The books can be one of the biggest expenses students incur each semester. Prices for new textbooks can quickly add up, and many students are often pinned down by the weight of high costs. But help is at hand, which can lighten the financial burden: cheap textbook rentals.
An affordable alternative, renting textbooks instead of buying is where one can truly save some money. In this guide, we shall present a system to locate the best deals when renting textbooks, how the process works, and additional tips on saving more at textbook rentals.
Why Choose Textbook Rentals?
Now let’s dive into cheap textbook rentals a great deal for the student before we go into where to rent it on the cheap.
Advantages of Textbook Rentals:
- Save Money: You can save as much as 75 percent when you rent a textbook compared to buying new or used textbooks. Many textbooks are only used once during the semester, so the potential for savings is evident.
- Convenience- It is very easy to get hold of rented textbooks. It is possible to shop online, compare prices, and even purchase books to be delivered home. Most rental services also offer flexible return options.
- No need to sell off: With textbooks, you always feel the burden of reselling them towards the end of the semester; and often, you won’t be able to get much of what you’ve invested. With rentals, you just return the book once you are done, and it leaves you free from all issues.
- Environment Friendly: The process of renting a textbook helps save on waste since many students can reuse a book for quite some time. It’s a very environmentally friendly choice which keeps textbooks in circulation.
Top Websites to Rent Cheap Textbooks
Now that we have discussed why renting is the best way to go, let’s look at some of the best websites for finding cheap textbook rentals. These online websites charge very low rental fees and provide easy services to acquire the textbooks needed without going over the top with money.
Chegg
Chegg stands as one of the most popular textbook rental services. This website offers college textbooks of all sorts, with discounted rental prices. Here’s why it stands out:
- Discounted Rentals: Chegg rents usually come at a price that could be approximately 90% discounted off the retail price of any textbook.
- Free Shipping: They facilitate free shipping of rented textbooks to make it affordable for the students to rent these texts and not buy in such outdated places as the textbook store.
- Rent by Period: You can rent books for a semester or rent them out for a shorter period if you’re going to use the book for a month or two.
- Return with Ease: Chegg gives you a free prepaid shipping label so that you can return the rented books back home .
Amazon Textbook Rentals
Amazon is not only for buying new and used books; they also offer textbook rentals. What you should expect from Amazon’s rental program:
- Huge catalog: Amazon’s amazing catalog holds textbooks for nearly every subject.
- Fast Shipping: Amazon has very fast shipping, so you’re sure that the books will get to you before the semester kicks in.
- Free Returns: You can rent textbooks at Amazon and return them for free using a shipping label they provide.
- Price Matching: Sometimes Amazon will match lower prices so you get the best price possible
Barnes & Noble College Textbook Rentals
Barnes & Noble has been a firm name in textbooks and other book-sells renting textbooks at competitive prices :
- Widely Accessible: These textbooks may be rented through their on campus college bookstores or via an internet site.
- Low Cost Rentals: Barnes & Noble usually includes discounted textbook rentals in print and eBook forms.
- Variable Rental Terms: You can rent a textbook for one term or even for one quarter if the class size dictates it and the instructor operates that way.
- Free Shipping: When purchasing online, they also deliver texts free of charge.
BookRenter
There’s also BookRenter if you need to rent more books from a reliable source:
- Huge Savings: Save up to 80% on books through retail prices.
- Free Return Shipping: Get a free prepaid return shipping label from BookRenter so you can return your textbooks without spending a single penny.
- Flexible Rentals: From as brief as a 30-day rental, or for all semester long, this tool allows you to rent the textbooks for only what you need.
- Price Match Guarantee: BookRenter has a price match so if you find it cheaper elsewhere they match it.
5. RentText
RentText is an affordable textbook renter which rents both physical books and digital e-books, like this:
- Discounts: Textbooks at RentText are discounted by up to 70% compared to the new retail price.
- Prepaid Return Shipping: Most will offer free shipping back on your rental return.
- EBook Rentals: For students who want to go digital, RentText possesses an ever increasing amount of e-books which it rents.
3. How Does Textbook Rental Work?
Textbook renting is free of hassle, and the procedure generally entails the following broad steps:
Search for the Textbook:
You can then browse through the textbooks you need on a textbook rental website using its title, author, or ISBN. For services like Chegg or Amazon, you can just input your course details or textbook name to look for the corresponding edition.
Compare Prices
Better yet, some alternative websites have different prices for the same book. Take a few minutes of your time browsing other websites to find the best offer.
Choose Your Rental Period:
When you rent a textbook, you are usually given options regarding the length of your rental period. Some common options include renting for the semester, the quarter, or a specific number of weeks. Choose the rental period that corresponds to the duration of time you will be in the course.
Order Your Textbooks:
Now, when you select the appropriate textbook and length of time to rent, check out. Virtually all book rental services accept credit and debit cards, and some of them offer a first-time discount for customers.
Receive Your Book:
Once you place an order, the service will send it to your address. Most services for rentals don’t charge for shipping, but others may charge for expedited orders to provide the rental at the customer’s doorstep faster.
Return the Textbook:
Bring the textbook back to the rental company by the end of a semester or rental period using the prepaid return shipping label. Thus, take care to return timely so as to avoid late fees.
Best Deal Tips for Rental Textbooks on a Budget
These are tips to help you get the best value from renting textbooks:
Order Early:
Textbooks tend to always be in short supply, particularly for popular classes. Booking textbooks ahead of time will help you get the texts you need at the lowest possible rental prices.
Hunt for Vouchers and Sales:
Many textbook rental companies offer discounts, coupons, or promo codes. Just before you seal your final order, take a few minutes and search online for offers available that could get you a better deal.
Take Advantage of E-Books When Available:
E-books and digital textbooks typically rent for less than their print counterparts. If you don’t mind reading off of a screen, consider renting e-versions of your textbooks.
Check for Price Match Guarantees:
Some textbook rental services, including BookRenter and Amazon, offer a price match guarantee. This may mean that if you could rent one of their textbooks elsewhere for less, they will match that price.
Handle the Book with Care:
Make sure to return your books in good condition. If you damage or mark them up too much, you could end up paying extra charges to offset the savings from renting.
What if You Can’t Find a Book You Need
If you can’t find the textbook rentals you want to rent here is what you can do:
- Old Textbooks: If you can’t find some options for rentals, then go for used textbooks. You’ll get them for a fraction of the price you would have to pay for new textbooks.
If You Can’t Find Any Physical cheap textbook Rentals Option Available, Rent or Even Buy the Ebook Version
- Ask Your Professor: Most professors have extra copies of textbooks that they might lend you, or they can recommend alternative textbooks.
Conclusion
Cheap Textbook rentals can be one of the best ways by which college students can save money on college textbooks. Using the right online textbook rental websites and some smart tips, you can enjoy the materials you need at money-saving without the full pricing. So, you avoid all the hassle of reselling and it makes it stress-free, budget-friendly every semester.
