We all know that college is expensive. Tuition itself can bury a family in student loans for years. Often overlooked, though, is the price of college textbooks. Of course, you can’t simply sidestep this purchase. In between dining hall feasts, flag football games and late-night keggers, there’s a lot of studying that goes on in college. These textbooks are needed for your child to succeed at his or her highest level, but you can still save money. Here are some ways to avoid paying top dollar for textbooks.

The Pitfall of the University Bookstore

            A college bookstore often operates like the only medicine salesman in some Wild West town. These salesmen were the only ones who had what the customer needed, and could charge practically whatever they wanted. A buyer could hardly afford the product, but couldn’t very well afford not to buy. Although there is no rolling tumbleweed and they’re selling books instead of medicine, it’s the same idea. They can charge what they want because we’ll buy. Well, there are other options… and it’s not a quick-draw duel at high noon.

            If a class requires a book, yes, your bookstore most likely has it. Usually located in the middle of campus, customers pay (top dollar) for the convenience. If your student is lucky and the bookstore is buying the exact version of the book back at the end of the semester, your kid can sell it for a tiny fraction of the price they paid for it.

Depending on the university, it may still be worth checking the buy-back rates. Your school may have better return rates than others. Some schools also offer certain books for rent, too. For the most part, though, by researching and planning ahead you can avoid buying at the campus bookstore and save money.

Compare Prices Online

            There are many different sites that offer cheap alternatives to your university bookstore. You can spend a lot less by choosing to buy used books or rent online. You can simplify your hunt by checking out BigWords.com, which searches a large selection of popular sites (including Chegg.com, half.com, CampusBookRentals.com and more) to find the best deal for the book you need. The site claims to save around $173 per multiple-item order with their “Multi-Item Price Optimization.” You can also sell your book and BigWords.com will tell you where you will get the most money for your old book.

The more places you search, the more likely you are to get the best deal. Apart from these sites, a simple Google search may yield even more options. Check eBay, too!

Explore Free Options

            One option that seems to hide in plain sight is the largest collection of books near you; the library. It’s worth checking both university and public libraries for needed books. If you can rent it for free, why not?

            If you have any friends or roommates taking a class with you, consider dividing the cost of one book. By splitting time and studying together, you can cut the price tag in half. Or thirds. Or quarters…

            As one semester closes and another opens, there’s an opportunity to take advantage of. Students who just took the class you are about to take are likely to have a book they want to get rid of. They’re options are limited, and they usually end up selling their $150 book back to the campus store for a frustrating $20. You could offer them $25! Both parties win in this situation. A great way to get the word out is using a tool like Facebook. A simple status post explaining what you’re looking for may be all that you need to do.

            The key is frugal research! Spending money on the convenience of the campus bookstore isn’t your only option. Try some of these ideas come next semester, and you’ll be happy with your savings. Now study up!

Do you have any advice to save money on textbooks? Share here!