Ways to save money on textbooks is just one weapon in the arsenal of successful student budgeting. A new semester is on the horizon and you have realized that you don’t have your textbooks yet. But wait, you don’t have any cash either? Well you may think that it’s hard to save money on textbooks or find any cheap textbooks at all, but with these 8 Great Ways to Save Money on Textbooks this shouldn’t be an issue.
This is always a favorite for any student who is looking to find cheap textbooks because you will rarely find anything being sold at the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) here. It’s certainly a great site if you are in a rush because their delivery times are spot on.
Try sites like Bookbyte or eCampus for textbooks at significantly discounted prices. Searching through Craig’s List or other auction websites where you can find used textbooks is worth a shot. You may not always manage to save money on textbooks using this method, but occasionally you can dig up some fantastic deals as the right student just happens to be getting rid of all of the textbooks you need.
A new type of service has sprung up in the last few years, and that’s textbook rental. This is the perfect way to save money on textbooks because you don’t have to actually buy the books. You just have to remember to return it at the end of the semester. Companies who rent textbooks online include Cheggs, Bookrenter and Campusbookrentals.
Most academic institutions will have the required textbooks available at the library. The issues are that you can only have it for a specific period of time, and sometimes, you may not be able to take certain books outside the confines of the library. If you only need the textbook for one assignment then this can be the perfect place to find the one you need. Be smart and place your orders as soon as you get your reading lists.
If you’re at college and have a roommate or you have another friend who also wants to find cheap textbooks, you might want to consider splitting the cost with them. Yes, you will have to share the textbook, but if you’re really struggling financially then surely it’s worth the hassle?
Sometimes you have to think outside the box. And thinking outside the box, in this case, involves using an older edition of the same text book. Older editions of a textbook are generally cheaper. Sometimes new editions of textbooks are pretty much the same as an older textbook, but the publisher wanted to make more money so they released a «new» edition. Check with your tutor if an older edition can be used first, though, or you may end up learning the wrong information.
You might be surprised to know that international editions of some textbooks are exactly the same as the U.S edition. Yup, it’s true, and they also come at a much cheaper price. This is a great way to get cheap textbooks and, what’s more, most international editions have soft covers rather than a hard cover which means you get a lighter textbook.
There’s nothing more infuriating than finishing a semester with a clean and pristine textbook. That’s right, you barely used the textbook and it spent most of its time laying forlornly under your bed. This is because, sometimes, the book may be set reading but isn’t really necessary. Check with your tutor on how much you will be using the book because if you will be rarely using it then just skip the book completely. Now that is truly the best way of getting cheap textbooks!
Cheap textbooks are not as difficult to find as you might think at first because the key to being able to save money on textbooks is knowing where to go. These great ways to save money on textbooks have given you a starting point for saving some of your dollars, but have you found any other ways to reduce the amount of money you spend on your textbooks?
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