How to save money on textbooks

Are you one of the many students at Citrus College who are struggling to buy textbooks?  Do your books cost more than your actual classes?  If so, you are not alone.

The alarming increase in textbook prices leaves many students to explore other options.

I am well aware that profits from Owl Bookshop benefit the student government and help fund student activities, but that fact does not change the students’ bottom line.

I am taking 17 units, and my five classes are adding up to about $530 in class fees that I have to pay out of my pocket. 

At the Owl Bookshop, my books are set to cost me about $565!  But what I have to pay out of my own pocket will be reduced more than 4 times that amount down to $135.

As a financially conscious student with other bills and obligations, there is no way I can squeeze in paying full price for new textbooks, so I found other outlets that  may help other students as well.

Students need to know that the book store is not their only resource for obtaining their textbooks. 

#1: RENT TEXTBOOKS ONLINE
A new trend for college students is to rent textbooks online.  Students are used to renting movies on sites such as Netflix and now Chegg.com provides a similar service to college students who are searching for a cheaper alternative to buying textbooks.

Chegg.com allows students to search for the books that they need and offer rental prices at much more affordable prices.

Simply select how long you want to keep the book(s): quarter, semester, or even 60-day rental and they will deliver them to your home by UPS.  You will also receive the packaging material and a free return label so that you can send the book back worry-free when the semester is over.

The 60-day rental is the cheapest and the longer rental agreements will cost just a few dollars more, depending on the book you choose. 

Fortunately, Chegg’s quarter term due date is listed as June 30, 2010, so you may even select to rent the book for a quarter and still have it for all of the spring semester.  You can save a little more money by doing it that way.

Word of mouth and popular sites like Facebook and Pandora has helped Chegg to reach out to thousands of college students.

Several Citrus College students have already discovered the benefits of renting.

“It’s easy, convenient, and all the books are in new condition,” said James Delgado, 24, history major.  “Why spend double that amount on a book you will not be using again after that semester?”

Susea Guitron, 29, a communications major with two young children, said she definitely saved extra money after getting her books from Chegg.

“I probably won’t buy textbooks anymore after using it.”

I first used Chegg to rent my English 103 book for the winter 2010 term and was surprised with how much money I saved. 

At the Owl Bookshop, a new copy of “Intro to Literature” by Sylvan Barnet was selling for $82.20 and a used copy for $61.65.  Chegg offered the same book for rent for $30.74.

I saved $50, which I used for expenses like food and gas.

This semester, I will be a returning customer because I loved saving money. 

Each book rental order is guaranteed to save you at least 40% off the listed price. 
I will be renting a Math 165 statistics book from Chegg for $53.27, which even beats $119.45 at the Owl Bookshop and a new copy at a whopping $159.25! 

My Humanities 101 book is priced at $115.75 at the Owl Bookshop but I will be renting that very same book for only $31.44.

The rental total is even less than the price of one new copy of my math book!

Thank you Chegg.com for saving me $430 this semester!

#2: USE THE BOOKS ON RESERVE IN THE LIBRARY

The Citrus College library has textbooks on reserve for virtually every class.

Back when I did not know about renting books, this was my main alternative.

If spending money on books is out of the question, then make time to sit in the library and check out the books on reserve.

There is a two-hour study limit when checking out books and you are not allowed to leave the library with the book. 

Students need to get in the habit of visiting the library regularly and taking advantage of the resources available to them for almost no cost at all.

Those are only two small restrictions but using the reserved books can result in saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run.

#3: SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships available at Citrus College can significantly reduce your expense load.  

I received a $150 “Readers to Leaders” book scholarship for this semester, which will definitely lighten a load. 

With this money, I will be purchasing the only two books that I cannot rent from Chegg.  They are not available because one was compiled by Citrus College professors, and the other was written by one of my professors. 

The scholarship will be just about enough to help get me the used copies for both.

With the money I already saved from Chegg.com, this extra $150 is like icing on a cake because I will be spending almost nothing on books this term.

Make a trip to the Financial Aid Office and ask about scholarships. 

This is money that you do not have to pay back so take full advantage and apply.

So when shop for textbooks, do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the high prices.  Remember that there are other ways to spend your hard-earned money. 

Do a little research and find your most affordable alternative!