Textbooks are expensive; we all know it. There's no sugar-coating the fact that on top of tuition we also have to turn around and pay an extra $100-200 for a stack of papers wedged between a glossy cover that we may or may not even use.
However, there are a few ways to make sure you don't waste oodles of cash on textbooks, and I'm going to show you how.
Amazon
As always, Amazon is your best friend. So, many of the textbooks students need can be found on Amazon for lower prices than that of a student bookstore. Once, I had a professor assign a $150 textbook that I found on Amazon for $40. No joke.
There is one downside though: shipping. I recommend having an Amazon Prime account to get free shipping or using a friend or family member's Prime account because shipping can add up. Also, next day shipping comes in handy so that you aren't waiting two weeks for a textbook to show up.
Rent
Amazon, as well as most book stores, offer a rent option. Renting your books is much cheaper than buying the whole thing, and is a great way to make sure that you aren't stuck trying to sell back a textbook three years later.
You have the book for your desired semester, then it's off your hands forever.
Ask a friend
This may seem far-fetched, but especially if you are an underclassman, I recommend asking a friend. Most classes you take during your first two years of college are core classes, so it's likely you and some friends will be using the same textbooks.
Borrowing from a friend or even Venmoing them a little money is much better than the over-priced number you'd be paying in the store.
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