Rent or purchase college textbooks on Amazon Kindle to save money

Save money, rent textbooks on Amazon

It’s back to school time and after my tuition has been paid, apartment’s been furnished, and the internet hooked up, we both start to realize our ramen noodle and single serve coffee budget is what we have to look forward to. There is one more large expense we all could stand to save money on this semester. Textbooks are ridiculously overpriced and as a result I tend to be a little thrifty in the way I handle my book rentals. Rentals because who buys textbooks? I guarantee you will type the following in Google in the next 3 months, “download free college books pdf”, After you spend a couple of hours not finding what you need you will have to figure out how you are going to make that happen. Enter me with the advice to rent textbooks on Amazon, as an ebook. I rent all my textbooks from Amazon, on the Kindle, and read them on the Kindle app. I have two devices, my iPhone and my Macbook Air, and those two things can and will be the only things I plan to carry. Why not bring my notes and my textbook to class with me on either device? This isn’t my first rodeo so let me impart on you the wisdom someone shared with me, the Amazon Kindle app for Mac (or Windows if you get down like that) has all of the textbooks you are going to need for a small fraction of what they sale for in your campus/off-campus bookstore. Not the mention, it’s less crap you’ll be stuck with or have to resale after the semester ends.

Worth noting here, don’t buy a damn book before the first day of class. There are no extra points for being the first in class to have a book. As a matter of fact, you are more likely to be out the cash for no reason when the professor tells you his test are based on the lectures, and the book will be merely for reference purposes. Once you have the syllabus, and you know you need the book, head to the Amazon Kindle store for textbooks and begin the search for the books you were told to buy or rent. Be careful and make sure to get the right edition/revision because at least two paragraphs will have changed since the last time the book was published. Publishers need that extra $10. ?

After purchasing or renting your books, open the Kindle app on your laptop, iPad, iPhone, Tablet, desktop computer or other internet capable device and visit your library. If you don’t have any of these devices and can afford it, get the 10″ Fire Tablet, it’ll be the best study device you’ve ever purchased and for less than half the price of an Apple device. Now, you should see the rented textbooks you just “purchased”. Make sure to download them so you have them offline. Also, and not because I have tried it or anything, but you can’t really “share” the books. They are tied to your Amazon account but also tied to a certain number of devices too.

I hate the textbook racket, but if I am being honest, buying or renting them in the Kindle App is about the most effective way to actually to have a textbook.

5 Reasons to love Amazon Kindle and renting textbooks

1. If you have an internet enabled device the Kindle app is likely available for it. This means no matter what you are carrying around with you, you will have your textbooks.
2. You can read those chapters (before class like you’re told) and while reading, start to study by highlighting things you know will be important and taking notes. It’ll make #3 much easier.
3. You have your book with you during class without having to lug around a backpack. When a professor says something like, “You will need to know this” you can highlight it in the book and even create a link to the text in your notes.
4. Flashcards. You used them for sight words and multiplication memorization when you were younger and they work for memorization in college as well. Use them! You will undoubtedly have to learn some terminology over the next 4 years and this is a great tool.
5. When you are done, you’re done. The rental will expire and you won’t be stuck trying to take back or sell textbooks in a campus bookstore. Just watch the book expire and know that you did your best to get at least a solid C in the class.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In my illustrious college career I have now attended two schools with my third school coming in the fall of 2018. It’s easy to get discouraged and think you should just quit, obviously making a decision you’ll later regret. I’ve learned a couple of things about navigating the obstacles of being a student. Books and their cost are a barrier for a ton of kids and young adults (hell even old adults). I really want to offer this as a helpful way to save some money on one of the things likely to be a necessity when you head off to university. I am willing and able to answer your questions if you have them, just leave a comment on the page or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. Lastly, if taking notes on a computer or electronically in some way just isn’t for you, I am sure you can find something that’ll fit your needs and never have to leave the comfort of your couch, bed, or toilet (if that happens to be where you do some of your best work) to have it delivered to your front door.

If you must have a notebook, I’d suggest buying a 12 pack and a box of cheap pens. I actually prefer pencils but you know, whatever floats your boat. You might not like having an ebook and electronic notes so do what works for you.

Let the semester begin and let’s all do it without the need for a backpack! Please share with a college student you know could use a little help with better managing their cheddar.