The beginning of the fall semester is quickly approaching, which means college textbook lists are being published and college students everywhere are searching for deals on their required textbooks. These are a few easy tips to help you save a few bucks on your necessary textbooks for this upcoming semester.
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1. Check with professors.
Once your textbook list comes out, it may be a good idea to double check the required items with each individual professor. If there are multiple items listed, you may not actually need all of them, and if you don't need an online access code that comes with your textbook then that could save you tons of money. Check if an older and cheaper edition of the book would work for the class. You can also ask how much you will be using the materials in your class and determine if it is worth your investment.
2. Check with past students.
If you have a friend on campus that took the same class as you during a previous semester, check and see if they still have their materials from the class. If you offer them some money or promise to return the book in good condition, they will most likely let you borrow it because they know the struggle of buying expensive textbooks. Just make sure that you double check that the required items haven't changed between the semesters.
3. Rent books
Buying multiple books for the semester can get super pricey very quickly. It is very common that renting materials is cheaper than purchasing them. Most textbook sites will allow you to rent materials for an entire semester, with even a few extra days to give you the chance to return them on time. Before renting, make sure that you will only need those materials for one semester so you don't end up paying a renewal fee for the next semester.
4. Avoid the bookstore
There is no doubt that your college bookstore is going to rip you off for your textbooks. If I had bought all of my textbooks from my college's bookstore for the fall semester, I would be spending over $918 for materials for five classes and two labs. By using sites that allow you to search for cheap textbooks, I was able to get all of my required materials from various sites such as Amazon and Chegg for about $150. While these sites can obviously help you save hundred of dollars, be aware of the condition of the items before you purchase them.
5. Be wary of book buybacks
The semester has come to an end and once again, the college bookstore is going to rip you off. If you spent a few hundred dollars on a book, you'll be lucky to get $20 back from the bookstore. There is nothing to lose if you stop by your bookstore's buyback program just to see what they offer you because you might be surprised, however, if the bookstore's offer doesn't satisfy you, look into selling your books to other students or list them online to get more of your money back.
It may require some more work, but using these tips will surely help you to save some money when buying your textbooks for this upcoming semester. Just do a little research and use reliable retailers and you are sure to be satisifed when you score a few bargains on your college necesscities.
