How much to save for books for uni?

Question

I'm about to start a working gap year in order to help towards some of the costs of going to university in September 2009, where I will be studying psychology.

I plan to save regular amounts each month so that I can pay for things like books and other essentials when I start, but I don't know how much I will need to save.

Could anyone who is studying (or has studied) at uni give me an rough estimate on how much they spent on books and other essentials when they started?

It would also be really useful if anyone could recommend some of the books I may be using, or where I might be able to get copies a good prices.

Answer 1

It depends on the courses you are taking, and how many.  Math and Science books can easily run around $100 used.  i think if you set aside at least $30 per month you should have enough saved.

Answer 2

you will be able to get all the books you need from the library. most of the books you need at uni are only useful for one or two pages in the each - there is really no ppint shelling out for lots of books.  Journals are much more useful. also it depends on your subject how much your books cost. my books are far too expensive in comparison to other courses.

good luck

Answer 3

look into renting your books from an online site, chegg.com is a popular one but there are many.

Answer 4

The price of textbooks is insane!  When I was an undergrad (about 15 years ago), I would spend anywhere from $250-500 a semester on books.  When I started my graduate degree a few years ago, I got smart and now I always email my professors as soon as I get my class schedule and ask them for the book list...then I order my textbooks from ebay and Amazon.  For example, last semester, my classmates spent about $125 on 2 books for one class...I spent under $20 with shipping.  Believe me...save yourself a fortune!  ;)  Good luck!

Answer 5

Your best bet is to learn all you can about how to access JOURNALS online from the university you are going to attend and get a good laptop and Internet connection.  

Answer 6

If you're buying from the bookstore, expect to spend at least $500.  I would suggest trying to find everything you can online, used.  I like using half.com, but I check amazon as well to get the best price.  I spent about $150 on all of my books for this coming semester when the MSRP/list price for all of them was about $500.  Make sure to get the ISBN numbers for your books to make sure you get the right edition.  If there is no used copy for the edition you need, usually getting the next newest edition is fine.  Check with your professor first though.  If you're taking any classes that have an online component (like some language classes, or I had microeconomics partially online) make sure to get a new copy, or one that hasn't been used for the internet access code.  You'll need that to do the oline homework, and if you don't have one, you'll be spending another $50 or so for it.

Answer 7

Your best bet is to buy two or three of the main books advised for the course and use the library and journals for the rest.  Also scour 2nd hand bookshops and book sites as that saves loads of money.  It is impossible to say how much books will cost because it depends on which ones your uni will use, your ability to find cheaper versions and how good your uni library is.

Answer 8

I always bought and sold my textbooks on half.com. I usually spent about $200-300 on books each semester. After the first semester, I was just able to sell the books I had used and use that money to buy the next semester's books.

Answer 9

Over three years of studying Law I spent over £500 on core textbooks and revision guides.

Although journals will be available freely at Uni either online or at the library you will still need your books.

Good luck