7 ways to save money on college textbooks

As college students know, buying textbooks can add thousands of dollars to your college bill before you’ve even taken a class.

While textbooks are often a ‘necessary evil,’ they don’t have to put you even further into debt.

Watch this video below from WWLP, and read our tips below for 7 ways to save money on college textbooks.

1. Shop around and buy used.

From Amazon to Chegg, Half.com to your college bookstore, you never know where you’re going to find the best prices. In general, you should buy used textbooks to save the most money. Comparison shop and don’t assume you’re getting the best price without doing your research.

Buying used textbooks can save you big money on college costs.

2. Plan ahead.

College bookstores will often sell out of used copies of textbooks before the new ones. And if you order your books online from a seller, they can take several weeks to arrive. If you’re confident you’ll need the book for a class (such as Biology class that only uses one textbook), definitely order them early so you’re not tempted to grab a new version from the bookstore during the first week of classes.

3. Rent your textbooks.

As the cost of textbooks has increased, textbook renting has become increasingly common. Websites such as Amazon, Chegg and Textbook Rentals let students rent textbooks for as long as they need for much less than the cost of buying the book. There’s really no risk and you don’t have to worry about reselling the book at a later date to recoup some of your loss.

4. Wait to buy the book to see how much you’ll need it.

While we encourage students to order ahead for books they’re pretty confident they’ll need, such as a major textbook, it some cases it may be helpful to wait until after the class starts to gauge how often you’ll need to use the book. You may end up dropping the class or find that you don’t need it to complete the class materials. And you may meet someone else that already has it that can lend it to you if you only need it sparingly.

5. Buy the old edition.

In many cases, buying the old edition of a textbook can save you a lot of dough. While some professors insist students get the newest versions, oftentimes it’s not necessary because the newer versions haven’t changed much. Check with your professor to see if an older version would work before plunking down money for a new one.

6. Borrow books from the library.

Particular for literature classes, borrowing books from the library is a great way to save money. Even some science or more technical books may be available for other classes–you never know until you look. But definitely check early–colleges may only only have a few editions of certain books, and if another student takes it out before you and renews it, you might miss your chance. Some libraries also have copies of textbooks on hand for students to use for free while in the library, so look into this as well.

7. Split costs with friends.

If you have to pony up and buy a textbook, it can be worth it to find out who’s in your classes and split the cost with a friend. While it may seem inconvenient to share a textbook, it’s also an excuse to hang out and work together, which gives you the opportunity to make friends and make doing homework a bit more fun.

For more tips on reducing college costs, check out our blog and our resources.

photo credit: HannaPritchett via photopin cc