College textbooks can be one of your biggest expenses, yet you can’t go without them. And while many suggest used textbooks, there are many that claim new textbooks are the only way to go. It can become quite confusing. Let’s have a look at buying both used textbooks and new textbooks.

 

There’s a time and a place to buy new textbooks but for the most part used textbooks can save you a bundle and when you’re on a tight budget that’s important. You’ll need to invest in new textbooks if:

• This is a newly published textbook so there are no used ones available as of yet.
• Your instructor requests the latest edition and there are significant changes from the last edition.
• There are no used ones available.
• The asking price for the new is better than what you can find used.
• You like to be the first owner of your textbooks.

 

In a nutshell, those are really the only reasons why you might choose to purchase new textbooks over used textbooks. Whether you are shopping for new or used textbooks, it’s actually easy to buy cheap textbooks with just a little effort on your part.

 

Don’t be drawn into a false sense of security that your local university or college bookstore is offering you the best prices. Chances are they are not. Instead, get organized and start shopping online. Don’t wait until your course has started to begin looking for your textbooks. That’s when prices are likely to go up since the demand is there. Instead, get a list of your textbooks early and start shopping. You’ll be amazed at just how much you can save.

 

 

There’s nothing worse than buying a textbook online, only to find out it was the wrong one when it arrives. An easy way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to know the ISBN, textbook title and the author. Combined you likely won’t have any further errors. The ISBN is usually near the barcode and is either 10 or 13 digits.

 

Don’t just go to a single site and put your entire textbook order in. The same textbook can vary greatly in price from one site to another. To maximize your savings, search out each textbook separately and order from as many sites as you need to.

 

How much should you be paying for used textbooks? That depends on the textbook, the availability of the textbook, condition and a host of other criteria. For the most part, you can expect to save around 40%. Textbooks in rougher condition will be cheaper. Reputable sites do a good job of disclosing damage to the textbook such as a broken spine, folded pages or writing in the book.

 

Buying used textbooks vs. new textbooks is truly a personal choice but if you’re like most students money is at a premium and every little bit you can save means another meal on the table. With so many sites selling textbooks online, it won’t take you long at all to find the best deals.