How to Save Big on College Book Costs

Checking the library and renting books can save students money, so they can spend more on pizza.
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Forget about the overpriced campus bookstore, and opt for an e-book or rent your textbook instead.
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Want to cut textbook costs 20 to 80 percent? Here are some tried-and-true tricks from a former grad student.

College textbook prices commonly evoke looks of disbelief from incoming college freshmen. $135 for a pre-calculus textbook and $65 for the supplement? That’s right, the cost of those new, glossy college textbooks has skyrocketed as publishers continue to crank out current editions almost every year. As a freshman, you’ll probably take at least four classes per semester, all in different subject areas. Additionally, textbooks for intro-level core classes often come with a higher price tag. Don’t have $600 to drop on books your first semester? By doing a little research, you can save the equivalent of a year's worth of late-night coffee breaks.

While the cost of class materials is going up, students are spending less on average. Here's how they're doing it—and how you can, too.
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