4 Ways to Save Money on Textbooks

The start of a new year at college is like waking up on your first day of kindergarten; freshman are excited to meet new friends, get a fresh start, and hang out in the adorable dorm they spent forever color coordinating. Upperclassmen can't wait to reconnect with friends and get on with the best four years of their lives. All that energy and excitement, however, can be hopelessly crushed before classes even start when you realize you still need to buy textbooks.... can you say BROKE?? Brand new college textbooks can run up to $300 just for one textbook, how ridiculous! And you have to buy 5? Not to mention that you might only use the textbook once? twice? OH HEECCCKKKKK NO. As a college freshman, I made it my mission to not fall in the textbook trap. Check out some of my super-savy-mula-saving-secrets (that really aren't secrets at all)!

1. CHECK FOR A PDF VERSION OF THE TEXTBOOK ONLINE

I know, you're probably saying "I didn't even think of that!" PDF textbooks can be a lifesaver on campus. Just google the textbook title or ISBN number followed by "pdf."

The cons:

- You won't have a hard copy. Some students just work better with a physical text that they are able to highlight and write in. That's something you won't get here.

- You might have to settle for an earlier edition of the textbook. For example, say you need the 9th edition of a textbook but there's a FREE online PDF of the 8th edition.. just ask your professor if the 8th edition will suffice.

The pros:

- FREE TEXTBOOK = $0.00 spent = more mula for you to spend doing your favorite things! (or more mula to put towards tuition, right mom?)

- You don't have to lug around a HUMUNGO textbook. As a college student you are most likely carrying your laptop around with you anywhere anyway, so why not have your textbooks on there too? Just make sure it's for a laptop friendly class :)

2. RENT. RENT. RENT.

I highly, highly, highly suggest renting textbooks rather than buying. There are some cases when buying is the better option, for example, I chose to buy one of my Spanish textbooks because as a Spanish major, I knew I would use it in every subsequent Spanish class. With that said, when you are in your Gen Ed phase, the chances of you ever using that textbook again are very slim.

The cons:

- You can't keep the textbook forever.

- Depending on where you rent from, you may not be able to highlight/write in the book. Make sure you read the rental terms because every service is different.

The pros:

- You won't have to go through the hassle of trying to re-sell the textbook if you had bought it. People might say "Oh, you can just resell it and get 50% back!" Yeah right. In your dreams. It can happen, but not as easily as you think.

- You won't be stuck with a textbook you don't need at the end of the semester!

- 99% of the time, you don't have to pay return shipping.

If I can't find a PDF file, the first place I'll look for renting a textbook is www.bigwords.com. It's basically a search enginge that will find all the websites that carry your textbook and then compare prices for you. Some other reliable textbook renters are Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chegg, and BookRenter.

3. RENT AN ONLINE TEXTBOOK

This is similar to having a free online PDF, except that you pay for it. Usually these prices fall right around the normal price of renting, but sometimes they can be cheaper because shipping isn't a factor. I won't detail the pros and cons because they mimic those under #1. If you are a person who constantly uses a laptop or owns a tablet/kindle, your money might be better spent renting an ebook rather than a physical copy.

4. CHECK YOUR OWN SCHOOL'S LIBRARY!!

You probably said "I can't believe I didn't think of that" again, didn't you? FREE, UP-TO-DATE, HARD COPIES of your textbooks right on your own campus! This is a bit of a riskier option, but it can also be a lifesaver.

The cons:

- You won't have the textbook all the time.

- It could be checked out when you need it (although my school usually has 4-5 copies)

- You can't highlight/write in it.

The pros:

- free, conventient, there when you need it... need I say more?

- You don't have the hassle of reselling or shipping. Basically, no strings attached!

- It's the perfect option for the professor who only uses the textbook once or twice (or never...we've all been there). Why spend $$$ on a textbook for a class you might not even use it in?

*I wouldn't recommned this for first semester freshman. But for those of us upperclassmen who are familiar with their professors, you know who uses the book and who doesn't.. the library is your friend!

I always use a combination of these methods and I'm always pleased with the results. My most recent spring semester, I spent under $40 for all 6 of my required textbooks. It does take a bit of a time commitment to surf the interent until you find the right deals, but it's worth all the money you save in the end! I hope you found this helpful in some way. If you have any success with these methods or any additional suggestions for me, please let me know!

somewhere under a palm tree,

danielle

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