10 Ways to Save Money on Books

To me, my love of reading is both a blessing and a curse – I have this undying thirst for knowledge. There’s nothing like curling up with a good book and a steaming cup of hot chocolate or herbal tea to learn something new! At the same time, that “thirst” can get overwhelming, especially when I have to put reading on the back burner. I feel like I can’t read fast enough to keep up with the growing list of books I want to read.

Most recently I completed reading the Twilight series because I wanted to see what all the fuss is about. I’m currently reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, Permaculture magazine, the Bible, and a couple inspirational books.  I only purchase fiction that I’ll re-read, textbooks for school that I often re-sell, and reference books. Following are some of my tips on saving money with your book addiction!

Most of the time, I find books I’m interested in online.  I read the reviews on Amazon to see if the book is even worth looking into.  If I’m still interested in it, I go to the bookstore or library to check it out.  When I was a college student, I could go to the university library. I’ve studied at three different universities and all of them have had three-week check out periods, with the option to renew the books for another three week period – this gave me ample time to finish a book and not spend a cent. From there, I decide if I want to purchase the book. I rarely purchase items at a brick-and-mortar bookstore because I can usually find better deals online. If you’re not crazy about shopping online, there are other options for purchasing books at a discount.

1. Rent books through local library, college, or online.
2. Borrow or buy books from friends/coworkers.
3. Become a member of your local bookstore.
4. If you live near your alma mater, you may be able to get an alumni membership to use at the campus bookstore.
5. Visit used book stores.
6. Seek out bookstores going out of business.
7. Visit church sales, school sales, fundraisers, and bizarres.
8. Your local library may have an occasional or ongoing sale through the “Friends of the Library” group.
9. Check out new and used book websites such as Amazon and Half.
10. Check out eBay for one book or a “lot” of books. I recently saw a 25,000 book lot go for under $1000!

If you decide to purchase or rent books online, make sure you check a couple different sites for the best bargain and be sure the check on the seller’s reputability.

I just love reading! Ever since I was little, I’ve been reading for enjoyment. I was even inspired to write a few short stories based on what I read. Here are some of my favorite books over time:

• Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino and Steven Kellogg
• Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch and Sheila McGraw
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Ron and Judi Barrett
  
• The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
• The Unicorn Treasury by Bruce Coville
• The Babysitter’s Club series by Ann M. Martin
• Every book by Lurlene McDaniel
• The Wind Blows Backward by Mary Downing Hahn
• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Books on gardening, knitting, crocheting, organics, design

See you soon!