Use these quick tips to get textbooks online for 30-50% off retail price.
1. Rental isn’t always cheaper than buying; double-check all your options
College Book Rental: Bookstore VS Online Store Prices Compared
2. Ask your professor if an older edition will work
3. eTextbooks are often cheaper alternatives, but not always.
eTextbooks: Ways to Pay Less
4. Look for ultra-cheap alternatives like international and loose-leaf editions
5. ISBN search always works best for finding the exact books you need
6. Schools must provide ISBN numbers for each book in a bundle. Use them to find lower-priced alternatives
7. Ask the bookstore to match the lowest online price
8. Check for a free edition that will work (but understand free textbook sources often come with headaches)
9. See if you can check out a copy from your school’s library
10. Try social media book exchanges
11. If you’re renting, know how long your rental term is to avoid late fees
12. Use a book cover to protect your investment; well-cared-for books can often be resold at a premium
13. Amazon has most – but not all – books, and they don’t always have the lowest prices
14. Some stores offer free shipping when you order multiple books
15. Split costs and share books with classmates
16. Exhaustive coupon searches are typically fruitless, but you can find coupons fast with a price comparison service
17. Look for standalone access codes to avoid buying expensive bookstore bundles
18. Check with other students to see if the book is really needed
See Also: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Cheap Textbooks
19. Check with the professor to see if there is a desk copy you can use
20. Apply for textbook scholarships
21. Cash back programs (like ours) can put up to 10% cash back in your pocket
Have a textbook saving tip to share? We would really enjoy hearing about it. Let us know!