During college it is common for most students to buy numerous textbooks, both required and recommended, for the classes they enroll in. Reading and writing comprise the bulk of learning activities in college, so a small fortune may be spent on amassing anthologies, histories, biographies, workbooks, and other types of books for a range of courses. However, after college the books may no longer be needed, and they might take up considerable storage space that would be useful for other things. If you are looking to unload your collection of aging college textbooks, here are some possibilities.
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Have a Garage Sale.
Books are a popular purchase item at many garage sales and yard sales, where college students frequently like to shop. Make sure the books are clean and not dusty, and that all the pages are in good condition. Although the sale price will usually be much lower than what you originally paid as the purchase price, you can still earn money on books that would otherwise utilize home storage and gather dust. If some books don’t sell at the yard sale, you can save the leftovers for the next time you organize a sales event, or offer them for consignment at yard sales and garage sales hosted by relatives and friends.
Donate Books to Thrift Stores or Charities.
Books can be donated to thrift stores like Goodwill or various charities at a designated donor rate, which is available through the shop or charitable organization as a printed list, or online at their websites. You can then keep track of your donated books’ value and use the donor receipt as a tax deduction when you file tax returns. Your donated books will also help others benefit, whether someone is trying to self-educate themselves with a book on learning a foreign language or accounting, or college students with limited funds for buying required high-price course books.
Sell Your Books on Campus.
You can also sell textbooks to students at your college campus, which is one of the most convenient ways to sell them. After all, students at the same university may take the same courses with the same professors who will require the same books. Thus, local students are your best target market. You can probably post a sign listing your available books at the student union or in a dorm commons area. Many instructional buildings and the campus library also provide space for student fliers and ads where books for sale can be listed, along with your asking price and contact information.
Advertise Books Online.
If you have a personal website, you could sell textbooks there. Otherwise, you can make use of popular commercial sites, like eBay and Craig’s List, to market your collection of books. Be sure to provide the full text name, the author, the edition, and the ISBN number to attract the buyers who are most interested in those specific books. Some sellers include a photo of their books to help prospective buyers readily identify them and check out their condition. Books without damaged covers or pages will bring the best price.
Resell Your College Texts to Bookstores.
Selling your books to stores that specialize in new and used books for college students is the best way to get a higher return on your investment. For example, BooksRun offers a fair price for used books that can help new college students who may be struggling to fund their education. You can often download a shipping label to mail your books to the bookstore that agrees to purchase them. Check the ISBN numbers of used texts being purchased at the website to see if your books are being accepted, and if so, at what price.
It is not hard to sell used textbooks, since there are plenty of students locally and across the country who are looking for good deals on their required college books, which can otherwise be quite expensive when new. Depending on how old your books are and the most convenient way of selling them, you could soon free up some storage space in your home while pocketing some cash. Check out these options for more information on how to make the most on recycling your college books.