Hey guys!
As you may know or will learn, college textbooks are not cheap. Unfortunately, not everyone has the funds to keep up with all the books that classes require. Although some professors understand that not everyone can afford books and provide alternatives, there are some that will need you to buy the book.
For my first semester in college, I was fortunate enough that the books I needed were small and not expensive. Some were just handbooks and others were novels. One class however, my economics class, did require a textbook. I looked it up and saw that it was $200. To say I was shocked is an understatement. At that time, I did not know what to do. I was ready to buy it but with some guidance from a family member and a mentor, I was able to get the book without paying for it.
For my second semester, I told myself I would try to pay the least amount of money as I could. You know what happened? I only paid for one access code that was $15 since it was unique to my class only. I was so happy and excited that I felt I needed to share!
Quick disclaimer though, all the free textbooks are in a digital version. This means you will not be having an actual physical copy of it. You will only be able to access it on your phone, tablet, or computer.
At first, I was hesitant about this but I was surprised to find out that I actually preferred digital versions over a physical book. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a good physical copy of a book, but I think that digital textbooks are quite nice. I have found my way to make them work and I am super happy about that. If you want a post about how I use my digital textbooks, let me know, I will be more than happy to do one!
Everyone is different so we all have our own opinion. We all have what works best for us and that is okay. Based on my experience, I will tell you some of the advantages I have discovered. First of all, you do not have to carry thousands of books! Okay, maybe this is an exaggeration but you definitely will not have to carry a lot of weight on your back anymore. If you have an iPad or computer, all your textbooks will be on one single device. You also will not have to deal with reselling them if you are thinking of doing that. Another benefit I found is the fact that you will be saving SO much money! Digital version of textbooks are always more affordable or even FREE. Last but not least, they are so convenient given how accessible they are. You can open them up anywhere, everywhere, and any time.
Anyways, let's get started on the ways you can get free textbooks! There are thousands of sites and many ways but the ones I will cover in this post are ones I have experience with!
1. Library Genesis
I think that this is probably the database that every one normally and should know about. In this site, you will look up the book you need and it will give you different sites you can download from. I recommend downloading from the first or second link only since that is what I was recommended. Once you find the link and click it, you are typically directed to the site where you will be downloading from or it will automatically start downloading. This can take a long time because its a large file. Due to that, be aware that since many of these books are big,they will take up a lot of space. That is why I recommend that once you finish downloading it, upload it to OneDrive or Google Drive. This will allow you to open it from any device as well as save you space. That is pretty much it. It is super easy and it is free. One thing to note is that sometimes you will not find the correct edition but professors usually will be willing to work with you. For my econ class, I got the fourth edition rather than the 5th and explained it to my professor. He told me that the content tends to be the same but what will occasionally change are the work problems. To solve this issue, he told me I could just take pictures of the homework problems from his textbook or a peers'. I did not mind this because I got the content I needed to learn from and was able to get access to the homework. Make sure to always communicate with your professors because there is the possibility that they understand you.
2. School Library Database
Every school has a library database site. Normally, they will offer a digital version of what they offer in regular physical libraries. If you log onto the library site with your student account, you might be able to find textbooks, novels, or articles that you may need for free on their site. For one of my classes, all the articles and journals I needed were on the database for free. It really does not hurt to try looking up assigned readings on there before you buy them. It is part of your tuition and you should take advantage of it. Another thing I learned is that you can check out the textbooks that the actual library has. Although they have limited copies, this is a way to get a physical copy of a book you may need. They should have most if not all books that teachers assign and you do not have to pay.
3. Google Search
This one is quite easy but can require some time. This is what I did initially. I would type the name of the textbook along with the words "PDF", "PDF for free", and "free". Sometimes authors will have their work published for free for students. All you have to do is look for them. It can take quite a while since you will be doing a few searches and will be browsing through pages of result but it is rewarding when you find free copies. This does require more work than the other options I talk about but I have been able to find free textbook copies by doing this and I do not regret it. For me, it is not a waste of time!
4. Second Hand
Okay this one does not necessarily guarantee free textbooks. Second hand buying is so great, for everything. I personally bought a few second hand books my first semester. They were half off (actually, more I think!) the original price. I looked on Amazon, Slugbooks, and class Facebook groups. On Amazon, when you look for a book and you find it, it will give you an option to look at people who are selling their used books for a reduced price. This is what I used for the most part and was super useful when I used it with my Amazon Prime trial! I was able to get my books in two days for free at a LOW price! Slugbooks is a site that will compare prices of the book your looking for to find you the lowest one, typically second hand. It will give you different sites that sell the book for cheap, however sometimes shipping can be apart from the price so it is something you need to look for. Now, for the Facebook groups. When you are accepted and commit to school, look for your class group (class of 2023/ admitted 2019) and the class before you (class of 2022/ admitted 2018). Join these groups because there will be so much that you can get out of them! Students will be selling or trading there books which can be more affordable than buying a new one. This can be helpful because you can save money that pays for shipping.
I get that buying a used book can be scary. Will there be writing on it? Will it be damaged? Is it a risk worth taking? The short answer is yes, it is worth taking. I had luck with the books I did end up buying. They were in great condition and no to minimal writing in it! I saved so much money that helped me with other costs which was such a great thing for me. These are just what I tried but there are many more sites that sell used textbooks but Amazon has been the easiest for me.
Being able to buy the books straight from the bookstore is easy. Unfortunately, not everyone can do this. Overtime, the money adds up and that is money that can be used for other college expenses that arise. If you take some time out of your day and are open to use digital version of books, you CAN find them for free. If you are set that physical books is the only way to go, then you can still find affordable second hand books that will save you money.
All of this does require you to put work in since you will be looking for the one with the lowest price, the best condition, and the smallest shipping fee. Everything is possible if you put the work in!
I saved hundreds because I found all the books I could online for free or at a reduced price. It was not easy and took up hours from my day but it was all worth it in the end. Tuition is not cheap and adding textbook costs does not help. That is why I hope I can help you save some money and prevent you from stressing about how you will be able to afford your books.
If you try any of these or already do this, let me know down below! I always get excited when people tell me they were able to save money on their textbooks! Everyone should know this!
Until next time,
Diana