How to Get Cheaper College Textbooks

Like many students, you've probably spent a lot of money on college textbooks if you didn’t do your homework. It’s tempting to just swipe your card and just buy the books from the first vendor you come across.

But the truth is that you could be losing thousands of dollars over the course of your college career because you didn’t take some time to learn the ins and outs of shopping for textbooks.

The Internet is filled with different stores that claim to have the cheapest, most convenient way of buying and selling your college textbooks. This makes it more difficult for students because there are a plethora of choices. But there are a few things you should consider when deciding where to buy your next textbook.

The first thing of course is that you have to decide whether you will rent or buy. Usually, renting is much cheaper and a good choice for those courses that you consider less important. One thing to keep in mind is that buying your textbooks for your major courses might be a better choice because you might need them for two semesters instead of one.

Then you need to look at shipping costs. Some stores like Chegg extend free shipping for people who rent college textbooks with them while others don’t. Amazon, for example, gives one year of two day shipping to students in addition to unlimited streaming movies, shows and the bonus of checking out a book monthly for a measly $39. This is ideal for many students who are on a budget. Even without the bonuses, two day shipping on everything you buy will save you some serious cash on college textbooks and other necessities for your dorm room.

Ideally, you wouldn’t want to review the 50 different college textbook stores before you make a decision. That would be a waste of time when you could be filling out scholarships or doing other things on your to do list before you head back to college.

Now, you won’t have to spend your days trying to figure out which online stores are cheaper with the new college textbook price comparison tool. It’s constantly updated with data from over 50 stores. You simply put in the information for the textbook you want and it does all the work by bringing up the cheapest prices. Additionally, you can also find which store is willing to buy your book back at the best price.

Buying and selling college textbooks will be as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Luis Trujillo from My Money For College writes on topics of financial aid and college life. He has also been awarded by Governor Rick Perry and Texas Association of Secondary School Principals for his service to teenagers in Texas.