Going To College? Here's A Lesson In Frugality

So I, like several other people my age, am soon to return to college, and have to buy books for my classes. Last semester I took three courses and dropped close to $500 on books.

That type of bill for incoming freshmen or someone who isn't expecting it, can be a real breath taker. So the guys over at The Consumerist were kind enough to come up with some ways you can save some money on books.

Apparently the most popular site is abebooks.com, where they lists a lot of books at half or less what Amazon lists them for. CNN chimed in with suggestions of cheapesttextbooks.com and half.com.

I am sure that I am not the only one that has had the pleasure of dealing with Follet's and the college's financial aid department only choosing to work with the local or integrated bookstore, so, since I am a broke college student, with no money, I will once again be paying the outrageous prices that they command.

However, I can offer up some personally experienced money saving tips. First, check and see if your institution of higher learning has any agreements or deals with the local public transportation company, I know with my college ID I can ride the local bus as often as I want for free. Next, check and see which restaurants offer student discounts, yeah, you are better off saving money if you don't eat out, but sometimes its deserved or required. Much past that the only sage-like advice I can offer up is, if you don't need it, don't buy it, I know there is a lot of stuff people recommend you bring to school, but I assure you, you will take on a minimalist point of view shortly after starting.

Cheap Textbooks And Other Discounts For College Students [via Consumerist]