Buying textbooks is one of the biggest expenses as a student, but you can get great deals if you know where to look. If you’re wondering where to buy cheap books for your studies, this guide show you some of the best places.
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- 1. Textbooks.com
- 2. eBay
- 3. Your University Facebook Group
- 4. PaperBackSwap
- 5. Amazon
- 6. AbeBooks
- 7. Barnes and Noble
- 8. Chegg
1. Textbooks.com
Textbooks.com is an ideal place to start if you need specific course material, with numerous physical books and ebooks available. The website has over 10 million books stocked, and you get free delivery when you spend over $25.
You’ll find several subjects covered on Textbooks.com, including biology, physics, and accounting. You can often buy new versions of the books on your list, but it’s often less expensive to buy it used.
Once you’re finished with the book, you can always resell it on Textbooks.com. If you can’t find the ebook you were looking for, consider trying some free ebook download libraries.
2. eBay
eBay was the first online marketplace I ever used, and it’s still going strong all these years later. It’s a great place to find used items in general, and used books are no different. I wouldn’t recommend it for course textbooks, but it may be worth a try.
Rather than buying course books, eBay is better if you need to purchase specific titles. For example, we had to read Of Mice and Men for school, and buying it new was a bit pointless.
eBay lets you filter your results based on whether you want hardback or paperback, and you can also sift through any movies or TV series that have been made of your book. Before buying, you can check the seller’s rating to ensure they’re reliable and legitimate.
3. Your University Facebook Group
Besides looking for textbooks on websites, I also suggest joining your university’s Facebook groups. Recent graduates probably won’t need their books anymore and would prefer to get rid of them rather than letting them gather dust.
If you don’t see anyone mentioning that they’re selling their old textbooks, you may have to ask and see who responds. You can also check Facebook Marketplace. Also try changing Facebook Marketplace to Local Only.
4. PaperBackSwap
PaperBackSwap is one of the best places to exchange books online, and it has over 700,000 books available. To use this service, list a book, then wait for someone to request it. When they do, send them the book.
Once you’ve sent the book, you can get anything available on the website. In essence, you’re getting a free book with the exception of your initial shipping costs.
Because you first need to provide an old book of your own, I’d use PaperBackSwap if you have any additional course materials that aren’t 100 percent essential.
5. Amazon
Amazon is one of my favorite places to buy books online, and I was a Prime member throughout my university years. While you’ll find an endless number of new books available, there are several preowned options that are usually cheaper.
You’ll find books on Amazon for all kinds of topics and can often choose whether you want a hardback or paperback copy. Amazon often lets you choose a digital version, too, and you can preview your title to ensure it’s precisely what you need.
If you use a Kindle, you may want to look to see if any of the books you need are available on your device. Upgrading to Kindle Unlimited is also a good idea.
6. AbeBooks
AbeBooks is better for supplementary course materials, in my opinion, but you will still find a solid selection of textbooks. For example, you can discover several titles related to literature if that’s what you’re studying.
You’ll find plenty of used books for under $10, too, from dissectable novels to language-learning books. The AbeBooks website also shows a list of trending books and even has multiple niche categories (such as books set in Paris).
You can search AbeBooks by keyword, but it’s easier if you have the ISBN handy. When looking for books, you’ll see a brief overview of their condition.
7. Barnes and Noble
Barnes and Noble is one of the best-known bookstores in the US, and you’ve probably explored its list of new titles. But did you know that you can also purchase several preowned books?
When shopping at Barnes and Noble, you’ll find a number of books that have been discounted. You can also order directly from the website in addition to visiting your local store in person. It’s also possible to order online and pick up your books up in the store.
Barnes and Noble also has several ebooks, some of which are free. Moreover, you can become a member and get more perks in the future.
8. Chegg
Chegg has several other resources to help you succeed in your studies, but it’s particularly useful if you need affordable textbooks. You get free delivery on orders over $35, too, making it an ideal place to pick up multiple titles.
If you don’t need to own the textbook, you can rent it for a specified period. This is a better choice if you only need a book for a semester. However, you can also buy books for a significant discount; as you can see below, the book listed is over $200 cheaper when used than bought new.
It’s possible to buy ebook versions of your books, too, but these are significantly more expensive.
Whether you need books for one semester or your entire academic year, you’ll find plenty of places to buy cheap books online. You can also rent cheap textbooks if needed. It’s often a good idea to buy your books in bulk to ensure that you also save on shipping costs. Organizing your studies with free Notion templates for students is also a good idea.
Image credit: Canva. All screenshots by Danny Maiorca.
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Danny Maiorca –
Contributor
Danny has written for online audiences for 10+ years. He specializes in Apple products and loves writing on his MacBook, keeping in touch on his iPhone, and measuring his workouts on his Apple Watch. Danny’s work has featured in multiple places online, including MUO, Lifewire, and Guiding Tech. Away from the keyboard, he’s passionate about photography and leading an active lifestyle outdoors.
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