As every student knows, the cost of some textbooks will make your budget flinch in horror! Buying used school books, in certain cases, can save you a load of money. It all depends on the topic and what title your instructor is using for your class. If you can find that book, used, but in good condition, you can save about 50% at the campus book store. In other cases, you can find some excellent reference material online, at bargain prices, which, while not on your list of required reading, may prove quite valuable in terms of helping you to excel in your major and building your permanent library.

For example, if your major is journalism, a used school book on the history of journalism will definitely enhance your knowledge. On the other hand, if your major is computer science, you'd probably benefit from the very latest book on artificial intelligence. However, programming books, such as a book on the C language, might be good candidates for the used school book market. Subjects like World History – well, a used book most often suffices – not much has changed in this venue. For a medical student, books like Gray's Anatomy were as up to date, decades ago, so unless the clear sheet layover pages of a newer edition seem worth the price, you might as well save yourself some bucks with this used school book.

Many of the large online book vendors – Barnes & Noble is just one - offer up to 90% savings on used textbooks, so you'll certainly want to check them out. The lists of available used school books is impressive and they promise 3-day delivery anywhere in the U.S., with same day delivery in Manhattan! With savings like this, it's a great way to start building a library, particularly of reference materials, which you'll still be using for many years into the future.

The campus book store and bulletin boards have been the traditional place for students to find used textbooks, but the prices are no longer competitive, when you realize how much better you can do online. There are cases where the campus book store is your best bet. Some instructors have written books on their area of expertise and that's the book you'll be working with in his or her class.

The previous owner may have been a meticulous note taker, with eloquent insights neatly penciled in the margins, giving you a definite advantage in that instructor's class. Browse through the particular copy of the used school book you're considering to see if it holds any of these 'value added' characteristics. You also want to be sure there are no missing pages, or distracting highlighting by a student who was not so astute. This will prove confusing. Compare the price being asked by the campus book store and then see if it can be found online for a lot less.

General business topics, such as accounting, economics, finance and business administration are typically good picks for used school books. Just about the only time you need to pay full price for a new textbook is when it's written and required by your instructor, or in subject areas where information changes rapidly, such as robotics, or radar signal processing. However, your budget will still have some life, if you take advantage of the used school book markets online.