5 Ways to Save Money on Law School Text Books

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Noodle Staff March 20, 2012

Law school casebooks are known for their hefty price. Save some money by following these tips.

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Law school is expensive to begin with, and law school casebooks are notoriously expensive. Whether you're struggling to keep expenses in check or not, everyone likes to save a little money. Here are a few ideas to help you spend less on those all-important books.

1. Start looking early.

If you know you'll need a certain book, the earlier you start looking for it the better. Prices will be cheaper and you're more likely to be able to check it out of the library or get the best deal on eBay.

2. Make sure you know exactly which books you actually need to have.

Don't be shy about asking your professor for a book list so that you know which books you actually need to have and which are recommended. Chances are, everyone else in your class is thinking exactly the same thing.

3. Rent them.[

West Store](http://west.thomson.com/products/law-students/rentyourcasebooks.aspx) at West.Thompson.com rents law school books per semester. Or try checking them out from the library.

4. Always buy used books (but remember the edition DOES matter).

If you must buy, sites like eBay, LawBooksforLess.com, Abebooks.com and Amazon all sell used books for less than new.

5. Share with your classmates.

Share the cost of the book with other students and then copy pages as needed or study together.

Click here for more ideas on how to save on your law books or here for advice from a law student on how he saved money in law school.