With the new semester just beginning, students are using up every last dime to pay for their books and many are beginning to look for the best alternatives to save their money.

Despite the long lines, some students continue to see the campus bookstore as their best resource when buying textbooks because it’s fast and easy.

“Here at the bookstore they’re more accurate then buying them on Amazon or something because they show the section number and the instructor” Melanie Ito, 19, bookstore employee, said.

Ito buys most of her books on campus and tries to always buy used books because they can save her up to $20 per book, she said.

Other students like Kailey Shanur, 19, motorcycle mechanic major, prefer to go across the street to Textbooks inc.

Shanur bought a new book on campus this semester but thought the price was ridiculous, so after hearing about Textbooks inc. from a friend she decided to buy her books there instead to save a couple of dollars.

However if buying a used book still seems too expensive students can look at the internet as great resource.

Websites like chegg.com allows students to rent books for a fraction of the price.

For example, students can pay up to $102.75 for a new copy of the book Essentials of Physical Anthropology by Larsen, for anthropology 1, and $77.10 for a used copy in the EC bookstore.

On chegg.com a student can rent that same book for only $41.49.

The downside with renting books is that they have to be returned which means that students need to take extra care for their books and can’t highlight them or write on them.

Other websites like textbooks.com, eBay, Amazon, and Half.com sell books for more reasonable prices.

This is why students like Alonso Sandoval, 19, criminal justice major, choose these websites as the best alternative to save money.

“I came to school to check how much a math book was and it was like $180 with taxes and everything, and I bought it online for $40 with shipping and handling,” Sandoval said.

Sometimes a book online can be as cheap as 75 cents, plus shipping and handling, and the best part is that students can later sell those books at school and even make some money, he said.

Online sites also provide used books for students.

“I have spent up to $140 in books this semester, but all my books are used,” Cynthia Delgado, 21, Business major said, adding that she buys most of her books on Amazon.

Another good way to save money is buying a paperback copy instead of a hardcover copy of the book students need.

For instance on half.com students can find a paperback copy of the book Essentials of Physical Anthropology by Larsen, for only $49.50

Regardless of what method students choose to obtain their textbooks, all it takes is some shopping around to find the right price.