1. BookFinder
BookFinder is a comprehensive price comparison engine. Search for books by title, author or ISBN. Filters let you search for new, used and even out-of-print titles. We particularly like that the site displays book prices alongside shipping charges, a very helpful feature when comparing prices.
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It's that time of year again, when college students scramble for textbooks, in the hopes they'll have money left over for food and fun during the school year.
No longer does the campus bookstore have the monopoly on book sales. Students now have the option to buy their books elsewhere, often choosing to purchase used books online, or even rent textbooks from various sites. Some schools are even incorporating e-textbooks into their coursework.
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The key is to find the right edition of a textbook at the right price, and that can take some research.
Fortunately, a few websites can help with that. Amazon has just hopped on the rental bandwagon, launching its own textbook rental service. Other sites offer books you can both rent and buy.
The National Association of College Stores estimates students spend $655 per year on course materials, but that figure is down from $667 two years ago. The number of college bookstores that offer textbook rentals has skyrocketed over the past two years. Renting textbooks can save a student 45-66% off the price of a new print textbook, they estimate, though buying a used book can sometimes save you even more.
So, do the research and then do the math. Here are some great sites to get you started.
Will you be renting textbooks this semester, or do you prefer to own your books? What about used books? Let us know if you have any money-saving tips.
Thumbnail image courtesy of gianlucabartoli and beaucroft.
This story originally published on Mashable here.