It’s not enough that college tuition is skyrocketing, you also have the cost of books to worry about. Textbooks are about as expensive as they come, and the prices only seem to be getting higher. The bright side is that you don’t always have to get them new. Unfortunately, sometimes this is the case if the textbook has only recently come out, but for older ones, there is the option of buying them used. This can literally save you hundreds of dollars, and perhaps even allow you to live off of more than Ramen noodles next semester!
Where to Look
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Textbooks.com
- Big Words
- HPB Marketplace
- Campus Books
- Bookbyte
- Valore
- Finders Cheapers
- ISBN.nu
- Book Finder 4 U
- Chegg
- Direct Text Books
- eBay
- Half Price Books
These are great resources because they allow you to shop by ISBN and look for the lowest price. Book Renters is wonderful if you’re only interested in renting the book and not actually keeping it or finding a way to sell it later. The cost of a book rental is much, much cheaper than purchasing it new. If you don’t necessarily want to go the online route for textbooks (or perhaps you are unable to find the one you need), you should also try your college’s local bookstores. These types of stores often allow students to sell back used books to them, which they then sell to others at a reduced price. These go quickly though, so as soon as you find out which textbook you need, hop to it!
