Saving Money On College Textbooks

How To Find Cheap College Textbooks

Believe it or not..now is the time to investigate saving money on college textbooks. For all the first timers, get ready for the biggest surprise bill of them all.. the textbook bills. Usually we parents are well on our way home when the call for those funds comes in. Most first year students take the easy route and get their books directly from the campus bookstore. Yes, it is quick, simple and easy but it has traditionally been THE MOST EXPENSIVE method of procuring the needed college textbooks. So here are alternatives that are worth investigating and can save you hundreds of dollars.

Try the campus library first. As soon as the course syllabus is in hand, head to the college library. Most have copies of all textbooks in their racks. Some campuses, such as my daughter’s, will let them check the books out for an entire semester. You just need to make sure you renew them each month. Other campus libraries, keep the textbooks on file and you can check them out for free for 2-4 hours as you need them.

Search out online booksellers like Amazon.com and half.com. They have a wealth of new and used textbooks at discounted prices. In some cases, you can get free shipping too. Always compare the prices between sites and your college bookstore. Don’t let your student tell you they don’t have enough time to wait for the books. All professors give the students an adequate time period to get their books. If your student is very industrious, they may be able to go online to their course and find the textbook requirements posted even before classes start and get an early start on saving money on college textbooks.

Rent textbooks You order your books, choose a length of the rental and pay a set amount of rent for that time. At the end of the rental period, you print out a return address label and send the book back to them. Barnes and Noble has just entered the textbook rental arena and ran a test program last year. They are expanding now to allow students to order their rentals online and pick up at the campus bookstore. Prices appear to be a savings of 40-50% off buying a new book. In checking this out with my own college crew, the downside is that you do incur late fees if the books are not returned by the end of the rental period. There are also penalties if you return the book in poor condition. So make sure you read the fine print of the contract.

Buy used books at the campus bookstore or online. Amazon.com; half.com and even Craigs list are good places to start. Campus bookstores may offer used books, but may not reach out and let the student know that they are available. Used books will offer substantial savings. Remind your student at the end of the semester, to sell back their books as soon as they are finished with them; that is when they will receive the best price. Plus it gives them a slush fund with which they can purchase next semesters books.

Sharing textbooks with a fellow classmate is another option. I would caution that this route can be precarious if you don’t know your partner very well. You need to be able to juggle schedules that you are both not fighting over who gets the book the night before an exam. Some classes however are very well suited for sharing a book. So it is an option, but one that needs to be thought through carefully.

Join the public library in the campus community. These libraries in most college towns try to have many of the course textbooks available for check out or in-house use.

Internet Book Sharing and Open Source Textbook Sites. This is a new phenomenon that has just begun popping up. Take a look at this article here to learn more about this innovative and legal way for saving money on college textbooks: http://campuslife.suite101.com/article.cfm/free_textbooks_for_college_students .

Uploading college textbooks. MacMillan, a large textbook publisher, has recently introduced a program called Dynamic Books which allows the professor to edit the content of the textbook to make it more applicable to the specific course. Students can then download the "customized textbook" onto their laptop and other electronic devices. This app allows them to highlight critical information and search for specific information. A very creative and less expensive option to buying the book itself. There is a good article her that speaks to this new and upcoming way to save money on college textbooks. Be on the lookout for this innovative application.

Trust me as an experienced Mom of four past and present college kids..every cent you can save on the costs of college is worth the effort. Keep alert as new options open up. With the success of e-readers such as Kindle 3G and Nook and Apple iPad 2 , e-book versions are upcoming. So the cost of those devices may be offset by the textbook savings cost. Also, one final tip; if you bought books, be sure that you SELL your textbooks either back to the campus store or to other booksellers as soon as you are done with them. It is your best shot at getting the most money back at the end of the semester. Our four have saved thousands for us by using these various methods of obtaining their textbooks and your students can do the same!

Parents.. a must read here.. Important college advice on what you should do BEFORE you leave the kids on the campus. #5 is especially important!

Here's more good advice on college life and the college application process.

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