College life is expensive. Not only do you need money to pay tuition fees, but you also need to pay for accommodation, transportation and associated expenses – often with the help of loans for students with bad credit in the UK.

Amid all these costs, the cost of books and related materials slipped through the cracks.

How to save money on college textbooks

Luckily, you can save money on the cost of textbooks with early planning. Here are the ways to save money on college textbooks:

Rent textbooks

Renting is a better alternative to purchasing because you will need books only for one semester. You can rent books for a full semester and then return them on the final day. You will get discounts that help you save money.

Instead of renting from a physical bookstore, you should use online stores. You will likely get better deals online as compared to physical stores. Compare the original buying price with the rental you are to pay. Go for buying if it seems to be budget-friendlier.

At the end of the semester, you can sell your books to stores or new students at secondhand prices. This is how you can get back half of the price you paid for books.

Buy digital books

Digital textbooks can save you a lot of money.

·        Some universities allow students to download electronic versions of books.

·        You might get them free of cost or for a fraction of the price of a textbook. This is a great way to save money on books.

However, the drawback is that you will have to accompany your laptop to your lectures and use it as your textbook.

Buy secondhand books

Used textbooks can prevent you from bearing half the cost of new books. You can also bargain for a lower price if it is not in a very fresh condition – for instance, the overuse of highlighter.

You can get secondhand books directly from students who have passed the semester. Some bookstores also sell secondhand books.

However, you will need to buy a fresh book if your curriculum requires a new edition every semester.

Share books

Sharing books with your roommate or friend will help split the cost if they also attend the same class. But this method may not be appealing to all students. You both will need the book to prepare for an exam. At that time, you both will struggle to access the content.

It is important to maintain strict discipline when you are sharing books. You will have to divide days and hours to access it, so neither of you struggles to catch up on reading.

Borrow from the university library

The University library is the best resource to get your college textbooks at very affordable prices. One of the advantages of using the library is that you can borrow books for a limited period by paying a nominal fee.

Be active while borrowing books because you are not alone. A lot of other students are out there who would be looking to borrow books from the college library. Books may be limited, so you get them before anybody else.

Try to check out local libraries too. Some textbooks may not have in-depth information. You will likely need other textbooks as well for writing research papers etc. Return books on the scheduled date to avoid heavy fines.

Get a good bargain on bulk purchases

You should try to bargain for a discounted price if you buy many books. Paying for all the books can be backbreaking. You may take out bad credit loans with guaranteed approval from direct lenders to fund the cost of your textbook.

However, this option could prove to be expensive. Therefore, you should try to ask for a higher discount. In addition to online stores, physical stores can also provide you with books at reduced prices.

Here are some tips on how you can haggle for a lower price:

·        Research the price in advance. Knowing the actual cost will help you decide on a convincing price.

·        Bargain when the store is silent.

·        Be friendly with the sales assistant.

·        Haggle with the right person.

·        Do not reveal the price you want to pay.

·        Start bargaining with the lowest possible price.

·        Become a regular customer.

·        Look for flaws to reduce the prices.

·        Use the right tone.

·        Walk away to pretend you will buy from someone else.

Buy older editions

A lot of books are out there whose content remains the same year after year. Yet, publishers publish new editions for new students.

You can save a lot of money by buying older editions. Buying second-hand books of an older edition will save you a lot of money. You can even bargain for a lower price. Before buying books with older editions, you should compare them with new editions to see if the content is the same.

Graphics may differ, but the rest of the information should be the same.

Take message home

Saving money during college life is not a cinch. Tuition fees, accommodation, travelling, and textbooks can tighten your budget. It is not possible to always rely on student loans to meet your expenses.

Therefore, you should try to save money on textbooks. The aforementioned are the best ways to save money on them. Use methods that work for you. For instance, sharing a book with your friend to split up the cost may not work in your favour. Likewise, you should not try to haggle for a discounted price when you do not have an art.