A student attending college full-time can spend as much as $1,000 on new college textbooks. That, plus the cost of tuition makes attending college quite expensive. Many people are unaware of how expensive college can be until they start looking at it.
There is no way to not buy any textbooks, of course, but you can take steps to lower their cost. The following are some tips to lower the cost of college textbooks:
1. Buy used. College bookstores typically have a used book section where you can save money on textbooks. Start early and begin your search there, but don't buy them until you have done a bit of looking around.
Tip: Speak to some of your professors to see if any previous students have mentioned that they have textbooks for sale. Also check bulletin boards at the college to see if anyone has posted any ads to sell their textbooks.
2. Shop online for college textbooks. Some of the textbooks you require for college may be available online. Do some searching and see what you can find before you go to the college bookstore. You can also look for used textbooks online. Pay attention to the shipping costs.
Tip: Make sure you search for the textbooks by their International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and not the title
Tip: Shopping online lets you beat the crowds at the bookstore.
3. Borrow college textbooks. If you really want to save money, borrowing from the library is an excellent idea. The books will most likely be in great condition and as long as you don't make notes in them, you will be fine. Check the library before you spend any money on textbooks.
4. Sharing textbooks. Depending on your college schedule, you may or may not find it practical to share the purchase of your college textbooks with a fellow student. You can both share the costs now and the profit later after you resell the books.
Tip: One thing to consider when sharing is how often you will each have access to the textbooks, especially during exam time.
5. Older version of the college textbooks. Check the bookstores both online and offline for older versions of the textbooks that you require. This is a great way to save money as people are usually selling them for a discounted price.
Tip: The information in the textbooks is not usually going to be any different between the versions. The information may be on different pages since text, charts, or diagrams may be enlarged or shrunk in the different versions.
Tip: If you are unsure, ask your professor if you can use the older version of the college textbooks for the class.
6. College textbooks for rent. Do some searching online and look for sites that rent college textbooks for less. At the end of the semester you simply return the textbooks. You can begin your search at www.chegg.com.
7. College textbooks - International Editions. The cost of college textbooks can vary significantly from country to country. Look online for another college that offers the same courses you are taking and see how much their textbooks are. If the price is good, considering ordering those books. You can always do a search on www.abebooks.com for college textbooks.
Tip: Generally, the international versions of the textbooks are in English and the only thing different is the cover. You can get these online for around 80% less than you would pay here.
The cost of college textbooks is going up all the time. If you try something new and plan ahead, you can save money on college textbooks. That way, you will have more money to spend on your tuition.
There is no way to not buy any textbooks, of course, but you can take steps to lower their cost. The following are some tips to lower the cost of college textbooks:
1. Buy used. College bookstores typically have a used book section where you can save money on textbooks. Start early and begin your search there, but don't buy them until you have done a bit of looking around.
Tip: Speak to some of your professors to see if any previous students have mentioned that they have textbooks for sale. Also check bulletin boards at the college to see if anyone has posted any ads to sell their textbooks.
2. Shop online for college textbooks. Some of the textbooks you require for college may be available online. Do some searching and see what you can find before you go to the college bookstore. You can also look for used textbooks online. Pay attention to the shipping costs.
Tip: Make sure you search for the textbooks by their International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and not the title
Tip: Shopping online lets you beat the crowds at the bookstore.
3. Borrow college textbooks. If you really want to save money, borrowing from the library is an excellent idea. The books will most likely be in great condition and as long as you don't make notes in them, you will be fine. Check the library before you spend any money on textbooks.
4. Sharing textbooks. Depending on your college schedule, you may or may not find it practical to share the purchase of your college textbooks with a fellow student. You can both share the costs now and the profit later after you resell the books.
Tip: One thing to consider when sharing is how often you will each have access to the textbooks, especially during exam time.
5. Older version of the college textbooks. Check the bookstores both online and offline for older versions of the textbooks that you require. This is a great way to save money as people are usually selling them for a discounted price.
Tip: The information in the textbooks is not usually going to be any different between the versions. The information may be on different pages since text, charts, or diagrams may be enlarged or shrunk in the different versions.
Tip: If you are unsure, ask your professor if you can use the older version of the college textbooks for the class.
6. College textbooks for rent. Do some searching online and look for sites that rent college textbooks for less. At the end of the semester you simply return the textbooks. You can begin your search at www.chegg.com.
7. College textbooks - International Editions. The cost of college textbooks can vary significantly from country to country. Look online for another college that offers the same courses you are taking and see how much their textbooks are. If the price is good, considering ordering those books. You can always do a search on www.abebooks.com for college textbooks.
Tip: Generally, the international versions of the textbooks are in English and the only thing different is the cover. You can get these online for around 80% less than you would pay here.
The cost of college textbooks is going up all the time. If you try something new and plan ahead, you can save money on college textbooks. That way, you will have more money to spend on your tuition.
About the Author:
Learn how to save money! Download our 25 Easy Saving Money Tips today and get started right away! You will also receive a Weekly E-Course on "Easy Ways to Save Money" that will keep you on the right track each week.
No comments:
Post a Comment