College textbooks cost a fortune, but your family can recoup at least a few dollars by unloading the books at the end of the year. The newer the book, the more likely it is to have decent resale value, so encourage your child to make a decision about his books as soon as finals are over – or as soon as that crate of textbooks starts gathering dust in your garage. Here's what to hang onto:
- Basic textbooks and Norton anthologies of poetry and literature that any younger siblings are likely to need within the next two years.
- Classic literature – whether it’s “The Iliad” or Machiavelli’s “Prince,” these books are assigned to every generation.
- And, of course, biochem, calculus and econ books that are used in a series of classes your child might continue next year.
Everything else can go, unless your child has a sentimental attachment to them (OK, I still have a dog-eared Norton anthology on my bookshelf too), but if you’re going to resell books, do it within a few months. Wait too long and a new edition may render your kid’s $150 textbook obsolete.
Books can be sold back to the campus bookstore, but you may end up recouping more money by selling it via Amazon, Half.com or Chegg.com.
