According to a 2016 study, nearly 70 percent of seniors achieving an undergraduate degree will leave college with more than $35,000 of student loan debt! Resulting in monthly payments around $350 (average in 2012), that’s a decent chunk of money that students have to repay over terms usually ranging from 10 to 20 years.

Common interest rates for student loans are between 4% to 10% per year. As an example, let’s say your $35,000 student loan has a 7% interest rate. If you choose to pay that over a 20 year period ($270-ish a month), you will pay the original loan balance plus another $30,000 in interest; basically paying $65,000 for your education! If the rate was 10%, you would be end up paying over $80,000!

This is where refinancing can come into play (and impact your financial future significantly). There are a number of popular third party lenders (like SoFi and Earnest) that are offering refinancing services to help you bring down your rates. However, there are pros and cons to the process.

Pros:

You will pay significantly less money over the life of the loan.

As an example, let’s say you decide to refinance your 7% student loan and bring the rate down to 5% over the same 20 year term. Paying $230 a month, you will pay $55,000 over the next 20 years; $10,000 better than your old rate). If you shift that to a 10-year term, you will come out even better paying $44,000 over the life of the loan. The downside is that your payment would go up slightly. But that’s a $10,000 to $20,000 difference in your bank account over that time period!

Savings are even more evident for future doctors and lawyers graduating with a few hundred thousand in debt. Let’s someone with $250,000 in debt shifted from 7% at 20 years to 5% at 10 years. While their payment would move up by about $700 a month, the total interest paid over time would drop by nearly $150,000! They would end up paying around $318,000 for their graduate education instead of $465,000.

You can focus on a single monthly payment rather than payments across a collection of loans.

Basically identical to consolidation, you can roll all your loans into a single loan with a single payment. However, you would want to avoid doing that if one of your loans has a lower interest rate than the refinancing rate. You could refinance the rest of the loans though.

You can remove a cosigner from your original loans.

If you had a parent or friend cosigner your original paperwork for a federal or private loan, refinancing will remove them and release them of any further responsibility. Once a cosigner is released, it’s possible that their credit score would be impacted positively.

You can still claim student loan interest as a tax deduction.

Even if you refinance, you will have the ability to claim up to $2,500 in student loan interest off your taxes each year (assuming you make less than a specific income threshold, $80K for single filers, $160K for joint).

Cons:

You lose protection benefits on your federal loans.

Easily the most risky issue with refinancing, federal loans come with a variety of attractive repayment plans (full list); particularly ideal for someone starting at their first job. For instance, Income-Based Repayment sets your monthly payment at a maximum of 10 percent of your discretionary income. This can be ideal for a recent graduate that’s trying to pay all their living expenses for the first time and a student loan payment as well.

If you plan on moving into a public service career or teaching, you would also be forgoing loan forgiveness options like PSLF. Basically, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. That’s can be huge savings, possibly better than refinancing if you plan on sticking with the same line of work for ten years.

Of course, these federal benefits do not apply to private loans. In addition, if you see a greater opportunity to make more money in the private sector (compared to public service), you may actually be doing yourself a disservice to utilize a loan forgiveness program.

You lose deferment and forbearance options.

If you lost your job for some reason, federal loans have the option of postponing your payments. that can also be used when reentering college, such as attending a graduate program. A refinanced loan won’t offer the same option and will continue to require payments over time.

So What Should You Do?

I’d say refinancing your student loans is most ideal when you have a stable career, a decent emergency fund built up, and consistent cash flow each month. The potential to save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of loan can impact your financial future in an extremely positive way, especially if you invest that money into your retirement.

Personally, I’ve helped my wife refinance her graduate school student loans twice, each time a different company. The first time, we reduced rates between 7% and 8.5% on multiple loans down to a 6% fixed rate. The second time, we reduced the rate down to 4.4%, a move that will save us an additional $30,000 over the next 6 years.

Assuming you have a majority of federal loans, take a look at the full list of federal benefits to see if you want to give those options up in favor of saving money. If you have private loans, refinancing is a no-brainer; especially if your interest rates are high.

More Resources:

• 11 Best Companies to Refinance Your Student Loans: NerdWallet
• /r/StudentLoans subreddit for asking questions: Reddit
• Student Loan Payment Calculators: FinAid – SLHero
• Fixed vs. variable student loan interest rates: Credible

Refinancing Student Loan Debt could save you Thousands

The first year (or two) after college can be both incredibly fun and incredibly scary. You go from “college world,” with its parties and dining center meals and all-night cram sessions, to the “real world,” full of jobs and bills and waking up before the crack of dawn. And most likely, you’ll be broke.

But that doesn’t have to mean you can’t still have the time of your life. Here are a few tips to help you stretch your money and have fun in the process in the first year after college.

Ditch the Cable

Instead of paying for cable, get a Netflix subscription. The monthly streaming-only package is only $8 a month — easily $50 less than what cable will probably end up costing you (you know, once the “introductory offer” expires and your bill quadruples without warning). Their movie selection has become kind of “meh” lately, but the TV shows they offer are great. From Parks and Rec, to Mad Men, to Workaholics, to all 4,000 seasons of Law and Order, the selection is pretty good. Plus, they have exclusive rights to stream the new season of Arrested Development next month, so you’ll need to sign up for that alone.

Also, don’t make a habit out of renting movies from Redbox. If you’re anything like I was, you’ll never return them and end up accidentally adding titles like 17 Again, Grizzly Park and Doll Graveyard to your film collection (at like $30 apiece). 

Learn to Cook (and while you’re at it, learn to brew)

I shudder to think about how much money I spent eating out (and ordering in) my first year post-college. Going out to eat was just as much about entertainment as it was about, you know, needing to eat. Once I discovered that not only was making food at home not that hard, but actually kind of fun, I saved a lot of money. My friends and I would have sushi nights at home, or get together and down a bottle of wine while attempting to make the perfect Pad Thai. The internet is full of great food/cooking blogs to help you get started (Here’s a list of some of the best; also check out the hilarious Thug Kitchen).

You know what’s even more expensive than eating out? Drinking out. You can get a starter homebrewing kit for less than $75. Making your own beer or hard cider is easy, fun and saves a lot of money in the long run.

Just Say No to Credit Cards

I guess if you are uber-responsible and can resist the temptation to spend more money than you actually have in your bank account, go for it. But for me, credit cards were just bad news. I’d see a pair of $100 jeans I wanted but couldn’t afford and think, “No worries! I’ll just put them on my card!” Thankfully none of the credit cards I got right out of college had very high limits so I didn’t dig myself too far into debt, but I certainly would have been better off without them!

Treat Yo’self

It’s very important to make a budget, be smart about spending, and put as much money away in savings as you possibly can. But for every 10 days you’re stingy, you should have one day where you allow yourself to splurge on something special. As Donna and Tom from Parks and Rec would say: sometimes you just have to treat yo’self. Get that urge to splurge out of your system every once in awhile and you’ll be more likely to spend sensibly the rest of the time.

Pop Some Tags

Thanks to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, thrifting is like the new hip thing. But it’s also a really great way to get yourself cool stuff without spending a lot of money. There are few things more exciting than scoring the ultimate thrift store find. I’ve gotten a $200 wool Pendelton blanket for $5, dozens of designer jeans for under $10 apiece, tons of $0.50 records, a brand-new Timbuk2 bag for $7…the list goes on and on. The secret is finding a shop in the right part of town, usually a more affluent area where rich people donate their stuff.

Craigslist is also good for getting cheap furniture and stuff, but not nearly as much fun.

Get a Bike

Right out of college I signed up for a Lifetime gym membership for like $60 a month. I think I literally went three times in the four months I had it. A much better way of staying active is to get a bike. Not only will riding around help you stay in shape, it will also save you a lot of gas money. Instead of driving to Target, bike. Or instead of driving to the bar, bike (another perk of biking is never having to pay for a taxi home). Obviously, certain cities are going to be better for biking, but you might be surprised that most probably have pretty decent trails/paths for you to use.

Make sure to watch Ben’s for deals on bikes (you can get a decent one for a couple hundred dollars).

Surviving the First Year After College Without Going Broke

If you are shopping for a back-to-school laptop, be sure to check out our Laptop Deal Feed to find all the hottest deals. Also, read over these tips in order to help you understand what’s important to students and how you can help set up a student with a laptop that will last them through high school or college.

1. Size and Portability Are Vital

While you may find a great deal on a 15-inch or 17-inch laptop, lugging around a giant beast of a laptop from class to class is definitely not fun— especially when there are heavy textbooks stuffed into the backpack or laptop bag.

13- to 14-inch models seem to be the sweet spot for students, however let them test out an 11-inch model to see if they would trade screen size for even more portability.

Going with an ultrabook under 4 pounds is also preferable if your budget allows it. In addition to the slim size, ultrabooks often come with slim power supplies—ideal for carrying to the local coffee shop to get some schoolwork done.

2. You Need More Power!

Battery life is just as important as size and portability. At a minimum, the laptop you purchase for a student should provide 5 to 6 hours of battery life. While on the expensive end of the spectrum, the 13-inch MacBook Air ($999, Apple Store) provides 11 to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge!

For a student who’s going to be sitting in class taking notes for six to eight hours a day, it’s simply a necessity. Besides the MacBook Air, look for Windows 10 ultrabooks and laptops utilizing Intel’s Core M processor. The power consumption is lower than previous CPUs, ideal for moderate web browsing, editing simple documents and watching Netflix.

3. Chromebooks and Tablets Are Not Laptops

Both of these devices are still secondary devices, not primary. While significantly cheaper than most laptops, Chromebooks can be problematic within environments that don’t have access to the Internet since nearly all actions on a Chromebook require a constant connection to the Web.

You are also locked into using Google’s suite of word processing tools, completely opposite from the majority of high school and colleges, which are heavily dependent on Microsoft Office. The variety of software that can be installed on a Chromebook is also limited compared to a laptop.

While tablets are absolutely fantastic for checking email or consuming media, they are still extremely weak when it comes to productivity. Office software available for a laptop offers significantly more features and allows a student to work faster and more efficiently. If you are purchasing a tablet or a Chromebook for a student, it should be in conjunction with a laptop purchase, not replacing it.

4. Touchpad and Keyboard Quality Matter

One of the aspects most laptop buyers overlook is the overall quality and durability of the keyboard and touchpad. If your student is going to be writing an endless number of papers as well as tweets and Facebook status updates, a solid, responsive keyboard that lasts for years is important.

A problematic touchpad can also be troublesome to a student who’s attempting to write a 15-page term paper in one night. Check reviews to make sure the keyboard is not sluggish or cramped and that the touchpad can handle multitouch gestures effectively. Purchasing a wireless mouse is a solid secondary option, as well.

5. Know Which Specifications to Boost

One of my favorite upgrades in a laptop is the hard drive. Moving from a standard hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD) will provide an amazing performance boost, specifically in the amount of time it takes Windows 10 to launch as well as launching intensive programs like Photoshop. Sitting down in class and booting up your laptop in a few seconds is perfect for taking notes. If your budget won’t allow it, make sure you get a laptop with a 7,200 rpm speed hard drive or one with a hybrid standard HDD / small SSD setup.

Regarding the graphics chip, the majority of laptops and ultrabooks offer an integrated GPU with the CPU. If your student wants to be a filmmaker or simply likes to play computer games, consider picking up a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. RAM isn’t incredibly important for most students; 4GB will be just fine. However, if they are running into situations where multitasking is slowing down their computer, it’s relatively simple to upgrade the RAM to 8GB to 16GB at a later date.

6. If You Go Windows 10, Consider a Touchscreen

While a touchscreen is inevitably going to increase the overall price of the laptop, Windows 10 was really made for a touchscreen interface. It becomes more efficient to launch and control software using a touchscreen over time. However, if you go with a Windows 10 laptop and skip the touchscreen, don’t worry. The Start menu is back, opposite from Windows 8.

7. Extend Your Laptop Warranty for Free with American Express or Discover

Generally, students aren’t known for taking excellent care of their belongings. That laptop is likely going to get dropped and tossed around a few times before leaving school. However, you don’t want to waste money on an extended warranty if you don’t have to.

If you purchase the laptop with an American Express or Discover credit card, the warranty will be extended for up to an additional year at no cost to you. Check out the terms on the AMEX site and the Discover site to see how it works. As an added bonus, AMEX will extend the manufacturer’s warranty on refurbished laptops, as well.

8 Look for Software After Your Student is in School

One of the great advantages to being a student are massive discounts on software when using a school email address. For instance, Microsoft offers a four-year subscription to Office 365 University which includes access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Skydrive cloud storage for $79.99. That’s just $20 a year. Alternatively, a regular consumer has to pay $100 a year for access to Office 365 Home Premium. Many other software creators also offer solid discounts on productivity software for students.

9. Secure Your Investment with Tracking Software

After you purchase your laptop, install Prey (free) on Windows laptops or Find MY… (free) on Apple laptops. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard of laptops mysteriously going missing on campuses. It doesn’t matter who took it though. You will be able to protect that back-to-school laptop with tracking software.

Prey, for instance, provides the geo-location of the laptop using Wi-Fi hotspots to triangulate the position. It will also allow you to take pictures with the laptop camera, lock down personal information remotely and watch their movements on the Web. If they log into their Facebook account, you will know about it! Getting that laptop back from a thief will save you the trouble of going through the entire laptop buying process again.

9 Tips for Buying Back-to-School Laptops

Currently testing the concept on two California college campuses first with three more coming soon in Georgia, Maryland, and Ohio, Amazon is aggressively attacking the brick-and-mortar retail market by providing “daily essential” items at select locations.

Instant Pickup items stocked at these locations include food & drink, similar to what you would find in a vending machine, as well as personal care items, phone chargers and Amazon Echo devices. It’s possible Amazon will use these lockers to sell Kindle and Fire TV devices as well.

Conceptually, it’s very similar to products found in vending machines within major airports, besides the Echo devices. When a customer places an order, an Amazon employee goes into the stockroom, places the order inside a locker and a barcode to open said locker is emailed to the customer. That process can be as quick as a couple minutes, making it a pushing into the impulse buy market.

It’s also possible that Instant Pickup prices may be less expensive than what’s found on Amazon. Pricing would be determined on how much it cost to get the item to the stockroom rather than to a customer’s home.

Regarding the college locations, this type of partnership could continue to strangle big-box retailers like Walmart and electronics stores like Best Buy. Why drive all the way to a store when Instant Pickup products are a few minutes away on campus?

Amazon hasn’t indicated if this concept will be expanded beyond college campuses, but the potential for this type of installation in recent acquisitions like Whole Foods is a distinct possibility. While it doesn’t appear to be tied into Amazon Prime, these locations could position Amazon in recruiting more college students into becoming new Prime customers. You can find more information about Instant Pickup here as well as updates on future location expansions.

Amazon’s new Instant Pickup aims to deliver items within minutes

Heading off to college this fall, or know someone who is? Here are a few simple and (mostly) inexpensive items that will help make that transition to dorm room living a little bit easier.

Urban Shelf Portable Shelf (Amazon)

To say most dorm rooms are crowded would be an understatement. This cheap little shelf attaches to just about anything (or nothing at all) to become your bedside table, hallway study desk or movie-time snack/beverage holder. It folds down flat when you’re not using it so it doesn’t take up precious storage space.

Bean Bag Chair (Big Joe Dorm Chair, Amazon)

The next best thing to a couch (which there probably won’t be room for). Any bean bag-type chair should do, but this Big Joe Dorm Chair looks really compact and even comes with a couple of handy storage pockets/drink holders.

Alarm Clock/Alarm Clock Apps

Getting up in the morning is never fun, especially if you’ve been up super late partying studying all night. There are many fun alarm clocks that work with your smart phone, like this Areaware Retro iPhone Alarm Dock ($15, Nordstrom). And for those who have an especially hard time getting out of bed, there’s the new Namo iPhone app, which won’t turn off until you’ve taken a preset number of steps (your roommate will love you for this one).

Cord Organizers (Quirky Cordies, Amazon)

With one desk and about a million different cords to keep track of (phone charger, printer cables, laptop power cord, USB cords, etc etc etc), a simple cord organizer might end up becoming one of your most prized possessions.

Flip Flops

Trust me: you are not going to want to step foot in any dorm shower without something on your feet. I suppose you could go with something like Crocs, but flip flops are way cheaper and a lot less dorky. Plan on bringing a few pairs so you can just throw them away as they get gross; you can get them at Old Navy for $2.50 (the Dollar Store probably even has some, too).

Compact Dish Set (REI Campware Table Set)

Honestly, it’s pretty pointless to get a full dish set for dorm life, especially if you plan on eating most meals in the dining center. But it is nice to have some cups and plates for midnight snacks and stuff. Your best bet is to go with a camping-type set as they will be compact and usually come in some sort of storage container.

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Living with a roommate (or multiple roommates) means very little private/quiet time. A good pair of noise-canceling headphones can help you focus on your studies while other stuff is going on in your room, or even stay asleep if you end up with a roomie (like the one I had freshman year) that likes to wake up at 6:30AM every morning and make protein shakes using the world’s loudest blender.

Bath Robe

Especially useful if you’ll be living in co-ed housing. If you have to buy a robe, might as well make it of the sweet Jedi variety.

French Press Coffee Maker (Bodum Chambord, Amazon)

A French press is cleaner, easier, and (in my opinion) makes better coffee than a regular coffee maker. It’s also a lot smaller and doesn’t require cords or a lot of counter space. They even make portable travel French presses that you can take right with you to class.

Multi-Arm Clothes Hangers

Dorm room closets are tiny. If you don’t want your clothes ending up in one big pile on the floor (or at least not right away), these 5-Tier hangers ($16) can save a lot of space and keep things somewhat organized.

Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Even better than a small speaker dock, a wireless Bluetooth speaker is compact and portable so it’s perfect for listening to tunes up in your bed as well as impromptu dance parties out in the hall. Keep an eye on Ben’s for deals on these; we feature them all the time.

Piggy Bank/Quarters

There’s nothing worse than realizing you’re down to your last pair of clean underwear and you’re out of quarters for the laundry machines. Make sure you have a good stash at all times, and also make sure you keep them in something fun, like this Stealing Coin Cat Piggy Bank ($12 to $14, Amazon).

Laundry Hamper (Washing Machine Hamper, CB2)

Speaking of dirty laundry, you’ll need a place to put it, otherwise it will completely overtake your room.

Compact Breakfast Station (Maxi-Matic 3-in-1, Amazon)

If you have to bring one counter top appliance, this one comes with a toaster oven, coffee maker, and small frying griddle. For those mornings where you could really just use a home-cooked breakfast.

Non-Perishable Food That Cooks in its Own Container

ie: Easy Mac. Seriously, go ahead and pretend like you’ll use that breakfast cooker, but I promise you will eat more Easy Mac your first year of college than you could ever imagine. It’s just so, well, easy. And while I’m sure it’s filled with all sorts of bad additives and preservatives and whatever, it tastes so good. So stock up.

15 Must-Haves for Living in a Dorm Room

As a learning tool, a personal tablet can be extremely useful for children of any age. In addition, buying a tablet for a teenager entering high school is useful for gaining an edge in preparation for college as well as fostering a sense of personal privacy by allowing them to get away from a family computer.

Each year, retailers attempt to get parents into stores to purchase new tablets for students with sales throughout August and early September. While you can find a constant feed of the best tablet deals on Ben’s Bargains, it’s also good to know what brands and models to keep an eye out for when shopping for students of all ages.

We have put together a list of five tablets that will be ideal to own at the start of the school year:

Ideal for Early Learning

LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra

• Includes parental settings to control app downloads
• The Web browser is safe and protects kids from adult content
• More than 1,000 apps ideal for kids between 4 to 9
• Retail cost around $150, Deals in the $125 range

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

Great for Avid Readers

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

• Kindle Freetime allows parents to limit time of specific activities
• Kindle Unlimited subscription service great for kids that love to read
• Available in 7-inch and 8.9-inch models
• Retail cost starts at $229, Deals in the $150 range

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Excellent for Writing Notes / Drawing

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

• Handwriting-to-text engine converts your written notes to digital type
• High resolution display (2560×1600) excellent for drawing
• Offers up to 9 hours of battery life
• Retail cost around $600, Deals in the $500 range

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Perfect for College-level Work

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

• Fantastic for using Microsoft Office for schoolwork
• With keypad, excellent for taking notes while in class
• Processor upgrades ideal for games during downtime
• Retail cost starts at $799, Upgrades available

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

Fun after Finishing the Homework

Apple iPad Air / Mini

• Excellent for entertainment like movies, television or games
• Also ideal for checking up on email or surfing the Web
• Light weight of Air (1 lb) ideal for carrying around the house
• Air starts at $499, Mini with Retina at $399

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The Best Back-To-School Tablets for Students

It’s not exactly a secret that college textbooks are outrageously priced. When first entering college, sticker shock is almost a given. Students are price gouged significantly at the college bookstore for a new edition and provided a pittance when selling the books back at the end of the semester.

With college tuition costs already ballooning over $15,000 a year at public universities (double that for private), spending an additional $500 to $1000 on new books each semester isn’t an option. There are a number of tricks and tips you can follow in order to avoid the horrific prices on campus.

1. Plan Ahead (to avoid the bookstore)

If you have waited to the last minute and are already a couple classes into the semester, you don’t have much of a choice other than spending insane amounts of money at the bookstore. However, if you plan ahead, you will be able to hit a number of other options first. The college bookstore should be your last option, not the first.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. On occasion, the professor will request that students pick up an additional packet of information at the bookstore that’s supplemental material to the textbook.This packet is often provided for free or at a nominal cost since it’s simply a small stack of paper.

2. Wait Until Class Starts (or email early)

Unless the professor has specifically rolled out the update to a previous edition of a textbook he or she wrote, you may be able to get away with buying last year’s edition. Quite often, the professor will provide this tip during the first class when going over the class syllabus. You can also try emailing the professor early to check.

Of course, you won’t be able to find the old edition at the college bookstore. You will have to turn to third parties and online courses to locate the older edition. However, be wary of online sites that are still selling the edition as new and charging an exorbitant price (since some schools will be using that edition of the textbook rather than upgrading).

3. Check the Campus Library

While probably a longshot to acquire a copy, most campus libraries will keep a few of editions of the text book on hand to loan out to students. If you can manage to score one of these copies, it will save you a ton of cash, even if it’s only for a limited time.

If the copy of the book is currently on loan to another student, hop on the waiting list and the library will contact you when it’s returned. You can also check the interlibrary loan system to see if other branches have a copy on hand. If that’s the case, your school library can get that copy for you.

4. Considering Renting

The popularity of online textbook rental companies has increased dramatically over the last five years. While your local bookstore could offer a similar rental structure, the price will likely be higher than a company like Chegg. If timing is an issue, Chegg also provides a e-book version of the textbook while you are waiting for the physical copy to arrive.

Rental fees can often be as low as  50 percent cheaper than the cost of a new textbook and students will be able to hang onto those books all semester. Of course, students won’t be able to sell the books back at the end of the semester to recoup some of the cost.

5. Search for Used Copies

If the professor is using an older version of the textbook, you will be able to find cheaper copies of the textbook through online sources such as Amazon and eBay. My favorite site for searching for used, rental and new textbooks is BookFinder. Just enter a ISBN number and Bookfinder will spit out tons of listings and prices for the book.

Be aware that used copies could have some issues, like torn pages or handwritten notes in the margin. However, the condition of the copy will likely be noted within the posting.

6. Split the Cost with a Friend

Ideal if you are taking the same class as a roommate, sharing the cost on a used, rental or new textbook will be extremely helpful. Of course, you will have to create a study schedule to determine when each party should have access to the book.

You should also check with your instructor to see if the textbook is needed during class. While most professors simply provide instruction through a presentation, some may require you to read along in the textbook or take quiz questions in the book. In addition, some professors will allow you to use the textbook during tests, hence sharing may not be a great option.

7. Check Facebook

Assuming you are networking within your own school of study, you are likely aware that those students will create a Facebook group for the entire four years of study. This can be extremely helpful in locating an older textbook that someone wants to sell at the end of their semester.

There’s also the potential for a straight trade, basically swapping books with someone that’s taking a class that you just took. Beyond using the Facebook group to ask about a copy of a textbook, you can also check the campus classifieds to see if anyone has posted about selling a used copy of the book.

8. Go Electronic

Assuming you are comfortable with using an e-reader or tablet, e-textbooks can be a fraction of the price of a regular textbook. The downside is that the formatting may be off in comparison to the regular textbook and page numbers indicated by your professor may not match up.

Of course, you will need to invest in the hardware upfront. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a popular choice for students. Be sure to check with the instructor to see if e-readers are acceptable for class as well.

9. Shop Around on the Sellback

If you were forced to purchase a new edition of the textbook or simply had to purchase at the last minute, make the college bookstore the last place you visit when selling the textbook back. For instance, Amazon is a popular option when selling a book back, since the retailer offers a bonus when redeeming as an Amazon gift card.

While eBay is an option if you want to sell it yourself, be sure to check the sellback prices at Chegg and Valorebooks. The latter covers shipping when you sell the book back. Also, be sure to preserve the condition of the textbook if you plan to sell it back at the end of the semester. This means no notes in the margins and use a book cover to protect the front cover.

9 Ways to Save Money on College Textbooks

Graduation season will be here before we know it (ask any high school or college senior and they’ll surely be able to tell you the exact amount of time until its arrival, down to the hour or minute).

But every backyard BBQ you attend, every piece of overly frosted cake you eat, every ice cold beer you ingest (if you’re lucky enough to go to grad parties with beer), comes with a price: you must come bearing gifts.

Here are some standard gifts you might think to give the graduate in your life, along with better ideas that just might make you the valegiftorian of 2013 (the only cheesy graduation pun in the article, I promise!)

Terrible Graduation Gifts…and Awesome Alternatives