Subbing statute books for student staples
It’s common knowledge in law student circles that textbooks are really, really expensive.
Buying a copy of each text on your essential reading list will set you back hundreds of pounds, and here at Legal Cheek we’ve been wondering what else penny-pinching undergraduate students could be spending their precious money on.
Here are our suggestions…
1. One copy of Lloyd’s Introduction to Jurisprudence = four bottles of Sainsbury’s basics vodka
Instead of buying a copy of this fascinating read, RRP £46.63, why not destroy your liver with four bottles of own brand vodka, priced at £10.50 a pop, instead? A word of warning: this is not recommended for people unable to carry heavy books to and from the library (this one’s a whopping 1,640 pages long).
2. One copy of Craig and de Burca’s EU Law = seven months’ worth of Netflix
This EU law bible is a staple on law school reading lists, but it doesn’t come cheap. Why splash out £41.99 for the fifth edition text when you could watch Netflix for seven months instead?
3. Blackstone’s Statutes on Property Law = 20kg of pasta
Think of all the hangovers 20kg of Sainsbury’s pasta (at £1.20 a kg) will cure. Think of all the pain Blackstone’s Statutes of Property Law (£23.77) will cause. Enough said.
4. One copy of Street on Torts = 15 Starbucks grande strawberries and cream frappachinos
£53.20 for a boring book; £3.65 for a delicious drink. Go figure.
5. One copy of Dignam’s Company Law = a year-long 16-25 railcard
With both student necessities coming in at around £30, we vote opting for Dignam’s book (£31.99) because you won’t have any free time to use the railcard anyway ☺
6. One copy of Herring’s Criminal Law = nine Nando’s quarter chicken breasts
Fun fact: a copy of this criminal law textbook costs £37.99; for the same price you could cover your chicken costs for nine Nando’s trips. For our vegetarian readers, you could get six portobello mushroom and grilled halloumi burgers for that price.
7. One copy of Jackson’s Medical Law = 24 litres of Strongbow
This medical law textbook comes in at a rather naff £38.99. Pop down to Sainsburys and you could get 12 of the store’s finest two-litre bottles of Strongbow for that price.
8. One copy of Partington’s Introduction to the English Legal System = one ticket to Thorpe Park
While £24.99 might not seem a lot as far as law textbooks go, for 76p more you could be savvy, cut out the two for one vouchers they do in newspapers sometimes, avoid revision and go to Thorpe Park for the day.
9. One copy of Hudson’s Equity and Trusts = 35 Uber miles
This boring trusts and equity book costs a ridiculous £43.99. For that, you could travel around London in an UberX for 35 miles (much more fun).
10. One copy of Anson’s Law of Contract = 30 king size chicken and mushroom pot noodles
A contract law book for £39.99 may get you well on your way to a law degree and a stable career, but it won’t feed you for a month like 30 king size pot noodles (£1.32 each) will. Choose wisely.