Tips for Saving on Textbooks
by Tuition may cost the most, but books will carve a healthy sum off your bank account as well. How do you get the books you need for a lower price?
As with any cost-saving measure, getting cheaper textbooks – or seeking out alternative methods to read said textbooks without actually owning them – takes time. The effort will invariably be greater than simply strolling into your campus bookstore and buying a new copy.
Is the effort worth it? Probably. As a student you’re probably hurting for cash, so every dollar saved is a dollar you can spend on some other expense. Here are some tips to help ensure you can do just that.
1.) First, if you really don’t want to expend the effort, you can always buy the new textbook and sell it at the end of the year. Most schools offer buy-back programs, and if nothing else you can post advertisements regarding textbooks for sale. If you needed the book one year, someone will need it the next.
2.) Look for these same deal when buying. Teachers will use the same textbooks over and over, and many students won’t want to keep their books after they’re done a particular course. Snatch these discounts up whether you find them in a book store or via an ad.
3.) Post ads requesting a particular book. The same idea as the last point, though in this case the seller is coming to you, not the other way around.
4.) Look in book stores beyond the campus. Most campus stores overprice their texts to earn a bit more money. Avoid this pitfall by checking stores like Chapters, Coles, Indigo and the like. Small, used book stores also make good targets, though you’ll have to get lucky.
5.) Look online. eBay and Amazon combined have just about every book that’s ever existed, or at least they have copies of everything you’ll ever have to read. Delivery can take a while, so order early.
6.) Buy in conjunction with someone else. Get a close friend in the same class? Share your textbook. So long as both owners do their homework as soon as it’s given who has the book on what days shouldn’t be an issue.
7.) Get the book out of the campus library. This method’s effectiveness depends on the campus, as some campus libraries are piddly. If yours is massive, however, you may be able to borrow the same book over and over for an entire semester. Or, if the text is in the reference section, do your reading at the library.
8.) And, last, get an older, cheaper edition. Most textbooks come in multiple editions that may not vary too much between printings. Compare your older textbook with the new one to see if there are any significant changes, and if there are you can make other arrangements to get the missing info.
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