10 Ways to Save Money on Books
October 28, 2009 by Karen Weideman
Filed under Top 10 lists, frugal living, how-to, saving money
I’ve never been one to spend a bunch of money on books. I might spend $50 per year. I know there are some of you that spend hundreds or maybe even thousands. Hopefully you will find a few tips from this list that you can try to save money on books.
1. Borrow books from friends. Of course, be willing to let them borrow your books too.
2. Shop yard sales and thrift stores. Sometimes you can find some great deals in those stores. Once while shopping at Good Will, I found a bunch of Scholastic books and some curriculum. It was obvious that a teacher had donated it all.
3. Shop online. I’m thinking Craigslist, Ebay, and Amazon. Of course, there are other sites.
4. Visit the library. The library may not have every book you ever wanted, but the computer database they have allows you to search other libraries in the area. If another local branch has the book they can put it on hold for you.
5. Try a book swap. A local business that I used to frequent had a small book exchange inside. You could swap books without any money spend or commitment. If nothing like this is around in your area, perhaps you could organize something at your home with friends or for the public at a community center.
6. Shop at book exchange stores. These are stores that sale mostly used books. You can buy, sell, or trade.
7. Order in bulk. If you’re part of a book club, see if you club can order in bulk. Sometimes you can save 50% or more on your books this way.
8. Be realistic about what you purchase. How many times have you bought a book and then never read it? I know I’ve done this a few times. Be realistic and save money.
9. Shop at warehouse stores. Stores such as Sam’s Club, BJs, and Costco can offer great savings on books because they buy such a large quantity.
10. Get the download. Many books are available online for download as a much lower price. The downfall is there is no hard copy, but some people like that option.
What ways do you save money on books?
I use Paperback Swap (www.paperbackswap.com). It’s an online book swapping site. As long as you’re willing to send your books to other people when you’re done with them, you can request books from others as well. I love to read, but between this site and the library, I can’t remember the last time I bought a book.
I recently joined Paperback Swap and have found it to be a great way to get books and get rid of some of mine.
Wow.. no mention of BookMooch, Paperback Swap, etc.
There’s also half-price books. They also have a bargain section that has $1 books.
Yard sales are a fantastic resource! We have built an EXTENSIVE library for our baby for maybe a grand total of $30.