by Jan Lazor

Created on: July 09, 2010   Last Updated: July 19, 2010

College costs continue to increase year after year with no sign of stopping. Most college costs, like tuition, fees and housing are fixed with no room to haggle.

Buying textbooks comes right behind tuition, housing and fees on the list of  most expensive college costs. Unlike the items with a fixed price, there are ways to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for books and other course materials.

Instead of rushing to the campus book store and buying brand new copies of each book on you syllabus, invest some time searching for used ones.

Post signs around campus at the library, student union or the lobby of your dorm. It is likely someone is looking to sell the very books you need to buy. This is recycling at its best. It saves printing new texts and doesn’t require burning fossil fuel to deliver them to you.

Consider organizing a book swap within your major area. By swapping books within your major subject area, you can save money and help others do the same.

Don’t overlook the campus library for some of your texts, especially ones written by campus professors. Make sure you check early, since the library will only have a couple of copies available.

Check due dates and renew promptly. Colleges can and do hold diplomas until all fees and library fines are paid. Don’t spoil your graduation and add to your college costs by incurring unnecessary charges.

If you can’t find used textbooks locally, invest some time searching the numerous bookselling/buying websites on the Internet. Compare costs carefully. The lowest priced book may not be the best deal if you end up paying a premium price for shipping.

Also keep in mind, you need to order your books as soon as possible. Delays can add to the price if you have to upgrade shipping costs from third class postage to priority or even overnight shipping in order to have your books when class begins.

Some Websites offer free shipping. Read carefully. They may charge a one-time membership fee to access the site in order to qualify for free shipping. Paying the fee your freshman year, may pay for itself several times over during your college career. However this may limit the number of websites you order textbooks from.

You may also want to consider sharing the membership with a friend, sibling, or roommate. Divide the fee to further reduce your book costs and everyone can benefit from the free shipping offer.

Students need to be aware of pitfalls they may encounter before ordering textbooks on-line. Make sure the book you are ordering is the same edition listed on your class syllabus. Textbooks get updated. Updated texts may have the same name, but they will vary slightly and the word "revised" should appear near the original title.

Finally, make sure the bookseller/buyer you are ordering from is a legitimate supplier and not a site which takes your money but doesn't deliver your books. Check with others on campus to see which web sites they use to order books. You should also read reviews on the Internet to see which sites rate high with users.  

With a small investment of time and research, college students can find creative ways to save money when they buy their textbooks. Once class is over, reverse the process and sell your book so other students, the campus bookstore or return them to any of a number of Internet sites to get money to help pay for books for your next courses.

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