College can be expensive. It doesn't matter if you attend an online university or go to a traditional university, it still costs money. One thing, besides tuition, that makes education so expensive is buying textbooks. Almost every class you take in college will require some type of reading material, be it a textbook, a reading book, or magazine articles, and no matter what type it is, it will cost some money. However, you do have options when it comes to getting your books. You have the option to rent or buy your books, but what is the best option?
Let's start by buying your books. Almost any university has a campus bookstore or a bookstore that sells textbooks for that university. These stores usually give you the option of buying new or used books, depending on the class and the book they used last year. Buying used books can save you some money, but you may have to deal with someone else's highlighting or notes written on the book. Yes, people can do that and still sell the book. A new book, of course, will be new, shiny, free, or with notes or marks, and will probably cost a bit more. In most schools, you should be able to buy used books for most of your classes, unless they adopt a new book. Some instructors will publish one of their own books or have a book with one of their magazines. In this case, those instructors will probably make it one of the necessary books as they would make some money from it too.
The great thing about buying your books, new or used, is that at the end of the semester, hopefully, you can sell them again. I say hopefully because selling your books can do more harm than help. You will probably come across the bookstore telling you that they have adopted a new edition of that book and will not buy the old ones again. They can also tell you that even though they will be using the same edition, they have already purchased all the copies that will be needed and will not purchase yours. You always have the option of selling your books online; someone will surely want or need your textbook.
Renting your books can help you get rid of the post-sale situation. There are many websites that allow you to rent your books for a set period of time, usually per semester. Your college may also offer this option, so check with the bookstore or college to see if you can rent rather than buy. The book you rent may come to you used, and just like when you buy it, your used book will likely have highlights and notes throughout. However, it doesn't matter if you rent a new or used book, most of the places you rent allow you to write and stand out in the Buy online books as well. So if you thought you could only do that in a book you bought, think again.
When it comes to saving money while in college, it may seem difficult, but there are ways to do it. Now, whether renting saves you money compared to buying and selling your books may depend. Just remember that when you buy your books, you may not be able to sell them again, but when you rent them, at the end of the semester, you just return them and it's a done deal.
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