Photo: bookchums.com

With recent college graduates struggling to pay their loans, the cost of college does not go unnoticed by today’s students. If there’s a way for college students to save a few dollars, they will! That’s why renting college textbooks is becoming a more popular trend. Textbooks don’t come cheap, and the return on them usually ranges between absolutely nothing, to nothing to brag about. According to press release earlier this month, Amazon will be join the likes of Barnes and Noble, Half.com, and Chegg to enter the college textbook rental market. The details reveal that if you meet the minimum requirement for purchases, or have an Amazon Prime account, the shipping to and from Amazon is free! For some students, renting textbooks will be a smart decision, but for others, it could be more of a problem. Check out these aspects you should consider before choosing to buy or rent your college textbooks.

Is Saving Money a Priority?

Barnes and Noble, BookRenter.com, and eCampus advertise that renting your college textbooks could save you as much as 90% on the costs. While the discounts depend on the books, it’s still going to be far cheaper than the hundreds you would spend buying them every semester. Four years of renting would save you several thousands in college loans–no joke!

Do You Want to Own the Book?

There are some mandatory classes you will take that you know you won’t want to remember once you pass the final. There are also classes you will take where the things you learn are the foundation to every other class, and if you happen to forget something from it, you will struggle. You might have a class that you tend to reflect on for years because the things you learned from it, and from your textbook, directly relate to your job. Also, don’t forget about the oft-overlooked detail of scribbling notes, highlighting passages, and the countless other things students do to digest the material. In many cases, you’re not permitted to deface a book you’re planning to return without facing penalties charges.

How Much Time Do You Need?

Amazon specifically states that it will lend you your textbooks for 130 days. That’s a bit longer than four months, and between shipping it to and from Amazon, you’re looking at about four months even. Is that enough time with the textbook? Before choosing to rent, consider your time restrictions. You don’t want to rent it too early, and then find yourself having nothing to study with during your final exam.

In What Condition Do You Want Your Books?

Used textbooks can be a gamble. You might get a textbook with pages so shiny and with a binding so stiff, it’s as if it were brand new, or you might get a textbook with ripped pages, doodles, and the wrong answers filled out in the quiz portions! Before choosing to rent or buy, consider what condition you want your books to be in, and what condition you plan to leave them in, as there may be some restrictions if you rent.