Over the years, the college has become increasingly expensive, and there seems to be no sign of decline. Aside from students taking care of tuition and fees, they also have to take care of their transportation, room and board, personal expenses, and of course, textbooks.
Unfortunately, most students fail to plan for the cost of textbooks, which can quickly add up. According to the College Board, you should expect to spend over $1,200 each year on books and supplies.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to reduce the cost of textbooks. We’ll explore them in this guide. With that said, let’s begin.
- Don’t Buy The First Used Textbooks You See
If you want to save money on your textbooks, buying used or old books online is best. Usually, most people do that from their campus bookstore. However, if you want to find the best deals, search elsewhere. Campus bookstores tend to be pricey.
You can find numerous textbooks in various places. Depending on how old the textbooks are, some books are easy to find and how often they’re used for classes.
So when searching for used books to buy, go through different booksellers, check the prices and the book’s condition before making your final decision. By doing that, you’ll find the affordable textbooks you need for your classes.
- Sell Your Textbooks Online
Another effective way to save money on your textbooks is to sell them online, whether used or new. If you’ve already bought new books, you can use sites like BookDeal.com to resell them and get a decent portion of your money back.
The selling process is simple and stress-free and it only takes a few minutes to complete it. All you have to do is enter your ISBN, choose your preferred quote, and ship your textbooks for free.
You get paid through PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle when the company receives your package. You can even sell your old or used textbooks and make bookselling a side business.
- Compare Different Prices
There are numerous booksellers online, each offering different prices for the same textbooks. That’s why it’s essential to check various booksellers before you make your decision.
Use sites such as Amazon, eBay, BigWords, and AllBookStores to compare book offers from different sellers. That makes it easier to choose your preferred choice. Another option is to use Facebook pages dedicated to helping students find and sell textbooks on your campus.
Since you deal directly with the students, the books are usually cheaper. You also get to save money on shipping costs.
- Use Project Gutenberg To Check For Textbooks
Some courses heavily rely on basic texts that may be available online. So you can check to see if you can access the textbooks online for free. One good place to start with is Project Gutenberg.
You don’t need to register or pay fees to access over 60,000 free ebooks. You can also download the books to Kindle or read them online. You can use the site to even search and browse for textbooks, including other works by language, author, title, popularity, etc.
- Rent Textbooks
Nowadays, numerous booksellers and even campus bookstores give you the chance to rent instead of buy textbooks. In addition, some sites claim you can save up to 90% on specific college books, making it highly affordable for any student to rent.
However, it’s essential to read the terms and conditions carefully before you rent. Also, if you can, take photos of any damage to the rented books. Some sites allow students to make marks and highlights in the textbooks. But some may charge you for any damages.Â
So it’s essential to consider when it’s better to buy used textbooks or rent them.
Final Thoughts
Before you purchase your textbooks, it’s vital to shop around and compare your options before making the final decision. Also, it may be far better to buy used books and later sell them online than renting them.
In addition, the best way to save your college books is to stay away from campus bookstores. It can be expensive. Instead, search online for used books and later sell them on websites such as BookDeal.com.
So, it’s up to you to check your financial situation and make the necessary decision.