Arguably, the worst part of starting a new semester is buying all the required textbooks for your classes. Making sure you have the right edition, wondering if you’re actually going to need the book, and then forking out a near-criminal amount of money to pay for them? No thanks. To be honest, your university bookstore is the last place you should be going to purchase your textbooks—unless you have a scholarship or financial aid that can be applied at the bookstore. Here are some other methods I recommend exploring first:
Search Library Databases
So, what should your first step be? Seeing if you can get your books for free, of course! Search the databases your school pays subscriptions for to see if they’re already listed there. Often, if they are, your professor will include a link in their syllabus, so make sure to read it! If not, still try to do a quick search to see if they have what you’re looking for. I’ve personally found a couple of my books on JSTOR and previous editions of other required textbooks in other databases.
Peruse the Internet
Next, do a quick Google search to make sure there aren’t any free PDF versions floating about. If the book you’re required to have is super famous or really old, chances are there’s a version of it for free out there. One semester, I found all the books I needed for two courses (six texts in total) for free as PDFs. This really shouldn’t take you more than half an hour, so it doesn’t hurt to try! Also, I hope you know this already, but avoid scammy sites; if it asks for money, opens 5 different tabs after clicking on a link, or shows fake reviews, it’s probably best to close out and try somewhere else.
Purchase Secondhand
If the previous two methods result in nothing, the next place to look is on secondhand book-selling sites! These websites most likely have your books for wayyy cheaper than your university bookstore. My go-to’s are Alibris, Thriftbooks, and good ol’ eBay. Other popular options are Chegg, AbeBooks, and (of course) Amazon. If you’re going to go this route, definitely make sure to order them early enough to get them in time for classes, as shipping can sometimes take a while.
Split the Cost
Even if you can find the books for cheap, it won’t hurt to go halfsies with a friend as well. This tip relies on you already knowing someone in your class, but it can be a lifesaver! However, even if you don’t know someone before classes start, try joining the group chats for your courses (if they exist) and ask if anyone would be willing to split the cost of the course texts with you. The bonus with this strategy is that you also find yourself a study buddy!
Check Your Libraries
My next tip is to try your university and local libraries! Check your hometown library, the library near your university, and your university library to see if they have any of your books available. Most libraries have their directories online, so you can check for your books in advance as well. While this tip is super helpful and also free, it’s not at the top of the list because it is less than ideal. Often, there are time limits on how long you can check out a book, and there might be a waiting list of other people who also need it, so be mindful of these potential obstacles.
Reach out to Professors
My last tip is to talk to your professors. If you’re really having a hard time with purchasing all of your books—or if your professor has required you to purchase a textbook that costs an egregious amount—shoot them an email asking 1) if they know any places where to find the book for cheaper (maybe there’s a previous edition that will work that is half the cost), 2) if they have an extra copy of the book that you could borrow for the semester (but make sure to return it!), or 3) if they or the school have a student fund that you could access to help alleviate the cost of books. Remember, your professors are not your enemies! When they assign books, they’re not trying to force you into debt (although sometimes it may feel like it). If you reach out, they are more than likely going to help you find a solution.
Bonus Tip:
- Try not to write in your books if you can. If you don’t mark them up, you have a better chance of reselling them for more when you’re done with them. Some alternatives you can try are annotating your books with post-its instead of writing in the margins, and using transparent sticky notes to highlight or underline sections. For workbooks, I scan the pages and then complete them by either writing on them on my iPad or typing in a PDF editing software like Adobe Acrobat (Rutgers students get free access to all Adobe software!). This is extremely helpful if your professors require you to submit your work digitally, and it keeps the pages clean so you can resell them later!
When it comes to purchasing your required texts for the upcoming semester, try going through some of these steps before paying the full price. I know how expensive textbooks can be, especially on top of your term bill cost, so I hope at least one of these tips can help you!