Buying college textbooks is no time to get lazy. Sure, it’s probably easiest to just walk over to the school bookstore, where all your books are laid out by course number and professor name. But savvy comparison shopping can save you literally hundreds of dollars.

Take the commonly assigned book Biology by Neil A. Campbell, with a list price of $192.67. It sells for $193.33 at the UB bookstore. But a little homework (we’re talking a 20-second search) will find you a used copy for $39.99, a semester- long rental for $51.72, a new international edition for $63.64, a digital edition for $92.52 and a new, hardcover domestic copy for $113.99.

The money you’ll save can buy a lot of Ramen noodles.

Exhaustive comparison searches are easier to do than ever. Web sites such as AllBookstores.com, BigWords.com and CampusBooks.com pull together results from dozens of eCommerce sites. They do much of your comparison shopping for you, and even organize books by category. You can choose to compare results by several different criteria—cost, shipping time, condition, availability. You just decide whether you want to buy a new, used, international edition or eBook, or whether you want to rent one for the semester.

Buying a used book? Decide how much highlighting and margin notes you’re willing to put up with. Descriptions of used books will let you know how much to anticipate. And check the seller’s feedback to find a reputable source.

Would you be willing to rent a book for the semester? Comparison sites will most likely check rental sites such as Chegg.com and CampusBookRentals.com. It will be cheaper than buying, and you’ll still be allowed to make minimal marks in the books. Just make sure they’re not due back until after finals, or you’ll get charged extra.

International editions of textbooks are produced in paperback for sales overseas. They’re usually much less expensive than domestic editions, but nearly identical. There may be slight variations in content, though, so check with the professor to make sure it’s OK to use them.

Another great option is to buy eBooks for download to your computer. They sometimes come with additional materials and are available for immediate download, saving on shipping costs and getting you your book fast.

Note: College students in Western New York are at a bit of a disadvantage, because classes here start later than in the rest of the country, according to Brandon Bova, a manager at Buffaloheadquartered Bucks4Books. By the time we start classes and get our list of book requirements, students elsewhere have already bought up many of the less expensive used copies. That leaves us with fewer, more expensive options.

That’s why it’s important to contact professors in advance to get your course materials lists. You’ll get first crack at cheap used copies, leave yourself enough time for shipping and put yourself on your professor’s radar to boot.

E-mail money@buffnews.com or call the MoneySmart consumer hotline at 849-4618.

schristmann@buffnews.comnull