5 Ways to Afford Books When You're on a Budget

Last Friday, we talked about the 5 amazing benefits of reading on a regular basis. Now that I've got you all fired up to read, it's time to talk about how you're going to afford all that wonderful reading material. It might seem like reading is an expensive hobby, but it's more affordable than you might think.

Keep Reading for 5 Ways to Afford Books When You're on a Budget

Buy a Kindle

 

Although I still enjoy holding and reading from a physical paperback or hardback book, I own a Kindle Fire and can't deny its benefits. You can now buy a brand new Kindle Fire for just $49.99! I remember when these originally came out and cost almost $200. It's a great investment if you're a reader on a budget. Books that cost as much as $25 in hardback or paperback form often cost around $4.99 as a kindle book. Talk about savings!

Another great benefit is the new Kindle Unlimited program. You can pay $9.99 a month to read over 1 million book titles, hundreds of magazines and thousands of audiobooks. This is a great option for ferocious readers who want to read only through kindle.

Authors often offer their books absolutely free on Kindle. Indie authors do this to draw attention to their books. While some books may not be of the best quality, there are some real gems out there. Keep your eyes peeled for the free promotions because they can be gone in as little as 24 hours.

Thriftbooks.com

 

Thriftbooks.com is one of my favorite places to buy books. Most of the books they sell are used, but you can get a book that's normally $20 for as low as $3.59. They also have deals such as 2 books for  $7, 3 for $10 and 4 for $12.  Where else can you get 4 books for $12? The best part is that you can get free shipping on all orders $10 and over. I've never paid for shipping since the $10 minimum is so easy to reach.

Thriftbooks also offers a $5 coupon for every $50 you spend! At this website, that pretty much means receiving a free book! Beware: this online book store is super addictive. If you buy a book using my affiliate link you here, you can receive 15% off your first order. Trust me, once you start shopping on Thriftbooks you're not going to want to stop. You also won't find yourself breaking the bank while you do it.

Used Book Stores

 I love shopping at my favorite used bookstore Chamblin Bookmine. I would shop there even more if they weren't across town. Chamblin Bookmine will take some of my used books and give me a credit to buy more. This place fills all of my book addiction needs. They even have a cozy little cafe in the back with the most delicious coffee and fresh food menu. Oh, and did I mention all of the books they sell are half off?

It's always a good idea to support your small local businesses so make sure you stop by your local used book store. There is no telling what hidden gems they might have. Used bookstores also tend to have great deals on books so don't be afraid to spend a quiet afternoon there.

The Library

 

This might seem obvious, but many people forget how amazing their local libraries can be. You can check out multiple books on a regular basis and the best part is that you can read them for free! Your local library also allows you to rent DVDs for free too so you'll have plenty of entertainment to get you through a long weekend indoors.

 Ebay or Amazon.com Third-Party Sellers

 Before discovering thriftbooks.com, I bought many books off of Ebay or from Amazon.com third party sellers.  Keep in mind, third-party sellers do not use Amazon Prime. I've discovered however, that many of  them offer free shipping on used books.  If they don't offer free shipping, they usually charge just $1 for the book and a couple of dollars for shipping.

You can find almost any book you want when shopping through these third party sellers. If you don't want to use thriftbooks.com for some crazy reason, these sites are the next best thing. While Amazon.com itself does have great deals on books, always check out the prices of the third-party sellers first.

See? Reading never has to be expensive! Now you have no excuse not to get back there and read, read read! Make sure you visit me again next Friday for the final part of my Learning to Love Reading Series: How to Make Time to Read.


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