As college students, we all know that buying textbooks every semester can cost an arm and a leg. However, there are several websites that can give you an amazing deal on used books, which will cut the cost in half. Thanks to some of these websites, I was able to buy used books for less than $5, while the new versions cost anywhere from $10-$20 and sometimes even more. I had about 10 tabs open comparing the different prices for the books from each site, but all the money I saved was well worth the time spent.
- AbeBooks
-
This website is probably my favorite, as almost every single book I needed could be found on here. The only downside is that at times, the shipping can be relatively pricey, making the overall cost about the same as buying a new copy. Although, this depends on the book you’re buying, some may still be cheaper while others have free shipping.
- BookFinder
-
This site is the most comprehensive one, as it searches the internet and compares prices for the same book across a wide variety of websites- ebay, Abebooks, Amazon, Thriftbooks, and more. The bad thing is that it only shows the price of the book itself and doesn’t add in shipping – so you’ll have to check the shipping prices on your own.
- ThriftBooks
-
While I do like Thriftbooks, it can be relatively expensive compared to the other websites on this list. In addition, many of the less well known books I needed were unavailable. I would recommend Thriftbooks if you’re looking for a cheaper copy of a popular classic or a book published in the last few years.
- Amazon’s Used Book
-
While Amazon already has generally cheap prices for books, the used copies they offer through their sellers are usually even cheaper. However, the used books on Amazon are usually not eligible for Amazon prime shipping, and like Abebooks, the cost of shipping can negate the low price of the book itself. But, this also depends on the individual book- so cross reference these sites if you want to get the best possible deal.
All of these websites have their advantages and disadvantages, but if you have lots of books to buy for school and don’t mind purchasing used books these sites can save you a lot of money. College is already expensive enough, so why spend more money than you have to?