Hello folks, welcome to another episode of Learn from Paulina’s Mistakes!

*cue quirky music and audience pan with title overlay in some cheesy font*

Today’s adventure is one that many students, if have not embarked on, have at least considered doing so. Buying used textbooks. (Seriously, Phoebe’s post… even 2 years later, is still the shit.)

I’ve been hovering over sites for the past 3 days for 2 out of the 6 books I need. Why am I not hovering for the other 4?  I either plan to keep them (my Japanese books) or there is a new edition and I’m going to wait and see.  Hopefully it won’t end up like my calculator incident.

Anyway, here is how my process of buying used books, let me know if you have something else.

1) Find out what the book looks like and how much it costs at the book store (I really hope my friend didn’t lie to me about the prices because I didn’t go to the store)

2) Find out who is selling it for the cheapest (duh) and contact them, contact all of the people selling it for that price.

3) Wait for them to contact you back.

4) If they contact you, great, just set it up (well here is room to bargain if you wish.) If not, go back to step 2.

Easy right? Simple right? I had this all worked out, I was on my 3rd lap back at step 3 for my Managerial Accounting book after chasing the $70s. I had looked for $65 and $70 books before and gave it a day for their response.  However, this time, instead of emails, these people selling for $80 range offered phone numbers.  So I called, and unlike when I was buying my “Managing the Employment Relationship” book, my phone calls moved swiftly down the list.  Everyone had sold theirs.  I was starting to get worried.  Halfway down the page I found someone selling the book for $75 that I’d missed before and texted her (because that was what she wanted… looking at it now, maybe I should have called.)  But honestly, I had little hopes that this was still available because everyone above her on the list had sold, even the ones that were $80.  I kept going down the list.  Finally! Someone who still had the book.  Sealed the deal with my verbal word.  “Are you buying it for sure?” “Yes.”  About a minute later the $75 person texted me back and said she was still selling.

Fail.

Just needed a little patience.  About 10 minutes worth of it.  I had a days worth of it before, but when the list started moving fast I had to settle.

Here are my pickings in the end:

Unfortunately, for accounting I still have to buy the Lyryx access code,  I hope it isn’t that much.

The real lesson though isn’t really patience.   Because it is still a pretty good deal, usually.

The real lesson is:  Buy used = no HST = win!