Textbooks

[queencruella]

I'm going to go with Amazon/Half as well. The only problem I've seen is that when your professor decides to use a less popular textbook, it's probably not going to be sent off for 1-3 weeks if you're getting it through Amazon. I've seen new books on Amazon for about 25% off what you'd find in your school bookstore. I am not even sure my school offers used books. My friend who went to sell her books back got rejected, and her books were in good shape.

[Texas2L]

I did a lot of checking on the 5 expensive books for my 1L year on campusi and half, and noted only very marginal savings when buying new books.  If you're buying used, yea you can probably save quite a bit of money.  I figured I'm going to be spending a lot of time with these books over the next 9 months, so I'd like them to be in good condition so I went ahead and bought new.  I'm writing it off as an insignificant expense next to the cost of tuition and the cost of not working. 

[skeeball]

I went new for the casebooks, used for everything else (when I could...a few books I HAD to buy new b/c the prof went with the latest edition).

My school's bookstore was the cheapest. They also shipped them to me right away for not very much.

[Slim]

I joined Borders and now get 10% off everything bought there and in our school bookstore.  Borders also e-mails me coupons that add savings on top my my initial discount (I printed one yesturday that takes off and additional 15% on 1 item - I'll pick the most expensive book).  I'm buying all new, and when I sell them back I should break near even.

[plex]

There are better border's coupons out there than just 15%, if you really are going that route, it only took me about 10 seconds to look up a couple 30% offers:

http://www.bordersmedia.com/coup/coupons_erewards4.htm
http://www.bordersmedia.com/coup/coupons_erewards3.htm

It is still much cheaper buying used books though, just avoid ones where it says the binding is damaged, or pages are torn/bent, or there is no information on the quality given at all.

[Reaching]

There are better border's coupons out there than just 15%, if you really are going that route, it only took me about 10 seconds to look up a couple 30% offers:

http://www.bordersmedia.com/coup/coupons_erewards4.htm
http://www.bordersmedia.com/coup/coupons_erewards3.htm

It is still much cheaper buying used books though, just avoid ones where it says the binding is damaged, or pages are torn/bent, or there is no information on the quality given at all.

Border's sells casebooks?

[plex]

Hmmm, not that I can see, they do sell some supplementals, like "getting to maybe". Just keep in mind if you need a book from Border's, there almost always is a 20 or 30% coupon out there.

[wolfpack2]

I don't know how I never knew about that campusi site!

About half.com, its very rare I find something thats worth buying from there.  Either they are in very poor condition, or they are MORE expensive! I don't know why I have such bad luck there.  Amazon saved me 400 dollars on books this semester.  I had to buy 4 from the actual bookstore because they are 2007 editions and they weren't any cheaper anywhere else.

[skeeball]

Yeah, I'm not so happy with all the stores I've tried to order books from (besides my campus bookstore). 3-4 weeks to ship something? Come on...

[almostlegal]

www.barnesandnoble.com has used books -- you can look in their used textbook section, or you can buy from individual sellers

if you have a barnes and noble membership, you will save 10%

You could also try posting on craigslist or contacting a 2L or 3L from your school (if you contact your school's admissions office and mention that you had a few questions for a 2L or 3L, they would probably hook you up).