Get the Cheapest Textbooks
I know the semester has already started, but this information is priceless for semesters to come. My textbooks this semester cost me about $215, which is probably the most I’ve spent for a semester, but it would have been $305 through the bookstore! I know what you’re thinking – “Wow! How can I do that??” Well here’s how:
Before you begin, find all the textbooks you need (ISBN numbers are great) and write down the bookstore’s prices so you know if the deal is worth it. Shipping typically costs $3.99, sometimes less sometimes more.
*Also, before you start – check to make sure that your school’s library doesn’t already have the book online. A lot of libraries have an online database of books with the full text online and if your book is less of an actual textbook and more of a novel or something like that, then there is a possibility you can read it online for free instead of buying it!
1) Go to directtextbook.com and search for the book title or ISBN # then click the “Find it” button next to the correct book. It will then list a ton of sites starting with the cheapest price (including shipping). You definitely don’t want to get a rental – it’s a waste of money.
2) Click on the site with the cheapest price and look at the description on the condition of the book etc.
3) Wait! Don’t buy it yet. Always search for the book on Ebay, too because sometimes there are cheaper prices.
4) If directtextbooks.com tells you that Amazon has the cheapest price, check to see if the book is being sold in the marketplace on Amazon. Because if the book is actually being sold by another site, sometimes there’s cheaper shipping on the actual website, so don’t get it through Amazon. Go to the actual site.
5) Here are some reliable sites I’ve found books on in the past:
- Alibris.com
- textbooksrus.com
- textbooks.com
- belltowerbooks.com
6) If you choose to buy a book, put it in the cart and check out. MAKE SURE you have the book shipped to your school address because it might not get to your house in time.
*A bonus about textbooks.com is that when you buy a book they also tell you a guaranteed cash back price if you sell the book back to them at the end of the semester!
The process for finding the cheapest textbooks can get a little complicated, but if you’re really trying to save money, it’s worth it. You can easily save $100 to even $300! Good luck and let me know if you need any help or if you have any questions!
Oh, and don’t sell your books back to your college’s bookstore, you won’t get much. Instead explore your options for selling books on Ebay (requires more work in searching for comparable prices and being available to ship books when sold) or through one of the sites you bought your books from like textbooks.com. (I’ll have a future post about how to sell your books yourself on Ebay.)
Hey! You can also use Chegg.com I know that’s what Frank uses. This site lets you rent the books and then return them. So if you don’t need the books again, this is a pretty cool deal
Amy
February 8, 2010