Half.com

My goal of this blog isn't to promote products or organizations but I like to share places of interest or great values.

As a former college student, I know all too well the expenses involved, especially as it relates to text books. Honestly, text books are an absolute huge rip off and there is no justification for the prices that universities charge. In a country that promotes education, you would think that text books would be more affordable.

While attending college, I discovered Half.com, which is owned by EBay. It is a marketplace for individuals to sell new and used college texts (as well as other books, media, etc.) where you can find some very reasonable deals. Often times, you can purchase books much cheaper than what college bookstores offer for often a fraction of the price.

Another positive side is that you can sell books once you have used them. In several cases, I have actually made a profit selling books back because I got such a good deal when purchasing them. As most college students could agree, university bookstores offer next to nothing for book buybacks and turn around and sell the books for a much higher price (similar to how a pawn shop works).

Before making a purchase from the site, it is a wise choice to check the going rates for the texts needed from your university's bookstore in both new and unused condition. It isn't usually necessary to purchase brand new books and get much better deals on used material (granted that it isn't in shreds and is legible).

http://www.half.com