I’m finding myself spending more and more money on college textbooks. In my school the professors pick the textbook but they do so at the last minute. The books that are needed for class are available the day of class and there isn’t an easy way to find out what books are needed until the last minute. Here are the things that I am doing to save a little money on textbooks.

1. Call the bookstore or get in touch with the person that does the ordering and see if they will tell you what books your professor ordered. The sooner you find out what books you need the quicker you can go out and find them cheaper.

2. Try and get the books used. Used books are generally a lot cheaper than a brand new one. Also if your lucky the key points will already be underlined or highlighted for you  from the class before. Used books can be bought from Amazon.com or from a local textbook seller. I know that across the street from my college there is a store that sells used books so I always try and get the book from them first. There is probably something similar near your college.

3. Sell your old books. You may be able to sell your used books back to the college bookstore or put up a flyer at your school advertising you used books for sale.

4. Rent your books from some of the textbook rental websites on the Internet. Chegg.com is one such textbook rental website.

5. Check the college library for the books you need. Your college may hold a few copies of textbooks for whatever reason. The key is to be able to be one of the first to know what books you need and be one of the first to check those books out.

Be careful when renting or selling your old books because some books make a good reference manual for later use. It depends on your chosen area of study what books you should keep but just be aware that some books should be kept.

Does anyone have any other ways that they save money on college textbooks? Please leave a comment.