Student loan debt is a huge problem. In fact, the average student graduates owing their lenders about $29,800. The easiest way to reduce that number is to cut back your expenses throughout your college career.

It should come as no surprise that textbooks are a HUGE part of most students’ budgets. You have to get them and borrowing them from the library isn’t always an option.

But does that mean you have to buy them new at your college’s bookstore? Absolutely not! Instead, you can rent them.

Here are a few of the most surprising advantages of campus textbook rentals.

1. You’ll Save Money

Students spend an impressive amount of money on textbooks each semester. Believe it or not, the average student spends about $655 on textbooks each year. That amount can put strain on even the thriftiest college student’s budget.

When you rent your textbooks, you’ll pay a fraction of the cover price of each book. Over the course of the year, that can save you hundreds on textbooks, freeing up more funds to help cover trips home or those late-night ramen binges when you’re cramming for an exam.

After all, you’re not planning on keeping the book after the end of the semester anyway. Why pay full price when you don’t have to?

Keep in mind that you’ll have to return your textbooks by the specified deadline. Otherwise, you could have to pay a fine for each copy that’s late.

Sound like work? Don’t panic. All you need to do is pick up a padded mailer or a box and print out the postage-paid shipping label.

2. You Don’t Have to Worry About Its Condition

When you pay full price for a textbook that you know you’re not going to keep, you want to keep it as pristine as possible. This helps you get the highest price when you sell it at the end of the semester.

But this can make your life as a busy student far harder than it needs to be. You’ll end up worrying about the way the spines on your textbooks are starting to wear and you may not want to highlight or underline in the pages. Otherwise, you could end up getting less for the book than you’d like.

When you rent your textbooks, you don’t have to worry about keeping them in perfect condition. Rental companies know that wear and tear happens. It’s unavoidable.

And unless your book is completely wrecked, you won’t get charged a fine.

3. You Won’t Lose Money at the End of the Semester

When you buy a new or even a used textbook, you’ll rarely be able to sell the book for what it’s worth at the end of the semester. Campus bookstores undervalue the books that you sell back. They’re known to offer prices as low as $10 for a book you paid more than $150 originally.

That means you’ll take a huge loss if you end up selling it back on campus. While you can always list the book online or sell to a textbook buyback company, you’re almost always going to take a loss on the book.

With rentals, you won’t have to worry about this. At the end of the semester, all you have to do is mail your book back.

4. It’s Eco-Friendly

The more people buying new textbooks, the more demand printers have to keep producing those books. This process is far from environmentally friendly.

Not only do they use tons of paper, but the printing factories consume large amounts of electricity and water, putting strain on the natural resources we depend on.

When you rent textbooks, you’re reducing the demand for those new versions. Ultimately, you’re saving paper, reducing energy consumption, and putting less demand on the environment.

Once you’re done with the book, others will have the same chance to reuse it. Over the life of that edition, people can potentially keep dozens of new books from needlessly getting made!

5. Saves You Time and Stress

Dealing with all those new and used textbooks you bought at the beginning of the semester can be a source of stress. You have to find a place to sell the books back at a price that doesn’t make you cringe. And if you decide to keep them, you have to find a way to store them over the summer.

The truth is, you have more important things to worry about. You shouldn’t have to struggle with finding buyers for your books right after exams. You need time to relax and recover from a tough semester.

With textbook rentals, you’re able to do just that. Once you’re done with the book, mail it back to the company and start enjoying your break immediately.

There’s no need to battle long textbook buyback lines or spend hours trying to find buyers online.

Are Campus Textbook Rentals Right for You?

Campus textbook rentals are a great alternative to buying books from your campus bookstore. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect for everyone.

If you’re the type of student who wants to keep their textbooks for decades to come or has nearly unlimited funds to spend on those books, buying copies is your best choice.

But if you’re like most students who find the cost of textbooks prohibitive or just don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling back your textbooks, start renting now.

Browse our available textbooks now and start saving money on your textbooks immediately.