Note: This is the second post in Northern Cheapskate’s Back to School Savings series. Please join me this week as I share more tips for saving money as you head back to school.
When I was an academic advisor, I used to just cringe when I saw the lines of students that wound through the campus bookstore and around the corner.
The college bookstore is THE most expensive place to buy your college textbooks.
Now, I understand that many students choose to buy their books at the college bookstore because it is much easier to use your financial aid to pay for them. But some people may want an alternative.
Back when I was in college, I was caught in the middle class…. my family made too much money for me to get much financial aid, but not enough for me to afford college comfortably. It was tough.
So, if you’re stuck in the middle, here are some ways to save money on college textbooks.
Trade books with a friend. One semester I took Environmental Science, the next semester, Psychology. A good friend of mine did just the opposite and we were able to trade books. You may also be able to borrow books from a friend.
Borrow the books from the library. One of my former students told me she would borrow her literature books for English from the public library. Sure, you can’t write in it and you may have to renew it, but it’s free.
Check out the college bulletin boards. Many times you can find used textbooks for less than what the college bookstore sells them for. Plus you’re helping out a fellow college student.
Check to see what resources your academic learning center has. At my campus, students can read many college textbooks at the library. They have to stay in the library, but that just means you will have to study! Some academic learning centers will also allow you to borrow recorders or calculators, too!
Check out what’s available online. When my husband was in grad school, he saved a ton of money on his books by buying them through half.com. Since that time, other great retailers have gotten into selling used textbooks. Check out Amazon
Remember, great deals on used college textbooks will take some time. You can’t wait until the last minute to save some money. You’ll also need to know the name of the book, author, edition, and ISBN number, in order to make sure you’re getting the book you want.
What other ways have you saved on college textbooks?
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