Students seeking cheaper book prices may want to check out Chegg.com. Designed to help students save money on college textbooks, Chegg offers the option to rent, sell, or buy new and used books.

To get started, one must simply sign up for an account. Once logged in, students can begin browsing textbooks and placing orders. Once users have found the book they want, they will be prompted to choose if they wish to buy the book new or rent it for a lower price.

The process is simple. After an order has been placed, your packaged book(s) will arrive right to your doorstep, usually within just a few days. You will have the entire semester to keep the book.

When you are ready to send it back, log in to Chegg, hit “return books”, select the book(s) you wish to return, then you will be prompted to print out a sheet. Two sheets will print: one with information on the book you are returning and a pre-paid shipping label. Stick the first sheet in with your book(s), then attach the shipping label to your box and drop it off at your local UPS store. No paying necessary.

While some may look forward to the extra cash they get back from book buy back each semester, it is sometimes better to rent from Chegg because even though you don’t get money back when you return your books, you end up spending a lot less than what you would buying from a bookstore.

For example, your bookstore may charge you $60 for a used book. At the end of the semester, you sell it back and get maybe $20 out of it. Chegg will rent you the same book for only $30. While you will not get that money back, you still come out $10 ahead. You also avoid the annoying problem of sometimes not being able to sell your book back. By renting, you guarantee the book will be off your hands by the end of the semester.

If you rent a book and decide later you want to keep it, simply log in, find the book under your account you wish to keep, and hit “buy book.” Chegg will charge you the difference between the new and rent price.

If you buy the wrong book or drop one of your classes, Chegg has that covered, too, with a 21-day return policy. You will receive a full refund if postmarked 21 days from the order date; 14 days for online books. If you decide you need your book longer than the due date, Chegg will extend your rental for an extra $15 charge.

If ever you have problems with an order or book, Chegg has a staff of people waiting to help you solve your problems. You can call or they offer a chat with live assistance.

Another great thing about Chegg is every time you buy a book, Chegg donates one tree to your choice of either the U.S. or an outside country.

By using Chegg, you are saving money, a trip to the bookstore, and you are helping the environment. What could be better?

Rating: A

—Erin Peden

Staff Writer

To contact Erin Peden, email staffwriter1@occc.edu.