By Luigi Rosella
Just when you think your bankbook and self-esteem can’t get any lower after paying your tuition, it’s time to buy textbooks.
Here are a few tips so your textbook bill won’t look like some long-distance phone number.
The Ryerson brass will try to persuade you into buying all your textbooks at the Ryerson Bookstore. But the incredible selection at this bookstore comes with ridiculous prices. There are cheaper places to explore.
The preferred destination of Ryerson students is the Used Boom Room where books are at least 20 per cent cheaper than the Bookstore. Moreover, the books in the Used Book Room already include tax, so you’re really getting a 35 per cent discount.
The books are, of course, used, but the Used Book Room does compensate for this by giving students an opportunity to sell textbooks back to them. This way, students save money, and in the end, they can make some as well.
Discount textbooks is also an apt money saver. Located at 258 Victoria St., it’s not geographically in the Ryerson community, but it sells new textbooks at discount prices.
Ana-Maria Marques, a diploma in arts student at Ryerson, saved a bundle last year. “Some books that I bought there, I saved 30 or 40 per cnt, and the books were new,” she said.
The only knock against Discount Books is its very limited selection.
Book shopping does not have to be constrained to Ryerson.
“Most courses in English, Journalism, Hospitality/Tourism, and some business courses usually contain textbooks that can be found at any store,” said Peter Brunner, manager of campus stores and general services at Ryerson.
Brunner recommends World’s Biggest Bookstore. It’s close to Ryerson and the prices are reasonable and cheaper than the Ryerson Bookstore.
However, sometimes the Ryerson Bookstore is an inevitability. “There are courses such as civil engineering, in which the textbooks are hard to find and updated every year, and because the Ryerson Bookstore is instructor-gided, it will be the only place that carries that book,” Brunner said.
Erin George, president of RyeSAC, has advice for anyone who’s serious about saving money. “When I was taking English courses, I never once bought a novel,” she said. Instead, she took advantage of the Toronto Public Library system and saved hundreds of dollars.” All Ryerson students can become members, even if they don’t live in Toronto.
Money has become a serious issue in university life these days, so take caution when book shopping in September. A lot of money can be spent, but an abundance can be saved if you know where to go…And now you know.
Leave a Reply