Cheap Textbooks for College: An Economic Necessity

With gas prices going through the roof and everything from bread to baby’s diapers costing more, it’s no wonder that college textbooks are also costing more every year. Due to that fact, students are always seeking ways to find cheap textbooks for college.

Tuition prices are sky high and students need everything from paper and pens to a new laptop or iPhone. So, if you want to find options to buy cheap textbooks for college, try some of these handy suggestions:

Look on the Internet

Technology can be a great thing and when it comes to finding cheap textbooks for college, the Internet is a fantastic place to start. Students can type in their ISBN numbers and find alternatives like e-books, softcover versions, and used college books. You can also sometimes find the books you need on sites like eBay or Amazon or even the school’s website if they allow students to post notices.

Look at the college

You can also sometimes get good deals on cheap textbooks for college at your own college campus. First, try to go to the bookstore and see if they have any used versions of the college books you need, as these are sold at cheaper prices. Plus, you can make a few dollars at the end of the semester and sell them back as well. 

There could also be a bulletin board there or in the dorms where students are posting that they have books to sell or trade. Both of these options are great ways to save your money for doing better things like buying pizza for those all night study periods!

Sometimes if you buy the books early, the college bookstores will even give you a discount or they may have a layaway system. It never hurts to ask and you could end up with a real bargin.

Rent your textbooks

Another option many students aren’t aware of is that you can sometimes rent the college textbooks that you need. Search online for college book rental websites and then put the ISBN number in to see what they have to offer. It’s a great way to find cheap alternatives to having to pay full price for your books.

So, if you want to save lots of money on buying the college textbooks that you have to have for your classes, then be sure to check out these suggestions for cheap college textbooks.

Finding Cheap College Textbooks Tips and Suggestions

Did you know that college students in the United States spend more than $1,000 on average every year just for their textbooks? In the past, there weren’t many options besides heading to the college bookstore and hope that there was a used copy left on the shelf for your class.

These days, being able to find cheap college textbooks is a lot easier than it was back then. Even though the college bookstore is still a great place to start your search, it’s possible to find cheap college textbooks in several other places both online and offline.

Finding College Books Online

With the Internet, college students have a bonanza of places to search for cheap college textbooks at many websites. There are commercial used bookstores, as well as private sellers on auction sites like eBay, half.com and craigslist. You can also find them on Amazon or specialized online college bookstores.

Ordering College Textbooks from Overseas Sources

One place many students may not know about online is the option to buy cheap college textbooks from international sellers who normally market them to places where the students can’t afford the full priced books. One note though, these are not the same quality as the ones made in the U.S. and are likely a softback book with more flimsy paper and the photos and other graphics will be in black and white.  Still, it is an option for those students seeking cheap college textbooks.

Another thing to be aware of is that it takes two or more weeks for books to come if you order it from a foreign site since they must go a long distance, and they may or may not have more expensive supplemental items like DVDs that are included with the U.S. versions. Be sure to give your ISBN number no matter where you order your books from so that you are sure to get the correct version for your class.

E-books are coming into style

A relatively new thing is electronic versions of college books. Since there is no need to print them out onto paper, this is a great source of cheap college textbooks. Be sure to check if your college supports them. They will play on most e-readers like Kindle or Nook.

All in all, finding cheap college textbooks isn’t that hard and there are lots of opportunities to choose from.

Cheap College Textbooks: Plan Ahead For Best Deals

College prices go up every year including the cost of tuition, books, and even that coffee you get every morning on your way to class from the bookstore. Most students are always looking for a way to save every penny they can, so finding a source of cheap college books is vital every semester. In truth, the task isn’t really that difficult, there are multiple sources of cheap college textbooks, you just have to plan ahead for the best deals.

Don’t wait until the last minute          

First, it’s a good idea not to wait until right before class starts in order to find the best deals for cheap college textbooks. If possible, see if you can get a list of the required textbooks a couple of weeks before class begins. If not, you may not get a great deal and you could even miss out on finding cheap college textbooks at all, so get that list as far in advance as possible.

Start looking on the Internet

The Internet is a great source of cheap college textbooks. You can find them at online used bookstores, college online bookstores, auction sites like eBay, craigslist or half.com, or even on the college Facebook page if other students are advertising books for sale. Be sure to check on shipping costs to be certain you are getting the best possible deal for the cheap college textbooks you are buying, and be sure you are buying the right edition by putting in your ISBN number.

Try the Library

Believe it or not, you may even find copies of the college books you need at the college or public library. Sometimes people donate them to the library, so even though it doesn’t happen often, it is a place to put on your list of places to seek cheap college textbooks.

Look in the newspaper or college bulletin boards

Other possible place to find listings for cheap college textbooks is the school bulletin boards or ads in the school or local newspapers. Sometimes students who are trying to sell last semester’s books will list them in this way or sometimes they may even be willing to swap if you have a book that they need.

The bottom line is that it is very possible to save on college costs by seeking out and buying cheap college textbooks and all you have to do is be willing to take a few hours out of your time to do so.

Tips to Find Cheap College Textbooks

College is starting and you are out and about getting all your supplies, paying your tuition, setting up housing, etc. But wait, the books are going to cost how much?! It’s clear that you will need some tips to find cheap college textbooks so you can save money on your required college books.

Every semester college students have to buy more books to go along with the requirement to the classes and these books sometimes cost hundreds of dollars if you have to buy them new. Even though most of these books are probably pretty boring and mundane, they are definitely not cheap! However, there are ways to get cheap college textbooks if you do the proper search both online and offline to get them.

Finding cheap college textbooks

Your first stop is the college bookstore, but you are not going to shop in the new section. You just need to copy down the ISBN number of your books since you need to be sure you are buying the right edition for your class. Then, you check the used book section of the bookstore and see what they are charging. However, this may not be the best price, so you have a few more tricks to try to get cheap college textbooks.

Next, go online and check the price of your books at places like Amazon, eBay, half.com or the special online college bookstores and used bookstores. It’s likely that one of these at least will be cheaper than your college books store and be a good source of cheap college textbooks. Be sure to check the shipping costs to make sure the book is still cheaper if you choose to buy your books this way.

Another source is local used books stores, as in college towns it is possible they may have the cheap college textbooks that you need. Call ahead and ask so you don’t waste gas trying to find out in person. You can also post a notice either on the college Facebook page or an old-fashioned bulletin board saying that you are interested in buying the books from fellow students who may have already taken the class. This is another source of cheap college textbooks.

Then, when class is over, you can sell the books back to where you got them or try selling them at the college bookstore or to fellow students. All in all, there are plenty of ways not to have to pay full price and still be able to get cheap college textbooks for your college classes.

Cheap Textbooks For College Are Not Hard to Find

Are you going to school? Are you short on funds? Are you shocked at how much your college textbooks cost? Are you scratching your head and trying to figure out why a book that is only used for one semester can cost hundreds of dollars?

Well, there are ways of getting cheap textbooks for college. You just have to look around for cheaper prices and I am going to tell you how to do it. Plus, there are ways you can even get cheap textbooks for college that are earth friendly too.

Shop Around for Books

When you go shop for things, you probably cheap prices before buying something. This is a strategy to follow when looking for cheap textbooks for college too. Just get the ISBN number of the books you need, and look online for lower prices by typing the number into a search engine. The college bookstore most likely has it at full price, but they may stock a few used copies that will be cheaper too.

Did you know that you can also sometimes find cheap textbooks for college in the form of electronic books? These are likely to be a lot less expensive than paper copies and they help to save a few trees too.

You can also decide to rent books in order find a cheap alternative to buying. While this is a new option, it is available in some classes. It’s a great way to get cheap textbooks for college. When your class is over, all you do is return the books and you are done.

Share books

Sharing is another option for getting cheap textbooks for college. This way you and your partner can split the coast of your books and save and even study together. Or, you can take opposite classes and then swap the books when you both take the other class the next semester. Another way is to post a notice on the school bulletin board and say that you want to buy books from fellow students. They are bound to offer them to you at a cheaper price than buying them from the college bookstore.

The bottom line is that there are lots of ways to find cheap textbooks for college and you just have to take a few minutes and search both online and offline and you can save hundreds of dollars for your required books for all your college classes.