Many students find starting new semesters financially stressful.

According to NBC’s review of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, textbook prices have risen over three times the rate of inflation.

From the rising cost of textbooks and other necessary expenditure, students are always on the lookout for ways to save.

Their hard work is paying off. Students have discovered new tips and tricks to avoid these financial hurdles when it comes to textbooks.

One way is to grab the cheapest used options and beat the crowds at the same time. Going online and figuring out, prior to the start of the class, which books you need will allow you to snag the used copies before they run out.

Kelsie Berry, a fourth semester student, said she uses the ISBN numbers on the backs of books to compare prices in a variety of places such as Amazon, eBay, and Barnes & Noble.

“I also used comparison shopping sites such as BestBookBuys, which allowed me a quicker way to see all my options,” Berry said.

There is also an option that most students often do not take advantage of. Most professors reserve required textbooks in the reference desk of the college library, and any student can simply avoid all the charges and study on campus.
A popular option is getting e-books rather than hard copies. E-books on Kindles, iPads, and other platforms are growing in popularity due to their lower prices.

“I prefer using my iPad for all my textbooks,” Hailey Manes, third-year student, said. “There are many ways to zoom, highlight, and make comments using my iPad, creating it to be a neat and organized way to study in the future.”

Much like renting a movie, one can also use sites such as Chegg.com or BookRenter.com to rent books rather than buying them, and saving a substantial amount of money in the process. Nicholas Rodriguez said uses his major to find people who will follow the same educational path.

“After meeting fellow students as I progress in school, I can meet new friends and form groups where we can study the book together and share notes,” says Nicholas. “It is extremely fun and rewarding.”