College Girl Problems: Textbooks are so expensive!

As another semester draws close, many students are searching for the cheapest prices on textbooks. While tuition and boarding may already be paid, textbooks are another huge expense, especially in some of the more extensive classes.

So, here I am to show you how I have been working on finding the cheapest textbooks so that my parents will have fewer expenses. Because, you know, that's always nice.

Check facebook. Especially if you're a returning student, one of your facebook friends may have already taken the class and may have the required book. Most college students will sell books back for pretty cheap. After all, you'll probably pay them more than the bookstore will.
Also, check to see if there's a group for selling and trading books specifically within your college. My university has a buy/trade group where people post what books they need, meet up, and exchange books. It's quite handy for when you want to sell back your books, too.

Rent if you can. Often the bookstore will let you rent the books. If it's not a book you think you'll keep or need again, then rent it. It's cheaper than even most secondhand copies of the book, and then you don't have to worry about the hassle of selling it back later (or having it clutter your bookshelf for the next twenty years). If you do want to keep a book, really think about it: Am I really going to look back in my freshman biology book? Probably not, especially with the internet. 
Other sites will sometimes rent, too. Last semester I rented a book off a person on Amazon, and then returned it when the semester was over. Just always be sure you know what your return date is, and keep it in account when mailing a book back.

Look on other sites. As easy as it is to just use your campus's bookstore, chances are, you're going to find the books for cheaper online (and you won't have to stand in that long checkout line the first week of classes). Sites like half.com and Amazon are great when trying to find cheap prices. For example, one book I had to get was $20 new in the bookstore, but on half.com, I found it for $0.75. If you buy books yourself, that money can go to more important things like food and laundry. Even a couple of dollars saved per book can add up to a lot.

Get a digital copy. With the rise of ebooks, textbook manufacturers have caught on. Many textbooks are now offered in Kindle, Nook, or some other form of reader. They're cheaper, too. Some even offer a rental option. Plus, that book you get digitally won't take up all that space on your bookshelf or load down your backpack. A professor estimated that 4GB of ebooks takes up a billionth of a billionth of a gram. That's quite a difference when your hardcopy chemistry book weighs about five pounds.

Sell back. Sell back to the bookstore, if you prefer. Post on facebook. Sell it on Amazon. Hang up fliers around campus. Chances are, someone wants that book on medieval literature. 

When you're figuring out what books to get, write it down. Here's my example:

I separated the books by class. I put an asterisk by the books that were only "recommended," and then I searched for the cheapest price, comparing the bookstore, various websites, and ereaders. I wrote down where that cheap price was, and crossed off the books once I got them. It helps me keep track of what I still need, where I can get them, and how much I'm going to spend, all in one place.

So, there you have it. Best of luck finding the cheapest prices!

-Emily