Purchasing Textbooks? Best ways/cheapest?

eborgelt · Jun 6, 2004

I use www.textbookx.com for all my textbooks. You can search by title or ISBN number and choose whether you want to look for new or used books. It gives you a comparison of what each book you search for would cost inclusing shipping at many different stores. It also gives you coupon codes to use at many of the stores.

Elizabeth

FarmgrrlRN · Jun 6, 2004

http://www.bigwords.com does a pretty good job as well.

naggytabby, BSN, RN · Jun 6, 2004

I am going through Continental - I have a frequent flier account - you can go through their one pass partner offers and connect to B&N--thus not only saving with B&N (with whom I also have a "membership") but also get frequent flier miles. Perhaps not the absolute cheapest but they're easy to work with and returns/exchanges are a breeze.

I start my program in TWO weeks- whoopee

louxloux · Jun 6, 2004

Have you tried Walmart??

They also sell textbooks, but only online. Last semester I comparison shopped and Walmart had the best price, and the shipping was not as expensive too.

Here's a link to their textbook webpage: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=58294&path=0%3A3920%3A58294

link to nursing section: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=18582&path=0%3A3920%3A58294%3A102606%3A18582

RedSox33RN · Jun 6, 2004

I got a list of what I will need in September, the required AND the optional, and have already bought 2 on eBay for about 1/2 of what the used ones are at my school bookstore.

Plus, I am NOT buying the optional ones, or at least not all of them. One of the optional ones is an APA handbook. I already have an APA handbook, although not the one they are recommending. I know there are places that APA format can be d/l'd from the net, so I think that is a waste.

I keep wondering if we TRULY need the editions stated, but I am going by the ones they have listed, just in case. Especially for the drug books.

suzy253, RN · Jun 6, 2004

yea....you have to shop around a bit to find the best prices. Actually I got most of mine thru Amazon.com. & some I had to get directly from the publisher.

mitchsmom · Jun 6, 2004

I use a book price comparison site too:

http://www.addall.com/

It tells you who has the lowest price WITH shipping already included so you don't have to spend a bunch of time figuring that out. It also says if it's used or new.

I also got the advice here to try Walmart.com and I have found that they are usually the cheapest on new books.

mitchsmom · Jun 6, 2004

Oh, and I forgot to say:

Sometimes you can find your textbooks in your school library and get away with using it from there.

As a real last ditch effort you could see if your instructor has one they'd loan, sometimes they have some sent from the publishers.

cherokeesummer · Jun 7, 2004

Thanks for all the great ideas!!!!

Yes I've used walmart.com before and that was a really good site to use! Also they take online checks so if you are like me and do not have a credit card, this is agood option.

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Jun 7, 2004

I think amazon.com takes online checks. They have a whole selection of people selling textbooks, new and used. I got my compI book for 20.00 less than my bookstore was selling it, and it was an instructors copy as well. I also have sold a couple of books there too. It is not from amazon they just kind of organize it. You pay amazon, who transfers the money to the seller.

michellemybelle · Jun 7, 2004

l like http://www.half.com to buy textbooks. Its run by e-bay, but sellers maintain fixed prices for books so there is no bidding involved. I've sold and purchased on it, and I've had nothing but good experiences!

Hope this helps,

Michelle in CA