Just about anyone that knows me knows that I love books. It’s been a passion from childhood. However, growing up without much, I had to support this passion on the cheap. We are going to talk about ways to help you acquire books, and ways to keep you reading for free.
Buy Secondhand
I know this seems obvious, but we may as well start here. There are several different ways you could get your hands on some gently used and cheap books, some more traditional and some more modern.
- Used bookstore: Many towns that are over 5,000 people (I feel your pain if you’re in too small of a town, I spent my teen years in a town of 1,000) will have a used bookstore of some kind. Where we live there are Half-Price Bookstores, as well as several mom-and-pop style used bookstores. Their prices may not be the lowest possible, but you’re more likely to find nice quality books than you might from other places, and they have a larger selection since they’re dedicated bookstores. Also, they’ll almost always be cheaper than new bookstores unless you want fancy old books.
- Thrift stores: I know thrift stores are very “in” right now, but that’s usually for clothes. I have friends that didn’t know thrift stores even had books! They’ll usually be in the back by the knickknacks and furniture. The books may not be in as great of shape as you can find them elsewhere, but it’s hard to beat the price!
- Online used book stores: Places like Thriftbooks can be a really great alternative to eBay or Amazon (although in my experience some places list their books through multiple sites. I’ve found the exact same book on Thriftbooks and eBay before). You can also look at books and see which copies they have and what condition they may be in. Definitely a good option, especially when for Thriftbooks you can get free shipping on orders of more than $10!
- Library sales: A lot of libraries will occasionally have sales where they sell books that are in slight disrepair or aren’t borrowed very often. These are great ways to get new books, especially if you go on one of the last days when books are usually half off! Also, check and see if your local library has a bookstore inside that does this year round. Ours does! It’s not quite as large a selection as the big sale, but definitely worth a check.
- Yard sales: If you’re looking for a specific book this isn’t going to work for you. But if you want to just look for something that seems fun, this may be the most cost effective way. During the spring and summer there are lots of garage and yard sales, and one of the things people love to get rid of are books (why??). They’re usually marked very cheap, and you may be able to haggle yourself a deal. Don’t forget to check out estate sales, as often a lot of books are sold there since family doesn’t have an emotional connection to them.
Free Access to Books
If you don’t feel the need to own every book you read, or if you’re occasionally able to deny the urge to do so, you can borrow or rent them! In our modern age there are a lot more ways to do this than there used to be, which is great news for us bibliophiles.
- Libraries: Look, I know everyone knows this but sometimes you need to be reminded to actually use your library! Especially after 2020 where you may have gotten out of the habit.
- Library Book Apps: On the topic of libraries, nowadays most libraries will grant you access not only to the physical books they own, but also ebooks and audiobooks! There are a lot of different apps, so be sure to look up which one your library uses. Your library may even use more than one. My old library in Nebraska uses both Overdrive (and it’s more interface-friendly companion app Libby) and Hoopla. Also, be aware that you may technically be in the jurisdiction of two separate libraries. Our local library and the county libraries both have e-library cards, and I can have both!
- Librivox: Librivox is a crowd-sourced audiobook catalog. What that means is individuals can record themselves reading the books, upload it to Librivox, and then you can listen to them. Their library is entirely books in the public domain so that nobody has to pay either to upload their own version or to listen to the audiobooks. For me Librivox is hit or miss because anyone can upload, but you can definitely find some gems here!
- Internet Archive: Internet Archive is a website that, among other things, has ebooks that can be viewed online (unfortunately they don’t have an app). They can be a little difficult to browse through, but if that doesn’t bother you then enjoy! You can either view books they have that are just available to be read, or you can use it as a regular library and check books out.
- Google Books: Google has scanned and put lots of books and magazines online on Google Books. If the work is (once again) in the public domain, it will be free in its entirety either at the link or on the Google Play Books app. If it is not in the public domain, it may sometimes just be the first chapter. At least that way you can see if you like it without committing to buy it! They also show you where you can buy it, or nearby libraries that have it (at least on the website, I haven’t played around with the app).
- Amazon eBooks: Public domain, we meet again my old friend. If a book is in the public domain, odds are good that Amazon has a free ebook version of it.
Paid Services
If you like ebooks or audiobooks, and want access to a larger catalog than your library has, you have some paid options. These are usually monthly subscriptions, but they can be an excellent option if you don’t care if you own the books outright.
- Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited: Amazon has a service called Kindle Unlimited that allows you to read as many of their ebooks, magazines, and audiobooks for $10/month. If your library’s ebook selection is small and you don’t mind a monthly fee, it seems to have a lot available on there!
- Audible et al: Audible, and other services like it, allow you to listen to audiobooks in their library for a monthly fee. One of the benefits is they usually have a lot more books than your library might, and you don’t have to wait if someone else has it checked out. Audible is only $8/month, and they have original versions of books! If you get their premium version, which is seven dollars more expensive, you can keep one audiobook a month, permanently (even if you cancel your subscription). I didn’t do any research into the other audiobook services that are out there, but there are a lot so look into them if you have an interest. Some could be cheaper, or work better for you.
Miscellaneous
Here are some extra ways to get your hands on free or almost free books! These didn’t fit in my previous categories, but I thought you should hear about them anyway.
- Have a bookish friend (or two or three): If you love books, odds are you’ve got at least one friend who rivals you in the same love. Borrow some of their books! I imagine your tastes in books have to overlap somewhere, and you can trade with one another. Just make sure to keep track of what you’ve borrowed and lent. Nobody wants to lose a book!
- ILL: If your library doesn’t have a book you’d really like to read, they can get an inter library loan from another library! It may take a while, but it can definitely save you money.
- ARC Reviewing: ARC stands for Advanced Reader Copy. Many publishers or even just authors themselves send out ARCs to drum up interest in their books. There are websites like NetGalley where you can request ARCs in return for reviewing them. If this is something that interests you, look into it! There’s a lot of information on how to request ARCs online.
- Tiny Libraries: Check out littlefreelibrary.org to see if there are any little libraries near you! These libraries allow you to take a book and leave a book, which can lead to some fun reading material since you never know what you may find. You could even consider building one of your own and registering it. Then you could have a mini library in your front yard. You’ll need to look into the legality of this in your town but definitely worth checking into!
Conclusion
There are a lot of great ways to love books on a budget, and I’m sure I haven’t covered them all. Be sure to leave anything I forgot in the comments, or let us know your favorite idea from the article!
David’s note:
Like Courtney, I also like books. I just don’t like reading. My rule for myself has been: The library is for books you want to read, and the bookstore is for books you want to own. The kind of books we buy are the ones we want to keep forever. The kind you keep returning to and want to read to your kids eventually. And for everything else the library is great.