · Jan 10, 2014

i saved hundreds on prereq texts by just going to the library when i needed them. and thank god for my mom's sams club membership so i can get cheap binders and pens :)