As you’re probably aware, college students spend almost $1,200 on textbooks every semester. However, that shouldn’t have to be the case for you. You can find ways to reduce the cost by finding cheap college textbooks from used book marketplaces and discount sellers.
If you want to reduce spending thousands of dollars on books, this guide will help you. Let’s begin.
1. Talk To Your Professors
The first step to getting the best textbook deal is to get the list of books you need as quickly as possible. This will give you the time to narrow your searches and also reach out to your professors.
You can send your professors an email asking the following questions:
- How often will the books be used?
- Would you need the latest edition?
- Would you need a digital access code for online activities?
Keep in mind to be polite and let them know how budget-conscious you are. Some professors might be willing to help you out. You’ll never know until you try. Once you know the books you’ll need based on the questions outlined above; you can now start your search.
2. Search Through The Best Sites For Cheap College Books
Several trusted and reputable bookselling sites can help you find the books you need at cost-effective prices. Even though you can check physical bookstores, it’s cheaper to buy your books online.
Check On Amazon
You can find numerous cheap college textbooks and e-books to buy. You may even get the chance to ship your textbooks for free with Amazon prime if you use your university email. Besides that, you can also use the same platform to resell your books.
Amazon also allows you to rent books if you can’t afford to buy one. However, before you proceed with this option, you have to read their terms and conditions.
Try Craigslist
Craigslist is another excellent place to buy secondhand textbooks. Again, you may have to do some little research, but you can find the books you’re searching for.
However, keep in mind that Craigslist doesn’t offer purchase protection services. That means you need to be extra careful when you approach a seller. It’s always best to do your research and verify that you’re purchasing the books from a reputable source.
Use Aggregators To Compare Book Prices
Aggregators, also called comparison shopping sites, collect data from several e-commerce websites. This information is to give you lists of websites that offer the textbooks you want to buy. Check some of the sites below:
Try BookDeal.com
BookDeal.com is one of the best places to sell your used textbooks. The platform is simple to use; it’s transparent and straightforward. All you have to do is type in your book’s ISBN, choose your preferred quote, and ship your textbooks for free.
If you’ve already bought new books, you can maintain their good condition. Then, after the semester ends, you can sell it on BookDeal.com and get a significant portion of your money back.
You can also use the platform to compare prices. It follows the same procedure: type in your textbook’s ISBN and compare the prices. You can then use that to make an informed decision.
Allbookstores
This site has a simple interface exclusively focused on helping you to find the cheapest college books across several platforms. All you have to do is type in your book’s name into the search bar, and the site will pull up numerous products and sites.
BigWords
According to BigWords, you can get 35 to 45 percent cheaper college books compared to other sites. You can also use this website to find the books you need that are within your budget.
If buying a book for only a semester is too much for you, consider renting. It’s a great way of decreasing the cost of investing in college textbooks. However, before you proceed, make sure you read the rules attached to it. If not, you may be liable to pay for the book if, for example, it gets into a worse condition.
Final Thoughts
If you want to buy cheap college books, it’s best to purchase them from bookselling sites like Amazon. You get to purchase affordable books that are within your budget.
What’s more, you can always sell them back on sites like BookDeal.com. Such sites make the entire process hassle-free, and you also get a free shipment.
