Marc Serafino
Did you know that textbooks for one year of college could easily cost more than $500? That’s a lot of money you don’t want to waste. Don’t get me wrong — you need textbooks, but you don’t want to pay THAT much for them.
Luckily, there are ways around the exorbitant — and ever-increasing — price of textbooks. And the following tips apply to just about anyone, no matter what he/she studies.
We have identified 7 ways you can save on textbooks. Here they are…
1. Determine your needs
Before you get started, check your syllabus and make a list of all the textbooks you will need. In other words, don’t buy any textbook before getting your syllabus.
The point here is to determine whether you actually need a textbook for every subject. Some you can get for free, and for the rest… keep reading this article to find out what could be done.
For instance, if your studies center on the humanities, you may be able to “get away” with books that are available for free. Most classic works of art and philosophical texts are in public access and you can either get them online on sites like Project Gutenberg or in a public library.
Also, you can use Google to search for PDF versions, just don’t make any illegal downloads. We never advise that.
2. Share textbooks
Core-curriculum classes are the same for most students so see if you can get someone to borrow you a textbook. This will naturally entail you borrowing something else to that person, or do some other favor for him/her. That’s life and there’s nothing wrong with it.
The important thing here is to find students that are studying on a different schedule of your own. To that end you may want to form some kind of a study group, with a few of you borrowing each other textbooks when needed. This could also be the chance for bonding with other people.
3. Libraries are your friend
Before spending a single dime on a textbook, make sure to check the university library. They often keep a few copies of frequently-assigned textbooks in stock. Many students know this so don’t be surprised if the book you want to borrow is already taken. Try it anyway.
If there is a deadline when you have to return the book, make sure to take good notes, as you may not be able to get the same book for some time. Also, you can scan some pages if you need to.
4. Older editions work just fine
This is where we get to explain you should get used, rather than new, textbooks.
You see, between multiple editions, textbook publishers seldom make any major changes. The sad truth is that the science doesn’t progress that fast and between a few editions there are little to no changes. Whether it’s chemistry, physics, literature, poetry or any other subject, you can easily “get away” with an older edition of a textbook.
With that in mind, browse the internet, attend garage sales and other events where you can buy used textbooks. Check out eBay, Craigslist, school-related Facebook pages, and other sites where textbooks are sold. It’s worth the effort.
5. Renting is cheaper than buying
If can’t find the older version of a textbook, you may want to rent it — rather than buying it. As you can imagine, this is a more frugal way to get to the same material.
The good news is that you don’t have to look for shady places to rent textbooks, with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and even several campus bookstores all offering textbook rentals. Along with savings of up to 80 percent. That’s a hard to beat number.
6. Electronic versions are cheaper
If you are reading this, chances are you’re what they call a “digital native” and have no problems reading from a screen (rather than paper).
Electronic versions of textbooks are cheaper, and also easier to carry around. If you have Kindle, now’s the time to put it to good use. If you don’t have one — grab it. You won’t regret for a second. Just make sure to get the version with backlight so you can read even during the night.
The most affordable Kindle with backlight is Paperwhite, and there are also more premium versions like Voyage and Oasis. The Paperwhite is more than “good enough.”
7. Does your financial aid covers textbooks?
There are some cases when schools make it easy to funnel some of the financial aid specifically towards books. If that’s the case, you may not have to worry about getting used textbooks. Or you can still do it to save some cash. Read the fine-print to determine whether such gymnastics are possible.
Similarly, if you received some scholarship, you may want to investigate whether a portion of the funds could be used for buying textbooks. Heck, there are certain organizations like Barnes & Noble that provide textbook-specific scholarships.
And if you’re really strapped on cash, you may want to chat with your financial aid officer, who in turn could provide you with more aid to buy yourself textbooks.
Conclusion
Using the tactics outlined above, you should be able to get your textbooks on the cheap. Now’s the time to read and re-read them, and within a few years — get that degree.
Of course, when you’re done, you can sell all the textbooks you actually bought. So make sure NOT to write (too many) notes on the pages. That could kill the deal for some students.
