5 Ways to Save on Textbooks
Posted: February 27, 2026 | Author: Nick Marinoff | Read Time: 2 minutes
One of the biggest expenses in college is often textbooks. College is important, but it can also be expensive. However, there are some cheaper alternatives students can consider when obtaining textbooks.
Rent; Don’t Buy
Sites like Chegg.com let you rent textbooks for less than what they’d pay to own them. You can get textbooks for the time you’ll need to finish your courses and save money by keeping them for limited periods. Plus, if you finish a course quickly, you may be able to return the required book for a full refund..
Get Used Versions
If you can’t rent, search for used copies of books on Amazon, eBay, or used book websites. Even though you will still own the texts after the class is over, you’ll keep more money in your pockets. You can also sell the books after classes are over.
Purchase books from fellow students
There are plenty of students trying to sell their old textbooks. Buying from them can be a good way to save on select titles. Platforms like CampusBooks, GoTextbooks, and DirectTextbook let students sell old books to others who are enrolling in courses they’ve already taken. SUU also has a student-run buyback system for textbooks.
Utilize Open Educational Resources (OER)
Many courses now use Open Educational Resources - textbooks that are licensed to be freely shared, jumped, and printed. Check sites like OpenStax or the Open Textbook Library to see if your required reading is available as a legal, high-quality free download. Always check your syllabus first to see if your professor has opted into an OER program!
Visit your local library
Call your local library to see if your text is available. With a proper library card in hand, the book will be available to you at no charge for a limited period. Students are also advised to check out their local university libraries as they can sometimes provide the textbooks students need. SUU’s library program lets students borrow textbook titles for limited periods of time.
SUU Can Help
SUU is not only one of the least expensive universities in the nation, but it also puts its students first by helping them save money while getting the best education possible. We offer a diverse group of undergrad and graduate-level diplomas to help you reach your career goals. Chat with one of our advisors today.
