When you attend online school, you may be surprised at one way you may save quite a bit of money – college textbooks. Since hardcover textbooks sell for hundreds of dollars and professors very rarely cover the entire text (or even half, in some instances), many online courses are making use of a convenient and inexpensive alternative, the e-book.

The cost of textbooks has risen dramatically over the last 20 years.  In fact, they outpaced inflation twice over, according to a report released by the U.S. government.  Another report conducted in California in 2008 found that at community colleges nearly 60 percent of student’s total education costs went to buying textbooks.

That is why many educators and colleges are turning to e-textbooks. E-books are publications that are available online through specialized publishers. At online colleges, some are also created by the college or even the instructor of the course.

Besides being a huge money-saver, e-books are also good for the environment. When it is time for a new edition, there is no need to reprint them.  They also do not lose their value once they are all marked up with highlighter.

Another added bonus of using e-books is the search function.  No more flipping through pages trying to find the answer to an assignment.  Just type in a related word, hit enter, and the computer will scan the book for you in seconds – no more paper-cuts!