Buying textbooks for College-Tricks and Tips?

[phreshkid]

Basically as the title states: does anyone have any secret tricks or tips on getting the cheapest textbooks? Best websites? Coupons? Codes? Anything?

I just spend $250 on a single business textbook because my Professor has a current contract with the publisher of this textbook, thus obligating him to use their textbook in general classroom lecture.

So that's really all I was curious about. Who knows the best places/websites for college textbooks or hell, even eBooks?

[etxxz]

half.com and amazon were my friends through college.

[ak-]

Sucks I know.
I try to photocopy as much as I can from library books when need be.

[Jaxx_]

how shady do you want to go? the bookstore on my campus doesn't stamp in-coming books so you could theoretically buy the books, come back with your receipt, then grab all the same books off the shelf and "return" them.

[phreshkid]

how shady do you want to go? the bookstore on my campus doesn't stamp in-coming books so you could theoretically buy the books, come back with your receipt, then grab all the same books off the shelf and "return" them.

My college has cops everywhere with guns and they look to be itching to shoot some college students. I don't steal anymore, at least I try not to.

[Jaxx_]

My college has cops everywhere with guns and they look to be itching to shoot some college students. I don't steal anymore, at least I try not to.

that's good though, seriously.

[Rsully70sev]

Chegg. I've never paid over $100 a book. They're rentals, but worth it IMO.

[phreshkid]

Sucks I know.
I try to photocopy as much as I can from library books when need be.

Yeah but sometimes you need the physical book in front of you to doodle in and mark it up properly. It can potentially be the difference between a B and an A.



I use Chegg.com a lot as well.

[maineland]

Find people who took the class before and acquire their books either through manipulation or a monetary transaction.

[reelizmpro]

Look no further...

Bestbookbuys.com

Searches amazon, half.com, etc for the best deals. Just put in the ISBN number, verify the edition and you're set.

[lambo]

amazon.

[e30=sexy]

Half.com. Some of the books I have bought have been international edition but its the same material just different cover. I spent about $60 on 2 books over paying about $250 for them at the bookstore.

[Pudmunkie]

I had textbooks that were supposed to be sold in india for the last year of school. Same exact book as US market, but paperback, and a third of the price. Check amazon for them.

Oh the wife suggested renting them as well, I have no further details on that... Maybe google will lead the way.

[Jorgen]

As others said hit up Half.com usually pretty good deals. Also as Pud pointed out the international editions can be pretty good. I only found them for engineering and math classes mostly and only once had an issue where the problems in the book were different. Just ended up getting the problems from a friend or the professor would print them off as not everyone really bought the book. On that note another thing to consider is not always buying the book. Some classes you need it but I had atleast 1 or 2/year that I didn't buy the book for the class as after the first week you figured out that you didn't need it. I always waited to see if it was really needed.

Also remember no matter how much you are paying someone else is probably paying more. I had one grad class on hybrid and EV battery design last semester that had three books that totaled in the range of $500.

[SkinnyVT]

also remember that some books are useful after you graduate as well so sometimes it makes sense to pay for a good quality book that will last