That part-time job should have left you with plenty of spending money while you’re at college. You’re shocked to learn that purchasing your college textbooks will run you several hundreds of dollars. Take a deep breath. Before spending any money let’s look at some useful strategies available to lower the cost of textbooks.

Talk to Your Professor

Oftentimes, the syllabus will list books that the professor later doesn’t use or only a small portion of the book is referenced. Check with the professor beforehand to decide if you really need the book. If the information needed consists of only a few chapters, treat a classmate to a cup of coffee in hopes you can borrow their book or check with the school library to see if they have the information.

Use “Occupy the Bookstore”

This free add-on from Google Chrome lets you compare several different sources to find the best prices. After installing, search your university bookstore for the textbook, then Occupy the Bookstore will show you several different online retailers who carry the same book, along with the cost. Many well established stores, like Amazon, are listed so you can trust who you buy from.

Rent or Buy Used

Both have their advantages and either way you will save money by not buying your books new.

• Renting means you agree to borrow the book for a given amount of time and return it back at the end of the semester. The advantages are that renting can come with a significant savings, and if there’s no need for the book in the future you know you won’t be stuck with it later on. The downside is if you can’t trust yourself to get it back by the return date, you will pay a hefty fee.

• Buying used will also offer a sizeable discount. The book may come with notes and highlighted sections, but if you can overlook them it’s a great deal. The advantage to buying used is at the end of the semester you may be able to sell it back to the bookstore and re-coup some of the cost.

Share One Book

If you have a close friend or roommate in the same class, consider sharing one book and splitting the cost. You’ll want to have clear ground rules on the use of the book, like studying for tests. In the end, the money you both save will outweigh the slight inconvenience. When the semester ends, sell the book back and treat each other to lunch and celebrate your resourcefulness.