Day 8: Ways to Save on Books

I will admit it, I am a total book addict. There is something so satisfying to me about sitting down to read a great book, no matter the topic. But books are expensive and they are continuing to get pricier. The average novel now runs anywhere between $10-$20 new...and those can add up fast! Want to get books about crafts, history, or business? These cost even more.

Here are some easy ways to save on books:

• Get a local library card. These are free to residents and require just a simple application. You usually get books for 3-4 weeks depending on the location and they tend to carry new releases, especially when they are best sellers. You also can use this as a free way to browse magazines.
• Head over to your local bookstore. If there is something specific you wanted to quickly look at the bookstore is another great source. You can also use this as an opportunity to preview books before you buy. I can't tell you how many times I've ordered a book off Amazon thinking it would be great, but found myself disappointed in the content. I could have saved myself a lot of disappointment by having a chance to look the book over first.
• Price Shop. Remember your local bookstore, while convenient, may not offer the best price for the books you want. Be sure to price compare with Amazon, which usually offers books at a significant discount (and there is a great Amazon app that lets you scan the barcode of an item to check its price on Amazon). 
• Hit up local book sales. Most public libraries have annual or semi-annual book sales where you can get great books for as little as $0.10. Prices generally run from $0.10 - $3 a book.
• Swap Books. There are some websites that allow users to swap books they have for books they want. You can also start a book swap with your friends.
• Free Book Downloads. The internet is a great source of free books, especially classic books. One way to get free books is to download the Amazon Kindle application for your computer and search for free books. You can then create your own virtual library on your PC.

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