I guess because I went to college in what, technologically speaking, was the DARK AGES, we had very limited choices when it came to getting textbooks. We had ONE bookstore that offered New, or occasionally, Used books, if you were lucky. You could always hope to sell them back at the end of the semester, but that was never a guarantee.
In today’s times, it is possible to rent textbooks! I have been doing some in depth comparison of various books to see if it will really save you money. I asked friends who have children in college, via private message on FB, for a list of the texts they are using THIS semester, where they bought them, and how much they paid. VERY few people new renting was even an option (I JUST found out), so now I am on a mission to spread the word. *Note: Not every book was cheaper to rent vs buy, but the vast majority were. I am of the opinion that it pays to use common sense to save money on textbooks. When your child enrolls in the class and finds out what texts are needed, start doing your homework. Shop around. Make a list, write down the prices of new and used in the bookstore, check Amazon, and check CampusBookRentals online.
As you can see in the example above, for the text Psychology by Schacter, Daniel L. and Gilbert, Daniel T. textbook is available for rent for $63.33 for one semester, $57.63 for a quarter, or $55.10 for 55 days (summer session). This same book, Psychology, is priced $137.68 at Amazon for a new copy, and $93.53 for a used copy in “good” condition. The price at the school bookstore? A whopping $286! That is a HUGE savings, and definitely worth a little bit of time put in researching options!
Other perks for using Campus Book Rentals?
- The obvious: 40-90% savings from the school bookstore
- FREE shipping both ways
- you ARE allowed to highlight in the textbooks
- They will make a donation to Operation Smile with EACH rental!
- Flexible Renting Periods
jim p says
I am super cheap so I look all over to find cheap prices on everything including textbooks.
punkin0001 says
I think that renting is a much better alternative than purchasing and then worrying about selling it later. Books are super expensive and the prices will get nothing but higher due to the loggings.
Melanie Schemanski says
My son is taking some college classes now and I definitely need to check into this!
Sarah Hayes says
I agree with you that its worth the research into what your cheapest options are. I found some used books for .99 cents
one site so that was great! most ppl are ready to get rid of them.