Well it has been a rough week of midterms but I have enough time to sneak in a post. I'm going to talk about college textbooks and the best ways of getting them. College textbooks are very expensive and are often a way for universities to make extra money, so you want to explore all your options before buying. There are three ways about acquiring your textbooks: buying new, buying used, or renting.

1. Buying new
This is the most expensive route of the 3, but it can be beneficial in the long run. When buying a new book you know it's going to be in mint condition and contain all pages. Also, if you buy a new book and take care of it, you can often sell it used for around 50-60% of the new price. The resale value can be higher then the price you would have paid for a used book, so this option interests some.

2. Buying used

Buying your books used can be risky but it can also save you a lot of money in th end. Used books are generally 50% cheaper than new ones, but often in worse condition. When buying online you have to trust the sellers description and hope there are no missing pages or torn covers. This doesn't apply if you are buying a used book in person because you can just check it yourself. Buying a book from a friend is usually cheaper than one on amazon.com so make sure you check locally before using the internet.

3. Renting
You can also rent your books. Most university bookstores have this option, but you can also rent them from websites like chegg.com. From what I've seen, bookstores rental prices tend to be a higher than a used books, so make sure you check all your options before renting. Also, make sure you take good care of your rented books so you don't end up paying some ridiculous fee when you go to return them.

Hope this helps!