Did you know that college textbooks now cost the average student around $1,200 a year. College textbook prices have increased faster than tuition, health care costs and housing prices, all of which have risen faster than inflation. College textbook prices are 812 percent higher than they were a little more than three decades ago. Finding cheap textbooks is more important than ever so students are asking “Where can I find cheap textbooks?”.
In this article I’ll show you 5 incredibly simple steps you can apply to finding cheap textbooks that will save you a ton of money.
5) Email the Professor – You may not need all the books on the class textbook list. Communicate with your professor about the textbook needs for the class. Inquire which are absolutely required and which are suggested. It also never hurts to ask if your professor has any copies available to lend for the semester.
4) Rent – Textbook prices are ridiculous. Rentals may be the biggest way to lower textbook costs. Rental prices tend to be 20-25% of the cost to purchase. Make sure you review the T&C’s, especially the return date and any grace periods.
3) International Editions – In many cases textbook publishers offer lower cost editions in other countries. They may have a paper cover or black & white photos but the content is the same. You will be amazed at how low the prices are for International Editions of the same textbook. This is a overlooked way of finding cheap textbooks.
2) Last Year’s Edition – If you absolutely cannot afford this year’s edition of a textbook consider buying the prior edition. Many times the changes are minor and you will get the content for rock bottom prices. Search by title and not the ISBN to find other editions of your textbook.
1) Shop Around – You don’t know a good price unless you shop around. Don’t assume the major players always have the cheapest price. Supply and demand cause prices to shift quickly. Using a price comparison tool is a great way for finding cheap textbooks.
Try my simple textbook comparison shopping tool at Cheap-Textbooks.com . We monitor over 50 textbook sites for pricing and format. You can quickly compare rental rates, find international edition availability and unearth prior edition pricing. All at one website or your mobile device to help answer the question “How can I get cheap college textbooks?”
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