How to Save Money on Books

Hello guys! In this post I will tell you about a few ways you can save money on books since we’re all guilty of spending too much. Although the money spent on books is a wisely spent money, not everyone has money for books (some stuff in life is simply just more important and I totally understand that). When I was younger my parents my allowance wasn’t really enough for me to buy all the books I wanted so I couldn’t wait to get older. Now that I’m older and working, I have so many more expenses (my rent, college stuff, car and clothes) so I’m still not in the perfect position where I can comfortably buy all the books I want. But, I managed to find ways to read but also save a little bit of money.

Disclaimer: These ways are all legal ways, I DO NOT approve for any kind of book piracy such as those that are going around internet. Firstly, it’s illegal, secondly, the authors and publishers are working hard to provide us with our beloved books and if you get yourself ‘free ones’ you are discrediting the author. Please report those kinds of articles or contact the publisher if you see it. Thank you!

1. BUY USED BOOKS

Second-hand books are definitely a good way to save some $$. If you don’t like the look of used books, you can opt for ones that are in best shape (although they can be a little bit more pricy than ones that are a bit more worn down). In my town we have a lot of book thrift stores where you can bring your own books and earn some money, and you can get used books for cheap. If you don’t have one near you, you can always use webshops: for example Thriftbooks or Amazon (some books have the option of ‘used’ format, those are usually way cheaper and I believe it also states the condition of the book)

2. GO TO THE LIBRARY

Although a lot of libraries are closed because of COVID-19, I had to mention this option even though it might be obvious. Libraries are a perfect place where you can get all genres of books you’re interested in for free (except for library membership but those are usually not very expensive). When I started reading, I was at the library all the time. Depending on your library you can get most of the books you’re interested in but even if you don’t find what you’re looking for, there’s something for everyone at the library. My college library is free and although most of the books are for educational purposes, there are some interesting Fiction books and many classics so if you’re studying, check out your uni or college library for sure.

3. READ E-BOOKS

Some people just don’t like e-books and that’s totally okay. However, if you’re not like that and you want to save some money, e-books are usually cheaper than print copies. Kindle is a great place to get e-books. Kindle app is free and you can download it on your phone and don’t have to get a Kindle device if you don’t want to. There are also special offers for Kindle and I’m partnering with Amazon for this post to provide you with a very interesting offer. KindleUnlimited sponsorship provides you with unlimited books and unlimited listening on every device for what I consider a very good price. Check it out for yourself in the link down below:

Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans

*I have recently become an Amazon affiliate and I’m so thankful that I can provide you guys with special offers and promo links for books and other book-related services. I do receive a small commission if you sign up with my links.*

4. HUNT FOR DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS

For this you gotta do some work! Become engaged in bookstores (both online and in real life), there are so many special offers so frequently check for discounts and new offers. I always try to wait some time before buying a book because I know the price will usually go down at least a bit. I know it can be a bit hard if you want to read the book ASAP, but if not, wait a bit and it will be worth it.

Amazon has a lot of special offers but what I frequently use and abuse are free Kindle books. Every month or for a few days you can get some books on Kindle for completely free. There are many articles on WP about free Kindle books so check those out.

5. BECOME A BOOK BLOGGER

This is an unconventional way (although many of you reading are already bloggers) but it’s a great way to get free books. Firstly, there are sites like NetGalley and BookSirens that provide you with free e-arc in exchange for an honest review. On Netgalley, based on your reading preferences and reading status you might not get approved for every book you request but there are always read-now books you can access immediately.

Build your blog and if you’re confident enough, don’t be afraid to reach out to publishers. Take your time and learn how to approach them, it’s all trial and error but eventually you’ll succeed.

Also, there are many Goodreads groups where you can introduce yourself and interest authors who will contact you for review requests. Making Connections is one of them, and I am also a member of it.

This topic is abundant so I might make another post in the future regarding only this. Let me know if you’re interested in reading that

There are so many more ways to get cheaper (or even free books) but these are ones I personally use and ones I like the best. If I find some other ways I like I will definitely do another one of these posts. For now, I hope I helped you guys and that at least one of you will use some of these ideas and save some money (so that you can buy more books lol). But, I must also tell you to be money conscious and do not go overboard. You should be moderate in almost everything in life, book-buying included. Thank you and hope you liked this post!

Happy reading!