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How to Save When Buying Textbooks

How to Save When Buying Textbooks
1/19/2011
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Suada Kolovic

The start of every new semester calls for a new set of textbooks – very expensive textbooks. Students can’t really think about the cost of college today without factoring in the skyrocketing cost of textbooks. With the individual book prices well over $100 in many cases, textbook costs can easily add up and, depending on your major, you could easily be spending $500 or more on textbooks a semester. For years students have improvised on ways to dodge buying a new copy and it’s important to know that there are options available, so here are some tips put together by the Huffington Post that can save students some cash.

  • Buy Used: Definitely not a new concept, but still a great way to save almost half the cost of a textbook. Most college bookstores have used options on campus but quantities are limited. Other reliable resources that sell used textbooks are Amazon, half.com and abebooks.com.
  • Book Renting: This option is becoming increasingly popular. It allows students to rent a gently-used textbook for a semester for about half the price of a new edition. But if your campus bookstore doesn't rent books, check out chegg.com, bookrenter.com or collegebookrenter.com.
  • Try the Library: Believe it or not there are FREE options out there, like campus and local libraries. And if you’re one of the lucky ones to actually find a copy of what you’re looking for, check it out fast before one of your classmates beats you to the punch.
  • Buy Older Editions: In some cases, professors will permit students to buy a previous edition of a book that is just as good as the more expensive current edition. Therefore, it’s a great idea to ask your professor what their policy is before purchasing your textbooks.
  • Get International Editions: According to the New York Times, international editions of your textbooks are often identical to U.S. editions and cost 50 to 70 percent less than their American counterparts.
  • Go Digital: It seems like the end of traditional textbooks are near and increasingly more students have the option to purchase e-books directly from book publishers from sites like cousesmart.com and cafescribe.com.
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