Time to buy books again....

[MonkeySage]

I can get my books at the campus store for nearly $350, using my financial aid which includes loan money....
Or I can spend less than $100 out of pocket on this great site I found that compares the best prices for purchase or rent...

Problem: I have nothing in pocket.
Problem 2: I have 12 days till class starts.

[Grinner]

I can get my books at the campus store for nearly $350, using my financial aid which includes loan money....
Or I can spend less than $100 out of pocket on this great site I found that compares the best prices for purchase or rent...

Problem: I have nothing in pocket.
Problem 2: I have 12 days till class starts.

Then either borrow money from a parent or sibling, or, failing that, go with financial aid.

Or wait till classes start and see whether you'll really need the books. Then borrow money or use financial aid. How often do your professors require the book on the first day?

[enderlord99]

Have you considered not paying anything?

[Madcrafter]

Or wait till classes start and see whether you'll really need the books. Then borrow money or use financial aid. How often do your professors require the book on the first day?

Yeah this. I don't think I've ever seen a professor require a book on the first day, and out of my 50+ undergrad classes I only ever bought three books (used, and one of those I didn't need; mistake. Another I still have) and rented one online, despite more then half of them having one or more "required" texts.

My general MO for textbooks:
1) Wait until you need information from it guaranteed (might not be until the third week of term, might be never)
2) See if a classmate will let you borrow/photocopy said information, or just work together
3) If not, check to see if the library has a copy (they usually do, though you might have to get in early to avoid others taking them)
4) Look for *ahem* pdf versions, online or among your classmates
5) Look into international editions, these often aren't too different and can sometimes be found for much cheaper
6) Look into renting the book (online only preferably if cheaper)
7) Buy the book (online only preferably if cheaper)

You'll probably get to 6 only for more obscure textbooks in the upper years or some open book courses, or 7 for annoying classes that require online codes that come with (though these can often be bought by themselves). Also mind that this is coming from a STEM perspective, if you're going to be doing lengthy weekly readings or they're novels or something then 2 and 3 are a bit less feasible and you might actually want dead tree copies.

[Gray Mage]

I usually buy them used online. It's fairly cheaper (I have found engineering books for 2$) and the description of its state is always accurate.