A wise man once told me that girlfriends are expensive. I asked him whether he'd ever met my textbook.

"This 300-page beaut," I said, "costs 200 dollars."

Suddenly a date to the local movie theatre or ice cream shop didn't carry the same weight. I felt like I'd shattered a world view.

Textbooks stare inflation in the face and never blink. And unlike with most college "expenses," students often feel they don't have a say in the matter.

But a movement is starting – albeit very slowly – to lighten the load on students' wallets every fall and winter.

On a congressional level, there is the The College Opportunity and Affordability Act, passed in February, which among other things forces publishers to sell "bundled" items separately and fully disclose prices to professors before inking a deal.

And on a less-bureaucratic level, there are alternative textbook purchasing options sprouting up all over the place. Check out the following three options, including our recommendations for each:

Now if you plan to keep your textbook after you finish the class, renting probably isn't for you. But let's face it: Almost all of us have visited our school's "Book Buyback" tent only to find out that our 185-dollar textbook is now worth 5 bucks. Renting can get you out of this situation.

2. Cheap Textbook Buying

Yes, "cheap" and "textbook" can go together in the same phrase. Check out Campusbooks.com if you are looking for used textbooks at reasonable prices. Old standbys Amazon.com and Half.com can also deliver the goods.

The key when using this option is to plan in advance, and plan well. As a rule of thumb, you don't want to buy expensive books before attending the first class (unless your professor has explicitly told you that you'll need a certain book or two). When ordering online, you'll have to account for shipping time; so make sure you aren't stuck without a book two weeks into class and facing a quiz the next day. Be prepared to order right after your first class.

3. Textbook Borrowing

If you're looking for the most economical option, you've found it. If you can, find a friend or peer who has taken your class before and ask to borrow the book. Offer to buy them dinner or get them football tickets in return. And if you don't know of anyone offhand, use Cramster's Facebook app Courses 2.0 to facilitate the process (you can enter the textbooks for each class you list).

Really though, some enterprising student should start a business on his/her campus that pays fellow students a flat rate to be a "lender" and then charges "borrower" students a certain amount per book to rent for the semester. Seriously. Do it and let me know how it goes. Maybe we can be partners.

What strategies to you follow to save money on textbooks? Have a favorite Web site you go to? Do you think government can really rule against big business and noticeably lower prices? Post a comment below!

Recently it seems like everywhere you turn there is some reminder telling you to go green. But have you changed your ways? Has your school?

These are green times. The radio informs you about the cash-saving, environment-saving wonders of the Prius or Civic. The TV lets you watch those squiggly light bulbs tell you that switching to environmentally friendly light bulbs is like taking thousands of cars off the road. Man, if only change were always this easy.

I don't know about you, but I've seen the "quick green fix" thousands of times—and no offense, but personally I'd rather get back to Grey's.

I mean, don't get me wrong, going green is something everyone should do, even if it's just a small conservation gesture here and there. But this hubbub makes me wonder—with all these reminders about going green, do you and the people you know actually do anything to help the cause?

Advocates of green living sure make you think that your friends all just hopped off a Greenpeace boat. You don't live green? You must still use VHS, too.

I have a few friends that are recycling enthusiasts (never use plastic bags, separate bottles from trash, refuse to get into an SUV), but the rest? Well, let's just say they love their big Suburbans and definitely couldn't tell you what the three Rs stand for (reduce, reuse, recycle, baby!).

But all shtick and sarcasm aside, there are little things we can do to live a greener life. With the new school year right around the corner, several sites are helping us out:

At TheGreenGuide.com you can greenify yourself for the new year with EcoWriter pencils and "Simple Shoes."

At RedApplesSupply.com you can buy… green apple school supplies. Looks like the green craze has even caused some identity crises.

So, go on – walk to your friend's apartment instead. Pick up some empty plastic bottles on the way and toss them into the recycling bin. And if you're really ambitious, buy school supplies made from recycled materials. A small amount of effort is worth staving off Al Gore for a little while longer.

Does your school take any measures to be green? Would you pay extra for green school supplies? What are some simple tips you have for the rest of us to do our part?