Hey BU!
To make everyone’s lives easier, I have created the best and most useful list of all time. A guide of how not to spend all of those pretty pennies you spent time lifeguarding for on textbooks. Voila!
Don't let this be you!
At this point in the game, there are options for every person and their lifestyle, and most importantly, every budget. When I first purchased my textbooks going into my freshman year here at BU, I thought I had single-handedly saved the country from the debt crisis. However, I quickly found alternatives that not only saved me money, but also did some good for the world!
If you’re looking for convenience, the best option is BU’s bookstore at Barnes & Noble. Lucky for you, they now have the option to rent textbooks, which depending on the textbook, is more economically sound if the book is older and more obscure. They also offer ebooks on many textbooks for those of you who are able to read entire books on your iPad or laptop (not I). And of course, they have new and used textbooks to purchase. Best of all when ordering from B&N, they package all of your books in a convenient box that makes lugging that Biology book to Warren Towers a whole lot easier.
If you’re looking to rent textbooks, Chegg is the best option. Not only are they almost always a reasonable price, they also give you more than enough time on your rental. In addition, the return shipping is FREE and you simply send the textbooks back in the box they came in. How easy is that?! Best of all, Chegg plants a tree for every order! Feel good points!
In the realm of do-good book sites, another great source is Better World Books . They kindly offer FREE standard shipping, with the option to ship with carbon balanced shipping for $0.05 to reduce the carbon impact of your order. Also, this site is devoted to improving literacy programs around the world, and a portion of your order goes to a cause. If you choose to sell your books back to this site, you also can donate some of your profit to a cause of your choice as well.
If you just want cheap books, and don’t mind searching for them (which is simple since B&N now includes they ISBN number on all booklists), I recommend the tried and true. If I don’t rent from Chegg, I personally purchase most of my books used from either Amazon or Half.com. The books are super cheap used, and I can honestly say that all of mine have been in great condition, no room for complaints. The only drawback is the shipping costs for each individual book, unless they are all from the same seller. Overall though, you still can’t beat the low costs. (And I might add, I love getting packages; so getting 20 little ones is never a bad thing)
Best of luck in your searches BU! Keep in mind that the sooner you purchase your books, the more likely they’ll be available and the less they will cost!
And now that I’ve saved myself all that money, I think I’ll head over to Newbury Street.
