Searching for textbooks
Hello again everyone! Since it is that time of the year where everyone is shelling out a lot of money on textbooks, I thought I would provide you with some resources and helpful tips on buying the cheapest textbooks out there. Since this is my fifth year of college, and I pay for all of my own textbooks, I am always on the lookout for the best prices and I have the expertise to help you!
First off, no matter where you get your textbooks from, RENT them! The only reason not to rent a textbook is if you will need it for more than one semester, but otherwise, ALWAYS rent. Renting is the cheapest way to get textbooks. If you cannot rent a textbook, buy a used textbook. Used textbooks are always cheaper than buying new textbooks. Yes, I know, sometimes it is nice have a fresh, brand new textbook, but it really is not that big of a deal if it used. Most used textbooks only have highlighting, marginal writing, and some wear and tear, but nothing that bad that you would be willing to pay double the price for a brand new book. Finally, as your last resource, buy a new textbook. But I am convinced that you will never need to because there is always an option of buying a used textbook or renting.
Secondly, compare prices! Yes, Loyola’s bookstore is extremely convenient, but they rarely have the cheapest prices out there. Amazon is where it is at. They usually have the cheapest prices on books and they even have rentals which are shipped back for free. Amazon has helped me save a ton of money in the past few years. Chegg is another great site to rent textbooks from, and if you rent a few, they always send your textbooks with a ton of free samples of different products such as mascara and Redbull. Always an added bonus. Other great sites to check out are Ebay, Valore books, Half Price Books, and AbeBooks.
Just make sure that you do the research ahead of time with plenty of weeks before school starts. You have figure shipping into your plan of attack. Also, make sure you are buying the correct edition that your course lists. No need to get the wrong textbook! Having to check all these sites and compare a ton of price listing is not nearly as fast as going to Loyola’s bookstore, but trust me, it is worth it. Every college student wants to save a few bucks, especially on textbooks. They may break our backs, but they won’t break our wallets!