Bookworm on a Budget: How to Make Reading Cheaper
Are there fellow bookworms out there? I’m anticipating that there might be quite a few. I’ve almost always got my nose in at least one book. Sometimes I’ll have two or three on the go simultaneously. During holidays my reading habit seems to grow exponentially. Away from home I’ll sometimes get through a book in less than a day. This could be an expensive habit given that the average price of a paperback is now over a tenner. Thankfully I rarely pay full price for a book. I often snag them for nothing or just a few pence. Allow me to spill the beans and share my ideas about how you can be a bibliophile on a budget.
Borrow From Public Libraries
I need to remind myself to use my local library more. Visitor numbers have dwindled and the ‘use it or lose it’ may well be appropriate. Once you’ve registered with your local service most books can be borrowed for free although you may have to pay a small fee to reserve one.. Just be careful about returning books on time to avoid fines mounting up. Trust me I’ve learnt this the hard way!
Opt for Secondhand Purchases
For many, Amazon is the go-to for second-hand book sales. A simple search on the site will source used options from affiliate sellers, often at a fraction of the cost of new. Just search for the book that you’re after. In the past, if I’ve been after a particular title I’d also check to see if it’s available on eBay. Sometimes prices there can be substantially lower. However I’ve recently come across Usedbooksearch that compares prices across a larger range of sellers. I’ll be trying it out in future in the hope of finding even bigger bargains.
Buy Secondhand in Person
My local charity shops are my first choice for bagging a book bargain. I head down the hill to our main street whenever I’ve run out of reading material. Sometimes I come back with a dress or a sweater as well as a pile of paperbacks!
Second-hand book stores are pricier. After all their owner has to make a living. But they can still offer significant discounts. Car boot and table top sales are often fruitful hunting grounds. I’ve also found that many National Trust properties have a room or former stable-ful of inexpensive second-hand books..
Embrace eBooks
Websites like Project Gutenberg offer free e-books. Libraries also offer digital borrowing services although my personal experience is that you may have to wait a while to read the book that you’re after. Sometimes I’ll pay for an e-book rather than buying a paper copy. While I lean towards physical books because I like the way that they feel the affordability of e-books occasionally influences my purchasing decisions.
Share Among Friends
Books that have been gifted are a major source of my reading material. This can expand my repertoire as I’m sometimes guided to read something that I wouldn’t have chosen for myself. The joy of giving is an added bonus. I pass on books that I’ve enjoyed too.
Swap Online
Join Bookswap where you can accumulate points earned from listing your own books. Buy yourself a whole new library by trading these in after paying reasonable administration and postage costs.
Brand New Bargains
While a new book is a delightful treat, you don’t always have to pay full price. Look for discounts in local bookshops or online for newly published books. Remainder stores also sell off stock at remarkably low prices. Specialty discount shops such as The Works can be worth checking out.
There you have it, a lovely list of money saving ideas for book buying. However if you have any others that I haven’t thought of I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
Disclaimer
This post contains links to companies and organisations just because I’m happy with the products or services that they supply or I’m spreading the word about what they do. There may also be affiliate links to Amazon for books and other items that I am personally recommending. If you decide to make a purchase from them, I might get a little bit of commission at no cost to you.