Are you tight on funds and looking for ways to save on college books? You just may find that renting textbooks is the best decisionthat you can make.

All too many college students find themselves spending hundreds of dollars on books each quarter/semester and either selling back their books for a faction of the original cost or keeping them for years as they collect dust.

The following are 5 Quick Reasons Why Renting Textbooks Makes Sense:

1. You pay a fraction of the price for the term. You’ll be amazed at how much you can save. If you have no desire to keep the book after your final examination, there is really no reason to pay top dollar.
2. Shipping is Free. When you rent from ValoreBooks.com, shipping on college textbooks is always free both to your dorm/home and back to the warehouse. The process is 100% hassle free.
3. You choose how long the rental will last. You can rent a text book for as long as you’d like. The price goes up and down based on the duration of the rental. Finally, you can be in control of how much you pay for textbooks!
4. Books are in great condition. All rentals are fully examined before they’re shipped to you, so you never have to worry about getting a trashed book.
5. You’ll help to save trees. Renting is great for the environment. You and your friends can make a difference, so spread the word!

Have you ever rented a college textbook? We’d love to hear how the process went for you! Feel free to share your comments or ask questions on our Facebook wall.

Since we are  the only major textbook site to offer free shipping for all textbook rental orders no matter the cost, we thought it only fitting to ship two customers to Spring Break as well!  Two winners will receive a pair of round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in the continental United States for their Spring Break 2011.

Individuals who rent textbooks from ValoreBooks.com between December 30, 2010 and February 18, 2011 are automatically entered. Those who don’t rent textbooks during that time period, but are past rental customers of the site can still enter the contest by posting how much they saved by using ValoreBooks on the company’s Facebook page.

More information and official rules are available at http://www.valorebooks.com/landing/promo153a

Check us out in the New York Times! Reporter Tara Siegel Bernard published the 2nd edition of a piece centered around finding cheap textbooks that was first seen last fall. ValoreBooks.com is mentioned because of our Guarantee Program, where we vow to match any rental prices found elsewhere within seven days of a transaction.  We also offer free shipping – both ways on textbook rentals. You can view the full article, here.

2010 is the year of options in the textbook industry. There are many options available when purchasing college textbooks, but which option is the cheapest and best fits your needs? You can purchase new and used books from the campus bookstore, turn to online retailers to buy cheap textbooks or rent textbooks from the campus store or online. In order to get the best deal, you should explore all of your available options and choose the method that best suits you and your budget. Below, we analyze each option.

The campus bookstore is a good option for students who need their textbooks right away. Sometimes, students don’t have access to their required textbooks until the first day of classes. Because of this, students turn to the campus bookstore because it is a quick, convenient way to purchase textbooks. While the campus bookstore provides convenience, it is almost never the cheapest option compared to buying textbooks online or renting textbooks. Normally, only two price points are offered; the book’s list price and its used price which is generally set to 25% less than the new list price. Students’ recognize that they are over spending at the bookstore, however if they need a book in order to complete an assignment on time, they may need to turn to the bookstore. Professor’s can help students save money by posting required reading materials at least two weeks in advance to the course start date. This gives students ample time to explore other options such as buying cheap textbooks online and accounts for shipping time as well.

Buying Textbooks at the Campus Bookstore:

· Expensive

· Convenient

· Timely

· Able to sell back qualified titles

By purchasing textbooks online, students can find both new and used copies at varying price points, as well as older editions, instructor’s editions and international editions. Online marketplaces are typically the cheapest place to buy books due to competition among sellers. Many sellers competing to sell their items as well as numerous options lead to lower prices. Budget minded students are already familiar with the savings of buying textbooks online. Some students worry about timeliness and reliability of purchasing from online vendors. When purchasing from a marketplace, students are encouraged to purchase items from sellers with high customer feedback ratings. Choosing a seller with a proven track record of reliability and timeliness eliminates possible order problems. Besides choosing a recommended seller, many marketplaces offer fast shipping options. Choosing Priority Mail or faster is the best option for students in a time crunch. Lastly, purchasing from an online marketplace gives students the backing of the customer service department at that marketplace. In the event that a vendor sends an incorrect item or any issue surfaces throughout the order, this is important.

Buying Textbooks Online:

· Inexpensive

· Variety of editions and sellers

· Must account for shipping time

· Able to sell back qualified titles

Renting textbooks is another option that has gained traction this year; however current textbook rental prices can be deceptive. There are fees for late returns, lost or stolen books and books that are returned in a worse condition. Renting textbooks also does not leave students with the option to sell the book back through a textbook sell back program or list it on an online marketplace to recover some additional cash when they are done using the book. Lastly, students who wish to keep their book at the end of the semester should not rent textbooks. The option to purchase the book at the end of the rental period is currently very expensive and students can end up paying the list price of the book or greater. The advantage to textbook rentals is that students can spend less money upfront, though that is not always true. Depending on the book, it may still be cheaper to buy the book used online.

Renting Textbooks:

· Low upfront cost

· Late/Damage/Replacement/Purchase Fees

· Must account for shipping time

· Unable to sell back

The three options above have both pros and cons, so it is important to weigh your needs when choosing where and how to acquire your textbooks. We want to know where you bought your college textbooks this semester! Please make your selection on the poll below and share any comments about your experience!

Textbook rental companies charge additional fees for late returns, lost or stolen books and damaged books. You can even end up paying more money than the list price for a book that is lost or stolen during the rental period!

This is the second post in a series we are calling MythBreakers, where we dispel common myths about textbooks and other issues that plague college students. We are on a mission in 2010 to make sure that you have access to the cheapest textbooks possible in order to defer other rising education expenses. Our previous post, MythBreakes Presents: Is Renting Cheaper Than Buying? showed that students save more by buying a used textbook and selling it back at the end of the semester at ValoreBooks.com than renting it. In this post, we are revealing some of the hidden costs of renting textbooks. These costs are the additional costs you would incur if you forgot to return your book on time, it was lost or stolen, or if the rental company considers your book damaged at the end of the rental.

If your textbook is not received by the rental company by the return date, you will automatically be charged an extension fee. The extension fees range from about 25% of the rental price, all the way through 20% of the list price. The extension ranges from 7-15 days extra. For the books we tracked, the extension fee ranged from about $3.50 to $36.16, depending on the rental company and the textbook.

What happens if your book is returned after the extension period, or is lost or stolen during the semester? You will be charged a replacement fee, a hefty replacement fee at that. The cost of the replacement fee is about the list price of the book. For our research, the replacement fee ranged from $52.86- $165.80. Keep in mind that the list price is much higher than the rental price. For our research, the average list price was $128.19.

How about damaged books? A damage fee is assessed depending on the extent of the damage, and whether or not insurance was purchased on the book. Please see the expanded data below.

To be sure that you won’t be hit with any unexpected costs, purchase a used textbook from a marketplace such as ValoreBooks.com. You can own the book for much less, and never have to worry about being charged additional fees. Even better, since you own the book, you have the right to sell it! You can participate in our sell back program or register to become a marketplace seller and set your own price! If you have any questions about buying and selling at ValoreBooks.com, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Do you have any other myths you would like us to explore?

* Buy and Sell prices are based on available pricing on 1/28/2010 at 10:00 AM. All prices are subject to change at any time based on the actions of marketplace buyers and sellers. Renting prices are based on the average prices for available book rentals at 10:00 AM on 1/28/2010 from bookrenter.com, campusbookrentals.com, chegg.com and ecampus.com. Rental prices are based on the duration of one semester. All prices are subject to change at any time.