KEEPING A LID ON COLLEGE TEXTBOOK EXPENSES

Andrea Rodrigues
 — Budgeting
College students looking to stretch a buck can do just that when it comes to getting textbooks. Options range from buying used to renting to using e-books. It just depends on the student’s preference.

Considering that the cost of buying physical text books can range from a few hundred to more than a thousand dollars per semester, it only makes sense to explore all your options. A quick search online will uncover dozens of websites that sell, rent and buy back textbooks. Some of the more popular sites include: Numerous sites give you the option of choosing from print, digital or audio forms of the textbooks you need. There are also search engines that allow you to compare book prices on different sites, such as www.bookfinder.com and www.campusbooks.com.

There are even places where you can get textbooks for free, such as university libraries, online book exchanges, and Project Gutenberg, the oldest digital library in the world that offers approximately 50,000 e-books. However, there is a caveat – many of the free textbooks are limited to classic literature.

Some websites go beyond books. Chegg, for instance, has other offerings, such as finding the right college, getting homework help, and searching for internships.Others, such as ValoreBooks, entice students with contests to win cash prizes.

Here are some tips for buying books online:
  • Go to the campus bookstore and track down the books you need, then write down the following information for each book:
  • The price.
  • The author's name.
  • The name and volume/edition of the book.
  • The book's International Standard Book Number, or ISBN, which can be found on or near the barcode on the back of the book.
  • Look for reviews of sites to see how they fare against the competition.
  • Compare the prices of new books versus used or renting. And don't forget to check if e-books are available to purchase or rent.
  • Consider such things as ease of purchase, return policies, selection, and money-back guarantee. Also, many sites offer free shipping with a minimum order, such as $25 or $50.
  • Check if a site offers free return shipping.
On a related note, many sites will buy books that they, of course, will resell or rent to other students. Again, it pays to compare sites to find the best deal on books you want to unload. Every dollar saved can go toward other college expenses!