How To Save Money On Textbooks

Interested in learning how to save money on textbooks next semester? Then you've come to the right place!

Investing in yourself for post-secondary education is one of the most financially challenging things we find ourselves doing. It’s a huge leap into the unknown, with enormous expenses around every corner.  

But there’s a bright future ahead, so long as you just get through these next few years.

For many of us, the financial aspect of attending College can put quite a strain on our bank accounts, which ultimately adds to our stress level. 

 And while some of us choose to work throughout the year, others choose to live off of financing to focus fully on the heavy workload college brings to the table. 

Whatever your case may be, the first few bills that come up at the beginning of the year can be hefty. You’ll find yourself handing your money over to tuition, rent, parking passes, and all in the span of a few days. 

That’s enough to make anyone a little uneasy.

And to make matters worse, textbooks can take up a huge portion of your school budget. 

In fact, the average college student will spend anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 just on textbooks. That’s a substantial expense, so why not try and save money there? 

Below, we go over some tips for buying your textbooks, and saving you money while you’re at it!.  

Avoid The Campus Bookstore 

I can’t stress this one enough. Avoid buying your books from the campus bookstore!

Instead, it’s much more affordable to buy your books online

There are so many websites that offer textbooks for a fraction of the cost compared to the bookstore. 

The convenient thing about buying your books online is that you can compare prices easily with other websites. You can watch for deals, and get email notifications on price drops. 

Every little bit helps. 

Buying your books online can save you hundreds, and often they will be delivered in just a few days. 

Search for affordable textbooks here: https://textbooknova.com/

Buy Used 

Like anything in life, not everything has to be brand new.  Plus, there are so many benefits to buying used textbooks. 

For one, you’re helping the environment with recycling someone’s old textbooks that otherwise would have ended up in the landfill. 

Second, you’re helping out another student by buying it, while at the same time, saving yourself money. 

The content of the textbook is what you need, does it really matter if some pages are bent?  

A few great websites to search for used textbooks are:

• https://textbooknova.com/
• https://www.campusbooks.com/
• http://sellmytextbooks.org/index.cfm
• https://www.bookfinder.com/textbooks/

Check Out E-books 

If you have a laptop and plan on bringing it to class with you every day, you may want to look into e-books. 

You’ll only pay a small price to download the book on your computer, and it’s there forever.  

This could very well be revolutionary in saving money on textbooks!  

That’s not to mention, you’re likely going to be finding yourself pulling late-night study sessions with friends. With e-books, you can bring your textbooks with you, without needing to lug them around in your backpack.

The convenient thing about e-books is you can never misplace them or forget them. Plus, you won’t ever find yourself rummaging through your locker trying to find the right book in between classes. 

Talk about simplifying your life in one easy step.  

All you need to do is grab your laptop and head out the door, with all of your coursework readily available. 

Visit The Library 

Many of the textbooks you’ll find at the library have been donated by students who have either dropped out or graduated and no longer need them. 

Sometimes, the library will purchase various textbooks or books with similar content. So it’s always a good idea to check them out before going out and buying new books. 

Libraries loan books for free. And oftentimes, you’ll only need a particular book for one semester, and then you’ll move on to another. 

So why not borrow one off by using your good, old fashioned library card.  

Rent Your Textbooks 

There are plenty of options for renting out textbooks. 

Again, the easiest way to go about doing this is likely searching online. You may even be able to find ads posted on a bulletin board in the common area at your school.

Most colleges have a student service resource center, ran by students dedicated to helping other students. 

They should be able to point you in the right direction on who is renting out their books or where to look.   

You may even see this as a potential money-making opportunity for yourself when you’re finished with the textbooks you’ve purchased. Renting them out to future students can potentially have your textbooks paying themself off in the long run.  

Final Tip: Always Compare Prices 

Even the biggest brands put their products and services on sale from time to time.

That's why it's important to always shop around and compare prices from different stores/suppliers.

This is the real key on how to save Money On Textbooks. 

Don’t just buy the first books you see!

Shop around online or ask around at school to find out any other ways you can save money on your books.

Just remember, there are plenty of ways to save yourself money throughout the years, and saving on your textbooks is one of them.