College students tend to not have very much money. Therefore, they must save up whenever possible. Textbooks are a huge money drain. Luckily, there are a number of ways to save money when getting textbooks.
Buying an older edition
Many times, when a new edition for a textbook comes out, there are only minor changes. An older edition textbook will almost certainly have all the necessary information. Furthermore, when a new edition comes out, the older versions drop in price. This allows the purchasing of textbooks to become easier and more manageable. Of course, buying an older edition textbook is not always possible.
Saving money by buying used
Used textbooks are great. Often, a used textbook can be found for incredibly cheap with minimal marking. Used textbooks have a couple of drawbacks, however. Any markings in the textbook may be distracting or not useful at all. If the textbook also has an online portion, often times, the online part will not be available. However, a used textbook can easily be bought, literally, for pennies.
Sharing the textbook
With this method, the buyer can split the cost of the book with the person he or she is sharing with. While this may be the most expensive method, the proper edition of the textbook is at least guaranteed. Although only one person may physically have the textbook, one reader can easily photocopy the necessary portions of the book. This makes sure that all readers have adequate access to the needed information.
Rent the books
Most students only use a book for a semester or year. By renting, the book can easily cost half of what it normally costs new. Although renting a book is not as cheap as buying used, a rented book will be cleaner and up-to-date. Rented books must remain clean. If the book is used for multiple rental periods, it may be prudent to outright buy the necessary textbook.
In the day-to-day life of a student, saving money is incredibly important. Most jobs do not pay very well, leading to students have little pocket change. By saving money on textbooks, students can easily save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in an academic year. Never buy a textbook at full price, unless absolutely necessary.
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