Sunday, May 11, 2014

How to Get Books for Cheap or Free! Part One

On my new Youtube Channel: I Read Good, I just posted a video about how to get book for cheap or free. Sometimes I would rather just read about an article I'm interested in so I'll also going to write about it here.




1. Use the Library!: 

This is self-explanatory but if you are like me and are trying to limit the book you buy to only ones you really love, the library will be your best friend. How else are you going to know you love a book unless you READ it first? It's like getting a sample of steak at Costco except you get to take the whole thing home and if you like it, you can go back and get more! Win Win.

2. Buying Used Books At the Library: 

A lot of times, libraries have a used book section. This is a great place to get cheap books (a hard cover for less than two dollars). YA sections are usually not that great but sometimes you can find real gems. 


3. Book Giveaways: 

Book Giveaways on blogs and vlogs are great ways to get books someone else buys FOR you. What could be better? However, there is some etiquette when it comes to book giveaways.

a. Don't use fake accounts (FB, Twitter, etc.) to enter the giveaways. It's not cool cause other people won't see your shared post. If others don't see it, what was the point?
b. Only enter for books you really want.
c. Think about why this person is doing the giveaway. Are they apart of a Giveaway Blog Hop and are just looking to increase their follower numbers? Enter as many of those as you want! But if they are trying to get genuine followers who will return and participate, think carefully about entering that giveaway if you don't plan to be a true follower.

4. Make Book Friends!: 

This ones a little tricky but if you go to book events or are apart of the book community, you can meet a lot of people and someone is always willing to give books away. I'm apart of a book club and we did a White Elephant Christmas where I got a some pretty good books. Bloggers are also usually happy to give away books they aren't interested in or they just won't get to. 

5. Get the Membership!: 

If you are like me and like to buy your books online, getting a membership to Barnes and Noble or Amazon is just the best way to go. If you always have to spend $25 to get free shipping, most likely you are going to buy books you don't want or at prices you feel are too high. I promise you will save at least $25-$75 a year if you get the membership. Also remember to compare different websites for different prices. Plus, you'll get coupons. 


6.  A Regular Used Book Store: 

You won't support the author any more but you will get nice books for cheap! Most books are under $5 at a used book store, so roll up those sleeves and don't be afraid to get a little dirty. 

I thought of a few more tricks after I did the video so I'm sure there will be a Part Two coming soon!