If you do not have a problem reading electronic copies of books you can save a lot of money by purchasing electronic copies of books instead of hard copies. Amazon offers free Kindle Reading apps for various devices and platforms. You can read Kindle versions of books on a computer (Windows or Mac), smartphone (Android, iPhone & iPod Touch , Windows Phone, Blackberry) tablets (iPad, Android tablet, Windows 8) and of course one of Amazon’s various commercial Kindle devices. You can also access books via a regular browser using the Kindle Cloud Reader.
Kindle versions of books are a great option if you are going to school or want instant access to books without the hassles and costs of shipping. I was able to purchase a Kindle version of a text book for $7 USD when the paperback was priced at about $78 USD (before shipping). The Kindle reading app is similar to Adobe Reader used to view PDFs and other electronic book readers you may be accustomed to. It allows you to copy text, highlight and add notes. An Amazon account is required to use the Kindle apps.