Thoughts on arguing crazy cost of textbook

Can u buy a used one?

My granddaughters books were $400 last year.

No it is a new version so there are no used books.

This one book is over 300 dollars.

Was it by any chance written by the professor or someone else in the department?

I say this as a college student myself...

Your daughter is not special. There are probably 150 - 200 or more other kids taking the same course, all having to buy the same textbook. The University likely couldn't give a single **** if some freshman parent thinks a textbook costs too much. If your daughter doesn't take the class some other warm body will fill the seat.

I really don't want to come off as an asshole, but this is par for the course and something you and your daughter should probably get used to. Some semesters will be cheap, some expensive. I've has semesters where my books cost about $100 total for everything and I've had semesters where the book costs pushed $400.

If you feel like you should complain, I say go for it, but don't expect much more than a smile and nod.

Back in the mid '90s, I had an accounting text that cost over $100.00. It was paperback and including projects to be completed and turned in. Obviously, the resale value was nil.

You have to understand. Text books must be laboriously and constantly updated because Spanish language changes so much every year! You wouldn't want your daughter learning obsolete old Spanish would you?

And furthermore, how dare you question our fine educational establishment. They know what is best for your daughter, it's for her own good. Studies have shown that she will have much higher earnings than if she uses an old out of date Spanish book. She'll need it to pay off the loans she takes out to pay for it.

Hopefully, you get the picture.

so seeing my daughter is now an "adult" I told her to take care of it - under the impression that I will not pay this much for a text book for this class. In her first class she asked the professor about it. He said there is an online book and that if she would email him later he will send her the information.

The online book for use of it for 6 months is about $100 less. She also thought that the 201 Spanish class that is scheduled to take next semester may be using the same book as she thought her friend that was in that class had that book. For another $40 we can get it for the year.

So I told her to reach out to the professor she has next semester and even her current one as they may all use the same books if they know which book would be used for the 201 class. If that is the case we would pay a good amount less than if we bought the book new.

Just gotta ask.

That's very true when it comes to anything 'government'.
I do the taxes for an LLC I'm in and recently got a tax notice for around $1400 from the IRS.

I called and said "What! We had zero income and expenses last year, how come?" Turns out They had changed the filing deadline for LLCs from Apr. 15 to Mar. 15 without notice last year and I filed in Apr. The 1400 was a penalty for filing late.

"How come so much?" I ask.

It's $200.00 per member, the guy says in a deadpan voice, offering no sympathy at all. He did offer an 'easy payment plan' though.

Is there any way I can appeal this? I asked.

Just a minute, he says.

Less than two minutes later he comes back and says since this is the first year of the date change they would waive the penalty.

The government's new policy: If they don't ask, don't tell.