How to Save Money on Your College Textbooks

As you’re getting closer to the start of your college classes, you’re going to be purchasing your college textbooks. Those college textbooks can get quite pricey…they will range from a couple dollars for a novel for English depending on the version up to well over $100! You can very easily spend $400 or more on textbooks for your classes, and that’s just in one semester. Imagine spending that much every single semester, because it is very close to what will be happening. College textbooks are expensive, but there are ways you can save money on them.

Buy Used – You can and should buy your college textbooks used. There may be flyers around your college campus where college students are selling used textbooks from certain classes and your class may be one of those. Take advantage of this – make sure the book is in usable condition and is a price you’re willing to pay. There may also be textbook rental programs or you can even buy them used online. One thing you want to make sure of, however, is that it is the same edition of textbook that your class requires. If you’re buying your textbooks from the college bookstore, get used if it’s available. Often the used version isn’t in bad condition and is almost as good as new. Flip through the book and make sure it’s in a condition that you can live with throughout the semester. For example, every page may be highlighted top to bottom – compare dealing with this with saving money. It’s your personal preference how much writing, highlighting, and page fold overs you want to have in your college textbook and if you think it will bother you when you're studying and taking notes.

Selling Your Textbooks Back – You may have seen signs around college or heard from other college students that you can sell your textbooks back at the end of the year. Don’t do it. Trust me. You could spend $400 and get $20 back. There are other options – remember the flyers around the college that we were talking about before where other college students sell their textbooks back at the end of the year? You can do that too! Of course, it’s been used so you will want to sell it at lower than what you bought it as, but it will be a better value that will help you buy your next round of textbooks. There’s also the option of not selling your books. For example, you may not want to sell back college textbooks for the subject you’re majoring in because you will want to reference them later. This is okay to do – simply box them up and store them in your room at home or in a storage area of your apartment.