ValoreBooksBlog.com

Oh, Spring Break. The coveted escape from the classroom every college student begins to pine for upon the return from Winter Break. Lucky for you ValoreBooks.com is here to make planning your week of freedom a breeze!

First Thing’s First

Trying to decide where to spend your Spring Break in 2009 can be half the battle. Many Spring Break websites and college students have deemed these locations the most popular destinations this year:

United States – Panama City Beach, FL; South Padre Island, TX; South Beach Miami, FL; Daytona Beach, FL; Key West, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Lake Havasu, AZ; San Diego, CA

Mexico – Cancun, Acapulco, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Rocky Point, Rosarito Beach

Jamaica – Negril, Montego Bay

Nassau, Bahamas and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic are also hot spots for a great Spring Break Celebration!

Party Cruises are another awesome option for Spring Break vacations! A party over the ocean? Why not! And you and your friends can spend your time on the open water saying “I’m on a boat.”

Bundle Deals Can Save You Money

Many websites are offering package deals that include airfare, hotel stay and even some all-inclusive deals! Also, if you know a large group of your friends that are all heading to the same destination, you can organize group dealsthat can save you a large chunk of change. If you can get enough people to make it a group event, you may eligible for a free trip!Even if you’ve already booked your travel arrangements, you can snag great Party Packages that will still give you access to the best events, clubs and shows.

Where’s the Party At?

Well, it’s Spring Break so the party is everywhere. But where are the BEST parties going to be? Well MTV and mtvU have teamed up with StudentyCity.com again this year to provide the best entertainment under the sun. Panama City’s Boardwalk Beach Resortwill be the official headquarters for MTV and the mtvU Village in 2009. Specialty packages have even been put together to ensure the craziest parties for Spring Break 2009.

Celebrities at Spring Break

Spring Break is never complete without some celebrity performances and appearances. In past years Fall Out Boy, Fergie, Akon, Gym Class Heroes, Paris Hilton and many others have all stopped by the spring break locations. View the full list of past celebrity appearances here.This years confirmed celebrities to show up at Student City locations, include 3OH!3, Akon, Asher Roth, Lil Wayne, The All American Rejects, LMFAO, Jim Jones along with tons of MTV Real World personalities. View the full list of confirmed celebrities here.Go to Spring Break 2009 for Free
Surprisingly enough, may companies are willing to send you to the most popular Spring Break locations for free! All you have to do is put a little time and effort into the whole deal. StudentCity.com has a few ways to travel on their bill simply by organizing group trips. If you’re great at organizing events, love getting paid to have fun and want to make sure everyone is having the best time possible on their Spring Break, you can also travel as an Onsite Staff Member!SunsplashTours.com also offers major earning potential for group trip promotion, organization and sales. Learn more here.

Alternative Spring Breaks

Sun, sand and bronzed bodies just aren’t your deal for Spring Break? No problem! United Wayoffers Spring Break retreats where students can attend and make a difference in a variety of communities around the United States. Learn more information about the United Way Alternative Spring Break programs
here.

This year, United Way will have hosted events in these areas:Detroit, Michigan: Volunteers will work to help sustain and support the infrastructure of the nonprofit sector by working to help families meet their basic needs, children be ready for school, and families to be financially stable.Indiana: Hundreds of homes destroyed by severe flooding still need to be repaired and rehabilitated. Volunteers will work to ensure that families in the Wabash Valley can return to their homes safely.Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coasts: Volunteers will assist with reconstruction efforts after the severe hurricanes of the last three years. From Katrina to Ike, families, businesses and communities have been decimated. Volunteers will play pivotal roles in helping communities to rebuild.Cross-Cultural Solutions also offers alternative spring breaks. Through their Insight Abroad program, you can spend a week volunteering in one of the twelve countries Cross-Cultural solutions offers their services.

Wherever your 2009 Spring Break takes you, just be sure to relax and enjoy the time off from school!

While rising textbook prices seem to be an expected occurrence at the beginning of each school semester, ValoreBooks.com has put together a few simple steps for students to beat the increasing costs.

Research shows that the overall cost of textbooks has been on a continual rise for many years. If the trend continues, many students may not be able to afford their books. However, by following the follow tips, any student can benefit financially.

1. Major Textbook Buying Tips

• Opt for a cash back credit card or a rewards card over the use of cash, debit or checks for purchases. You will receive an added advantage when purchasing your textook(s).• Contact your professor or his/her office about a month before the start of the semester and inquire about the course material. This gives you the opportunity to purchase the required material before the major demand sets in. When purchasing used book the earlier you buy, the better, as a wider selection of top quality texts is still available. This allows for a higher resale value at the end of the semester.
        o Ask your professor if bundled materials really will be used. If he or she says the CD-rom isn’t required or the companion workbook won’t be needed, you can save much more money finding a seller who isn’t offering these add-on items.

• If you plan on purchasing an older edition, be sure that the savings are substantial. While you may be getting a great deal now, you also may be risking a low resale value, especially if an updated edition is about to be released.

• When buying a used text, be sure to check the condition of the book as well as any comments the seller has provided. If a deal sounds like it may be too good to be true, contact the seller with any questions you have regarding the item’s description.

• Check seller feedback left by previous customers. While you may save a few dollars by going with a low-rated seller, you can also risk the chance of having a hassle when ordering from them. A smooth and timely transaction can be far more valuable than the couple bucks.

• Always search for a text using the book’s ISBN number. Searching by referencing a title or author’s name can lead to confusion and may end up in the result of you purchasing a similar book but not the correct material.

• Shop around for the most expensive books, as this is where the most savings can be found. ValoreBooks.com still offers new and used books at great prices, even as costs continue to rise elsewhere.

2. Condition is Key

The easiest and best way to ensure the highest sell-back value of your textbooks is to keep them in great condition. Using book covers, a digital highlighter and even hardshell backpacks or messenger bags are all ideal ways to maintain the condition of your books.

3. Sell books for you AND your friends.

If you’ve already done the research for your own textbook sell backs, why not offer the service to your friends? We all have friends who are too busy, or even lazy, to sell back their books at the end of the semester. It takes almost zero extra time to help them out and it will make you some money in the process! Just negotiate a fair price or percentage for your work and you’ll both win.

4. Ultimate Selling Tips

• Don’t wait until the start of the semester to sell your books. The best time to sell your texts back is about 7-10 days before a new semester. However, if one of your books is due for a new edition release, it may be best to sell it right at the end of the current semester to avoid a drop in value.

• If you’re planning on selling back a book that came with a bundle, be sure you save all the original packaging and pieces. Sending a book with an incomplete bundle may reduce the buy back price.

• Many buyback websites will offer payment via Paypal. This may seem like an quick and instant way to receive your payment, but unless the site specifically states that they will cover processing fees, you may stand to lose part of your money. PayPal often charges 2-3% for each transaction so be sure to make sure you won’t be slammed with this extra fee. ValoreBooks.com will actually cut and mail you a check when your book is received!

• Another great money-saving feature to keep an eye out for is free shipping. Just be sure you compare the total return value including shipping fees to ensure that you really are saving money. ValoreBooks.com offers free shipping and you can print your pre-paid shipping label right when you finalize your order.

Buying discount and used textbooks is a great way to save some major money while in college and taking advantage of buyback programs will help put a little extra cash in your wallet. ValoreBooks.com has documented the latest textbook sales trends as well as some helpful hints which can be viewed here.

By simply following these tips and advice you can help avoid potential financial hardship brought on be the increasing cost of attending college.