How to Save Money by Purchasing Used Textbooks

College is a very expensive endeavor and students are always looking to cut costs and save money. One of the best ways to stretch the budget is to buy used textbooks instead of new. There are many ways to locate used college textbooks, and buying used instead of new can save a student up to 95% off the manufacturer's suggested retail prices.

The most obvious place to purchase used school textbooks is at the bookstore at your college or university. Schools buy used books back from students at the end of the semester and resell them to other students at the beginning of the next semester. The school bookstore almost always has the books you need in stock in good used condition, and you can save about 40% off the price of a new textbook by buying used.

You can also locate cheap textbooks by checking out bulletin boards in common areas, online forums or bulletin boards on your school's website, or the campus newspaper at your school. Sometimes the school bookstore can be strict on the condition or amounts of used books that they will buy back, and students resort to selling their used books themselves. Schools offer many ways to help students sell used textbooks to other students. Also, many times students are so anxious to unload their used books and make a few dollars that they will sell their textbooks for pennies on the dollar just to get rid of them. This is a great way to stretch your textbook dollars.

You may also contact your friends who have taken the same courses before you. They may wish to sell their used books to you at a low price to help you out. This can be difficult though, unless you have friends in the same degree program or taking the same electives you will be taking.

Another venue to locate cheap textbooks is in the classifieds section of your local newspaper. Students who have graduated or dropped out of school may not have access to campus resources but still have books to sell. The newspaper classifieds is one of the oldest methods to sell items. Scouring the classifieds can also help you snag cheap textbooks for your classes.

Local free websites, such as Craigslist and Kijiji are also a great resource for locating cheap used books. Students and former students are able to list books for sale at lower prices, since there are no listing fees or commissions charged by these websites. If you do purchase from a person on one of these local websites, make sure they do have the exact book that you need for your course, and meet in a public location such as a restaurant or store for your own personal protection.

Used bookstores in your town may also have the textbooks you need. Upon graduating, many students move on to other towns or head back home, and wish to offload their used books quickly. Used bookstores are a great venue for this. When shopping used bookstores, make sure you have the ISBN of the books you need, to make sure you get the correct book and correct edition. While many times an earlier edition will suffice, especially for online classes, some professors require the most recent edition. And many bookstores will not take returns on merchandise, so you need to make sure you get the correct textbook the first time.

Online auction websites are also another place to find used books for college. Many sellers start auctions at a low price, usually around $0.99, and the books will sell for pennies on the dollar. Factor in shipping costs, and you can still get a great deal on your books.

Perhaps the best places to locate used college textbooks are online used textbooks websites. These websites are very convenient for both buyers and sellers of used texts. These used textbooks websites buy used books from students and pay for the student to ship the books to them. After a thorough inspection, they sell used textbooks to students for a large discount over new textbooks. These sites guarantee their products and many of them offer a money-back guarantee if you need to return the book. You can save 40-60% off the new textbook price by shopping at used book websites.

Shopping for used college textbooks can be a time-consuming process, but the financial rewards will pay off in the end. Many students spend $500 to $1,000 per semester for new college textbooks. Buying used textbooks can save you hundreds of dollars, which can result in working fewer hours at that part-time job, taking less student loans, and less stress on you financially and mentally. In addition, buying used textbooks also help reduce the negative impacts on the environment.