Guide on How to Save Big on College Textbooks (avoid bookstores)

[cheesepuffs]

I just happen to stump upon this forum and so far been very insightful. But what I have noticed alot as I was going to college, lot of students going sometimes weeks through school without the required books because the high costs of science and biology books. When they can finally afford it, they have to do catchup. Just the costs alone is jaw-dropping. Ive learned very quickly that buying books from the college bookstore or even neighborhood bookstores are not the best option. I was looking at $850 on books alone for 1 semester at the college bookstore but ended up spending $400 instead.

I found out this is one of many reliable options to get the cheapest books available. Go to your local college bookstore and find out the exact books that will be required for the classes. Ask the workers if you are not sure on the right books. Then get paper and pen and write down the ISBN number thats located on the back of the textbook. Also write down the used/new prices to compare it to.

Then go to www.gettextbooks.com (also use google to search everywhere for that book)

Write down the ISBN number and it will scan most websites for that particular book...... amazon, ebay, half-ebay, abebooks, etc. I was able to get a $265 A&P book for 60 bucks new (but it was international/softcover). Some books I got so cheap that I turned around and sold it back to the regular college book store once I was done and broke even or even profited alittle. The only drawback is the shipping time. Expect 1-2 weeks. I've been doing this ever since my friend told me about it for about 1 1/2 years now. Ive been saving about 10-50% per book. The only catch is buying a book too early then finding out the professor decided to change the book at the last minute. That only happened to me once and only because I bought the book 2 months before class started. (summer class)

One last thing. You will get some hits when you are searching and find international books thats 2 to 3 times less than the new US editions. These corporations like to mark up the textbook to outrageous amounts to US students because they are willing to pay for them. The international ones are the exact same copy. The only difference is that its a softcover (not a hardcover like US version) and maybe cheaper paper (but you dont notice it). But you have to look closely to make sure it says exact copy as US versions. Like I said, I saved myself 200 bucks on a A&P book which I bought at abesbooks I think, (based in singapore) but shipped within 3-4 days. Also its harder to sell back if its international version. If I want a hardcover to keep, then Ill buy one after I get a good paying job.

I never rented books but Ive heard www.chegg.com is a good place.

I personally believe books are too expensive so I scavenged all over the web to get the best deals. Just wanna post here because high costs are one of the factors of stress these days. Students dont make much these days so the money should stay in your pockets not in the hands of greedy publishers.

Here is more sites that search multiple sites to get you the best price. All you need is the ISBN number. VERIFY EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU BUY. The correct version, edition, author, everything.

http://www.abebooks.com/

http://www.addall.com/

http://www.affordabook.com/

http://www.allbookstores.com/

http://www.alldiscountbooks.net/

www.amazon.com

http://www.bestwebbuys.com/books/

http://www.betterworld.com/index.aspx

http://www.biblio.com/

http://www.bigwords.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp?r=1

http://www.bookbyte.com/

http://www.bookcloseouts.com/default.asp?N=0

http://www.bookfinder.com/

http://www.bookfinder4u.com/

http://www.bookliquidator.com/servlet/StoreFront

www.booksamillion.com

http://www.buy.com/

http://www.campusbooks.com/

http://www.campusi.com/

http://www.cheapassbooksearch.com/

http://www.cheapesttextbooks.com/

http://www.collegebooks4all.com/

http://www.collegebooksdirect.com/default.jsp

http://www.directtextbook.com/

http://www.ecampus.com/

http://www.fetchbook.info/

http://www.findbookprices.com/

http://fes.follett.com/

http://www.gemm.com/c/?ss=BOOKS

http://www.gettextbooks.com/

www.half.ebay.com

http://www.hamiltonbook.com/hamiltonbook.storefront

http://www.isbn.nu/

http://www.monstertrade.com/

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php

http://powells.com/

http://remainstobeseen.net/

http://www.rereadables.com/

http://www.screwthebookstores.com/

http://studentlistings.com/default.asp?tid=1629513

http://www.tbwarehouse.com/reference.asp

http://www.textbookland.com/

http://www.textbooksrus.com/

http://www.textbooksnow.com/

http://www.textbookx.com/

http://www.thebackpack.com/

[peytonsmom]

That's a lot of great information, thanks!

I love that someone named a website, "screwthebookstores.com" LOL!

[Snowii]

bigwords.com is awesome.

Book stores had my books for 4 classes at almost 900 dollars, I got them for about 375 from bigwords.com because it searches all internet book store sites.

Also, if you get international editions make sure you plan on keeping them because they do not sell back so easy.

Also, theres a cool like "rent-a-book" site that bigwords.com suggests (chegg.com). But if you write in your books then thats not a good idea.

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

i love chegg!

[blessed1369]

Thanks a lot for this info. know what, you seem to be affiliated with a lot of useful info, could you please advise me if there is any such website where i can retrieve stuff to prepare for the hesiA2 test? I am really in need of this info.

Thanks in advance

[mochabean]

Chegg is alright, but I discovered for the same price you rent a book from there you can find the same book on amazon or ebay for the same price.

Don't forget your local library! That's where I got my A&P book from.

[misslisa]

Wow!! Great post! Thank you!

:)Lisa