Book Lover's Cheap Deals

In the grand scheme of things, books really are a cheap form of entertainment.  Unless of course you’re like me and go through about two books a week, then it can really add up.  The easy solution would be to go to the library, books are free and you can read as many as you like; great in concept but not in reality.  First of all, you can’t be guaranteed that the book you are looking for will be in stock.  Especially if it is a new release, you can be put on a waiting list, but who wants to wait?  The second problem with libraries is that they make you give the books back; I don’t really like to do that.

The best solution for me, and maybe for you, is to make smart booking buying decisions.  For books that have been out for a while, I never buy new.  While I love the big book chains like Barnes & Noble, Half Price Books and Amazon, I also love all of the small neighborhood used book stores.  You probably pass by them all the time, hidden away in small strip malls.  Some are better than others of course, but quite often the prices just can’t be beat by any of the major book seller chains.  Make sure to ask about discounts that may be offered for buying a minimum amount or about any specials they may be running.

If you’re looking for a specific book that you are unable to find in a bookstore, you can always count on Amazon.  I was recently searching for a book that had been out of print for a while and was able to find a used copy on Amazon.  If you’ve never taken advantage of their used book offers, you should definitely check it out.  If you look up any book on Amazon, you’ll notice that under the main listing in small letters it lists the number of used books available for that title.  I’ve done this several times now and have been very happy with the results.  All of the books listed as in ‘good condition’ were just that and I was able to add to my growing library at a fraction of the cost for buying those titles new.  If you are lucky enough to already own an Amazon Kindle, you already know about the hundreds of thousands of book titles available electronically within minutes of placing your order.  Kindle books usually cost under $10, and this includes Best Sellers.

If you’ve been waiting for one of your favorite authors to release their new book, getting that at a discounted price can be a little bit trickier, especially if it’s being released in hardback.  I recommend paying out the annual $25 fee for a Barnes & Noble membership card.  If you buy a lot of books, you will save a lot of money over the course of a year.  You receive 10% off on all book purchases, 20% off all adult hardcovers and 40% off hardcover bestsellers.  But don’t automatically assume that Barnes and Noble will have the best price on your book.  Before you head out to the store, check the Amazon price.  I have found that many times, Amazon can beat the Barnes & Nobel price even with the membership discount.
The most important thing to remember when buying books is to spend consciously.  Don’t ever assume that the various book sellers charge the same prices.  With a little time and a little effort you can truly save money on all your new and used books, leaving you with more money to buy more books.