Don't Pay a Ton of Money for College Textbooks

If you're a college student, you're most likely on a pretty tight budget! You have to pay the high cost of tuition, plus activity fees and other fees... not to mention the regular day-to-day costs of transportation, rent, groceries, etc! And then you realize, you have to pay for your textbooks, too! The thought of coming up with extra money for text books can be overwhelming. Even buying used books in your school's bookstore can be expensive. But I can offer you some little tricks that may save you some money and trouble each semester!

First of all, before you even try to buy books, go to the first meeting of each class. You'll find out which books are required by the professor, which books are recommended, and which books are not going to be used at all. The school bookstore may have a list of which books are required or recommended for each class, but the individual professor may change her mind at the last minute. This semester, I went to all of my classes, and found out that two of the "required" books, plus a supplemental packet, were not required at all by my professors!

Now that you know what books you really need, how do you get them? Your first step should be to check libraries. Not just your town's library, but all of the surrounding libraries as well. In most states, you can register your local library card and use it at any library in the state. Your state might even have a website where you can check the card catalogs of all the libraries at once.

The library also works well if you decide to order used copies of your textbook on Amazon.com or some similar site. The textbooks will take a while to come in the mail, and the library's copies can get you through until they arrive.

If you think buying a new copy is necessary, or you want your own copy right away and don't want to order it online, check out regular bookstores before you check out your school's bookstore. College bookstores often jack up the prices. Go to the Borders.com and Bn.com websites to find out if your local bookstores have copies for cheaper.
Getting your textbooks inexpensively, or even for free, is easier than you think! Use these tips to save money on textbooks, and you'll have one less thing to worry about at the beginning of each semester.