How to get cheaper or free books!
Here’s a quick list of places to get books for cheaper and free. If anyone has tried any of these options or has other suggestions send me a message!
1. Library- Of course, this is top of the list. Books can be expensive and not everyone can afford to buy them or at least buy them every time they want a new read. The great thing about borrowing books from the library is that if you don’t end up liking the book or don’t want to purchase it after all, you don’t waste money on something you don’t like.
-Libby and Overdrive- These two apps give you the ability to hook up your library card and access ebooks and audiobooks from your local library as well as the library's in surrounding areas! Audiobooks can be really expensive, so I use these apps for them.
2. Used bookstores- can have some great used books, some can look new while others have a little bit more character to them! If you don’t have access to a physical store near you but have the ability to order things online there’s some great online used bookstores.
-Better World Books (betterworldbooks.com) is a great place to find books some as low as $3. Some of these books come from libraries, schools, or just people who passes there books to the next person. You can also look at the quality of those books to pick for your liking. I typically go for “new practically used, or used very good”.
-Thrift books (thriftbooks.com). I personally haven’t bought books from this website yet however I’ve watched tons of videos and read reviews on the site and it seems to be a good option for books. Someday, I’ll order some books to have my own personal experience. Side note: you can also find textbooks for school on these super cheap. I bought one from Better World Books recently and it looks practically new apart from the library stamp on the side of it, but I got it for around 6 dollars so who can beat it!
-Amazon used books section. (If you need help finding it let me know!)
3. Book sales-This can be kind of a mashup of the two first options. I know my local libraries do a book sale. Tons of people along with the libraries themselves bring books and have really cheap sales on the books. I recently went to my local library’s book sale and on the last day of the sale they have $5 bags. On this day, we were given giant paper bags (like you’d get from the grocery store) and you feel it full of books, divides, audibles, and whatever else was on sale. The cool thing was that you could get as many items as you could fit in the bag and it was only 5 dollars?!?!! Plus, you could get as many bags as you wanted
4. E-books & audibles- Ebooks are often cheaper and sometimes even free. If you don’t have the ability to take a physical book with you, or you forget it but you have a phone that can access your digital library it’s pretty convenient. I tend to see audibles more expensive but I did want to put it on the list. 1. Because sometimes you can get them on sale or get a free credit on audible so you can listen. Libby/ Overdrive gives you the option to listen to ebooks as well. 2. I wanted to hook these two types of books on the list because sometimes I think they can get overlooked or seen as being “not real book” but they most definitely are. A book is a book whether you own it, have a physical copy, or listen to it.
5. Barnes and Noble (and other bookstores)-B&N has a membership, you pay $25 a year and get 10% off your purchase but the really great thing is that you often get sent coupons (that you can stack with the membership). Plus, when they do a book hauls you get early access! Also free shipping (book depository offer that as well worldwide).B&N also has a bargain section/outlet were you can find books for as cheap as $5 or 2 books for under $10.
6. Book depository -Free shipping internationally.
7. Bookbub- let you know when books you may like go on sale.
8.Target- often has there books on sale for 20% off.
9. Amazon- also tends to be cheaper than some bookstores and they have used section.
10. Books a million.- great book deals!
11. Entering giveaways -Sometimes authors or other people in the world of book social media will do giveaways that you can enter. Goodreads does this and they usually send you notifications when a book you have marked that you want to read gets added for a giveaway. Obviously, just like with any of these options you want to make sure you’re being safe with any information you’re giving out over the internet.
12. Authors-Not only will authors do giveaways from time to time of their own books. They will also give free books from other authors they may be friends with or just books they enjoyed. If you follow them on social media you’ll see them post about it. Some authors have weekly or monthly news articles that they send through emails were they have attachments for an ebook download. BB Easton, is an author who does this and she sends out two free ebooks a month, there adult novels.
