Ways To Save Money On Textbooks During a Pandemic

By Ashley Paskill on August 18, 2020

Textbooks are a huge expense for students, and it is difficult to navigate ways to save money on them. However, during a pandemic, some of the typical ways to save money on textbooks may not be an option, especially if you do not have access to all of your campus’ resources. A lot of online retailers are also struggling to keep shipments rolling if they have fewer people working. All of these things can make it seem impossible to save money, but there are unique ways to overcome the cost challenge that is paying for textbooks.

Check your syllabus or ask your professor

Many professors understand that some campus resources, including the campus bookstore, may not be available due to COVID-19 and they may opt for different means of teaching. They may decide to focus solely on using articles that are online to be able to get the information across in a way that does not require a textbook. Check your syllabus or ask your professor to see what you will need. The professor may make the textbook optional, and if it is, you do not have to spend your money on it.

Buy the loose-leaf format

You most likely have heard of e-book versions of the textbooks you need, which can help save you money. However, some textbook companies sell the loose-leaf version of the textbook. These editions come in the form of a binder and cost significantly less than traditional books. They can be found in the usual places you look for textbooks, including Textsurf and Amazon and can be purchased new or used or rented. When doing a search for the books, type in the ISBN or the name of the book and make sure to include “loose leaf” to find these versions.

Buy access codes and books separately

Access codes for textbooks need to be codes that have not been used before. However, a common misconception is that you have to buy the textbook and the access code as a set. This is not the case. They can be sold separately, so if you find the book and a cheaper price, you can buy it where you found it and get the access code either through the textbook publisher or at your campus bookstore. You may even be able to find a former student who did not use the access code at all and buy it from them. Former students may be willing to sell the code at a discounted price, so you will save even more money.

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Find free editions

While many sites want to make money off of textbook sales, there are other sites where you can get your books for free. If you are taking a class that requires you to read classics, these are often free if you opt for the e-book version. Other sites like Project Gutenberg have a variety of textbooks for free. If you are only finding older versions of the textbooks, ask your professor if this is okay, especially since older does not always mean outdated, but you should check beforehand.

Check with your community library

If you are doing virtual classes from home, this is a great option, especially if you are taking literature or history classes. Community libraries may not have textbooks, but they may have novels and history books that may be required. Even if your library does not have these in stock physically, some libraries subscribe to services such as Axis 360 or Hoopla that allow you to borrow books for free. If you need a book for the whole semester, see if you can renew the books. Because of the pandemic, your local library may have certain practices in place, such as timed visits or curbside pickup, so be sure you check so you know the procedures before arriving.

Use a browser extension

Technology has evolved so much, and one of the benefits of this is the ease of using a browser extension to help you search for textbooks at the best price. Extensions such as Occupy the Bookstore allow you to find textbooks at the best price without having to comparison shop on your own. Simply go to your college or university’s bookstore site and search for the books you need. Occupy the Bookstore will search the web to find out where the best prices are.

Other browser extensions, such as Honey and RetailMeNot, help you save money by applying coupon codes to your order without you having to decide which ones are best. All you have to do is install the extensions and they will automatically apply the best code for your order. Honey even allows you to earn cashback rewards on certain purchases, meaning you will get savings on top of savings. Just be sure to read up on which extension will help most at each store and go from there.

Figuring out how to spend less on textbooks is complicated as-is, but it is made more difficult when you have fewer resources and options available to you. However, it is not totally impossible, and it may actually be quite simple with some help from technology.

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