As you get ready to go back to school this fall, or to begin your freshman year, you should already be thinking about all the many ways you can save money. Like most students, you are likely to find that textbooks constitute the biggest expense you have to deal with after tuition and housing. One of the best ways to save money on books is to start shopping around for the best deals as soon as you know what will be required for the classes you are taking. In addition, here are a few more suggestions on how you can keep your textbook expenses as low as possible.

• Explore Internet Resources: In addition to the big names like amazon.com, barns&noble.com, and internet classifies like craigslist, there are a number of internet sights that offer new and used textbooks. My best advice is to google it, so you can take a look at what’s out there for yourself. You should also keep your ears open for any websites that your friends and classmates may be using. And as always, be careful when shopping on the internet. Make sure the sight is reputable and that they will be able to get the book(s) to you in a timely manor before you buy.

• Shop for Used Books: Just about any resource you go to, including your campus book store, should offer a selection of used books. Teachers and professors often insist on using the latest editions of particular texts though. So you won’t always be able to go this rout. Also, make sure you are choosing the used books that are right for you. Some students prefer using books that already have passages highlighted and/or notes in the margin left by the previous owner. Others want to use those that are in as next-to-new condition as possible. Take a few minutes to flip through the pages and see what is inside before picking a used book off the shelf.

• Off-Campus Book Stores: Once you know what books you will need to buy, it might be a good idea to look around at off-campus book stores. This especially applies when your assigned reading includes things other than traditional textbooks such as novels, plays, or books by philosophers or economists. You may be able to save a few dollars on these just by looking around at a store designed for the general public.