Do you love reading but also want to make sure you don’t break your budget with book purchases? 😉 Reading doesn’t have to cost very much money at all, I promise! This post covers my top tips on how to get FREE books!
(Psst! You can also get a FREE Kindle Unlimited Trial right now, which gives you access to thousands of e-books and audiobooks!!)
Reader Question
Marlena emailed in and asked the following question:
I’m motivated by all the books that you read! I’ve made me a list of (just) TEN books for this year for myself. My library only carries two on my list. I can’t afford to go out and buy all these books. (I doubt you do the same). How can I find all the books I want to read on my tight stay-at-home-mom budget? Thanks for ALL you do! -Marlena
Way to go on making reading a priority, Marlena! I promise that you won’t regret it.
My Top Recs For How to Get Free Books
I’m constantly on the lookout for new book ideas to add to my crazily-long list of Books I Want to Read. Since I read so voraciously, I’ve had to come up with some creative ways to feed my reading addiction without running us out of house and home.
Not all of my ideas may work for everyone, but here’s a list of eight tips I’ve used to get books for free or almost free throughout the years:
1. Earn Free Books from MyReaderRewards
My Reader Rewards Club is a site that gives you the opportunity to earn free books and audio by filling out surveys, referring friends, and more.
It’s very easy to earn a free book — without even having to refer a friend!
My Reader Rewards Club offers Christian books from Tyndale, including Nonfiction books, Fiction books, Parenting books, Kid’s books, Audiobooks, Ministry Resources, and more! They even have Adventures in Odyssey audios and books!
Our family has gotten a number of free books from them over the past few years and I have loved being able to get brand-new books completely free!
Read more on how to easily earn books with MyReaderRewards.
2. Download Free Audiobooks from Libby
It’s no secret that I absolutely love books. And I try to invest at least a little bit of time in reading every single day.
But on really full days, fitting in reading time can be a challenge. Which is why I’m so grateful for audiobooks! They are the perfect solution to making reading a priority — even if you aren’t able to physically sit down and read a book.
Psst! Do you struggle with finding time to read? Read this post, plus check out these practical tips on how to find more time to read each day!
However, if you buy audiobooks online, they are often quite expensive — typically more than you’d pay for the paperback or hardback copy. Which is why I’m a fan of finding ways to listen to FREE audiobooks.
Back in 2016, I told you about 8 Ways to Get Audiobooks for FREE. If you haven’t read that post, you’ll want to go read it right now.
I talked specifically about the Overdrive and Hoopla apps in that post — apps that allow you to “check out” audiobooks for free from your local library. Most libraries have since switched over to the Libby app, an app that is much more user-friendly and less clunky to use. And I have become a huge fan of it.
I liked the Overdrive app and the Hoopla app, but I LOVE the Libby app! There are so many different audiobooks to choose from on it and they are all at my favorite price point: FREE!
Read more on how to listen to free Audiobooks with the Libby app.
3. Check Out Free Books at the Library & Through Inter-Library Loan
Of course, no list of how to get free books would be complete without a mention of the library. I’ve checked out countless books from the library over the years; it’s an invaluable resource!
If you have a relatively small library that doesn’t have a great selection, check and see if they offer Inter-Library loan. Most libraries do, and this offers a much, much broader selection. You have to request the book and then wait for it to come in, but it’s free–which usually makes it worth a bit of a wait!
You can also suggest books for your library to purchase. They might not heed your suggestion, but it’s always worth a shot.
4. Get Free Books from Friends
I’m always swapping books with friends–and this is a great way to keep your reading materials varied! Just be sure that you keep track of what books you’ve borrowed and loaned out.
Also, it goes without saying, but return the books in the same condition they were loaned in. Otherwise, your friends might not be so excited to loan you books again. 😉
5. Download Free Ebooks
If you have any sort of mobile device — an iPhone, iPad, iTouch, or other mobile device — there are dozens upon dozens of free books you can download on a daily basis. We even post free eBook round-ups to make it easy for you!
You don’t need a Kindle tablet to read the free eBooks. Just download the FREE Kindle reader app to access your free eBooks on any mobile device or computer.
Tip: Most public libraries also offer free ebooks on their site that you can borrow and download to your device for a few weeks.
6. Check Thrift Stores, Used Book Sales, and Garage Sales
Thrift stores, used book sales, and garage sales can be a goldmine for book lovers. Best of all, they’ll often have fill-a-bag sales where you can fill as many books into a designated bag as you’re able to — all for a few dollars.
You can also find bargains on hot titles that you can swap/trade on PaperBackSwap, at a Little Free Library, or at your favorite local book store! This is an easy way to get titles you want for very little money out of pocket!
7. Sign Up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Station
Okay, so this one is for kids, but I still had to share it! If you have a child between the ages of 0 to 5 and your local area participates, you can sign up to get free children’s books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
We’ve never personally used this, but I’ve heard from others that they send nice, high-quality books really regularly.
There are participating communities within the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Republic of Ireland. Check to see if your area participates here.
8. Buy Used From Amazon or Barnes & Noble
When I do actually “buy” books, I use my Swagbucks credit to buy them. Swagbucks offers a great deal on Barnes & Noble and Amazon gift cards, so I often request those as rewards.
Not sure how to use Swagbucks? Read this post on how to earn Swagbucks gift cards.
However, I usually do not buy books brand-new, unless I’m buying them to support an author (which I’ve become pretty passionate about doing after releasing books myself!) Instead, I typically purchase the book used from Amazon or Barnes & Noble Marketplace. I’ve been amazed at how much money I’ve saved just by being willing to go with a book that has a little wear and tear on it!
In addition, Barnes and Noble sometimes runs free shipping deals or I’ll find a coupon code. Combining that with shopping through a cashback site, I can usually get a great deal on a book I really want – all for free because Swagbucks is covering the tab!
Bonus: How to Read Books For Free as a Blogger
If you’re a blogger or review books for another type of social media, you can fairly easily obtain free review copies from publishers. Just search for the publisher of a book (you can often find this on Amazon) and then find their website and look for contact information for review copies.
Most publishers state their review copy policy right on their website and many are extremely generous in their willingness to send review copies to bloggers. However, please don’t take advantage of this. Only request books you are truly interested in, and those that you truly plan to actually review on your blog.
Many publishers are also more than happy to do a giveaway along with your review and see this as extra exposure for them. So it never hurts to ask, if you’re sure you’ll like the book!
I no longer actively ask for review copies, but I do receive a few each week from various publishers who are hoping I’ll mention their book on my blog, social media, or podcast.
More on Where to Read Books For Free
Looking for even more ways to get free books? Check out some of these unique and creative ideas!
Project Gutenberg
With over 70,000 titles, you’re bound to find a fantastic freebie to read (or re-read).
Digital Public Library of America
All of the materials found through DPLA are free and immediately available in digital format!
International Children’s Digital Library
The ICDL is a free website that offers children’s literature from around the world.
Goodreads Free Shelves
Goodreads has a small selection of free readable ebooks. You can also find a list of free Kindle ebooks to download on Goodreads.
Open Library
Open Library is a cost-free, ad-free service that offers over 3 million books to read, borrow, and discover. You will need to create an account to use this service.
Riveted
Riveted (by Simon Teen) offers free reads for young adults and teens, including weekly free teen reads.
Open Culture
Download 800 free eBooks to your Kindle, iPad/iPhone, computer, smart phone or ereader.
Library of Congress
All of the books in the Library’s Open Access Collection may be read online or downloaded as a PDF or as an EPUB.
Many Books
Get free (and discounted) eBooks sent directly to your inbox.
Tor
Get a free book every month by signing up for the Tor.com eBook Club. After signing up, you will receive a download link for the latest eBook Club offering in their preferred format.
Free Booksy
Get free ebooks in your preferred genres for Amazon Kindle, Nook, Apple Books & Kobo with Free Booksy.
Reedsy Discovery
Reedsy Discovery is an ARC site that provides free digital copies of books in exchange for writing an honest review. You can download the book as a PDF, EPUB, or MOBI file from the Reviewer Dashboard.
If I seriously love the author, I write and ask to be an Advanced Reader Copy reviewer. ARCs come before the book is officially out. Writers want reviews there when the books come out to show people that the book is good. Authors often have Facebook pages also.
You missed a HUGE ONE! Check out your local library – find out if they have FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY. It is the volunteer part of your library. They sponsor lots of fun stuff, And very reasonable. They set up a Huge BOOK SALE, usually several times a year. Tons of books are put on tables in a special room all for sale , All categories
Here is the Fun part- you can buy them by the Grocery Bag! Whatever you can stuff into that bag is specially priced. Sometimes it is BUCK A BAG…Yup, one dollar for the whole bag (sometimes 5 Bucks a bag) Each library has it’s own style. Individual books can be .50 cents to a dollar. ASK HOW THEY WORK. It is usually a 3 day event with early bird specials and really great price specials on the last day. So Much Fun!. Also try several libraries in your area..
They are all different. Some are much better than others. AND BRING THE KIDS
This is such a great addition! My fiancée and I love our FOB sales. I have gotten some really great and unique reads from it! -Jordan, MSM Team
Hi friend i just found your site, i love to read all the time too!!! I always had my dearest friend( a book) in my hand all the time as a kid.. I lived in the library.
I grew up in the military so reading was a staple for sanity. Im getting hitched soon so im learning budgeting time management home economy and understanding children. My husband to be and i are planning a big family so im studying early to get in the right head space to be a successful wife and mom. I look forward to reading more of your articles be richly blessed.. Your sister Star
My family and I downloaded the hoopla app. All you need is a library card and we get to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, music and movies for free each month. We also use axis360 app to borrow books from the library, as well as Libby. Typically I take my family to the library every other week so we have plenty to read.
Thanks for the sharing those unique ideas! -Jordan, MSM Team
I buy books from Bookoutlet.com
Some of them are super cheap and can be resold on Amazon for more than you paid (a little too much work for me so I just make sure I give them to a friend or donate to a neighborhood free library)
Thanks for this great tip!
As a homeschool mom, libraries are LIFE!
I recently discovered Openlibrary.org. It’s free to join, and they have a LOT of books, especially older, harder to find ones. Our homeschool curriculum has a recommended reading list and a lot of the books listed, my library didn’t have, even through ILL. But Open Library did!
If there’s an older book from your childhood you want to share with your kids but you just can’t find it at your library, OpenLibrary.org is definitely worth checking.
My only caveat is that the books are entered by volunteers, wiki-stye, and there are a lot of duplicate entries, not all of which have an ebook attached, so you may have to check a few listings before you actually find one with an ebook copy. But it’s a minor inconvenience.
What a great tip! Thank you for sharing! -Meg, MSM Team
Thanks so much for that great tip!!
Lots of book bloggers give away books on a regular basis. I give away 2 books a week on my blog, OneThriftyReader.com (if you follow me on Twitter, you don’t even have to read the blog to enter the giveaways).
For free ebooks, in addition to BookBub I like the email newsletter from BookGorilla. They tend to have more free ebooks that sound interesting to me (I have no affiliation with them).
Thanks so much for that great tip about following book bloggers!
Here is a list of resources I use.
1. Super Low Cost Audio Books: Chirpbooks.com
2. Free & Bargain eBooks: Ereaderiq.com
3. Free ebooks: Freebooksy.com
4. Free ebooks: bookbub.com
5. Over 60,000 free eBooks: gutenberg.org
6. Google Play eBookstore: Search Free
7. Openlibrary.org
8. Manybooks.net
9. Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more: Archive.org
10. Free-Ebooks.net
11. Free public domain audiobooks: librivox.org
12. Free & Discounted ebooks: ebookhounds.com
13. Reddit eBook Deals: Reddit has a special community just for eBook deals.
14. Goodreads has a service in which they email you personalized eBook deals. Free +: Goodreads.com
15. Bookriot.com Free +
16. Booktastic.com Free +
17. Bookgorilla.com Free +
18. ModernMrsDarcy.com Book Deals Free +
19. 50,000+ Free eBooks: Manybooks.net
WOW! Thanks so much for sharing all of those!
I got my first Kindle back in 2009 and in those 10 years, I read over 1,000 books, all downloaded from either Amazon or my local library systems – we lived in 7 different cities in those 10 years. This year, someone knelt on it and broke it. I’m sure it would have gone on a few more years. I broke down and bought the Kindle Fire for $150 and I love it. My eyes are bad, so the huge screen is a Godsend. It doesn’t need Wi-Fi for the reader part, so I can always read. For those who mentioned behind the times, I would recommend looking into it if you love to read. Fwiw, I have never paid for a book when I had a Kindle. There are plenty of free ones on Amazon and my current library system has several thousand at any one time.
That is so fantastic! Thank you for sharing!!
Little Free Libraries! There are a number in my neighborhood. I happily donate books and borrow books. And I just have to walk a few blocks!
We have a couple around us and we love them! We check them out all the time. It is a great way to pass along and get new books! -Jordan, MSM Team
I love that! Thanks for sharing!
Ferst Foundation in Georgia provides free books to children ages 0 to 5. You must be living in the counties that are listed to get the free books which is probably half the state.
You are given one free children’s book a month until your child turns age 5.
My church will allow you to get access to their Christian library. This includes getting access to their video library for kids. This includes books and movies that are Christian for kids.
I’ve never heard of the Ferst Foundation! Thank you for sharing!
As an Amazon Prime member, I often choose a slower shipping method if I don’t need an item urgently, which they usually incentivize by offering a $1 digital content credit when you choose slower shipping. I save them up to get free or very cheap kindle copies of books that aren’t available from my library.
Also, as a Prime member, I can choose one of 5-6 about to published kindle books every month for free (Kindle First Reads). Sometimes there’s nothing interesting, but there’s usually something I think is at least worth trying.
I also use a lot of the suggestions already mentioned: library, interlibrary loan, library and other used book sales, NetGalley, borrowing e-books through Prime Reading, plus Kindle Unlimited when there’s a 99 cents deal.
I keep my list of books I want to read but don’t own yet as an Amazon wish list so I can regularly check for kindle deals and freebies on books I want to read. (And often use those shipping credits mentioned above when a book drops significantly in price.)
Such great tips! Thank you for sharing!
I’m surprised that this hasn’t been suggested, but the place I get most of the books I own (I am an avid library user too…) is through gifts!! I usually have a list of books going and when my birthday or another holiday is coming up and folks are looking for ideas of what I might like, I share the list. The books tend to be less than $20.00 and are never the wrong size!! It does mean that sometimes I have to wait and not read the book right away, but to me it is worth it.
I love that! Thank you for sharing!
Better World Books was mentioned in some of the older posts. They also frequently have special offers when you order multiple books, usually around things like a holiday, etc. It’s not a huge savings, more like 20% off 2 or more books, but they aren’t expensive to begin with and the more you spend, the more you save. You can get these coupon codes if you get their emails or by checking Swagbucks or RetailMeNot.
Thanks so much for that tip!
Not sure if anyone has mentioned or not, but I use Thriftbooks. Used books for very cheap and you earn points towards a free book.
Thanks so much for sharing!
BookBub has cheap or free downloadable books.
Thanks so much for mentioning that tip!
Netgalley.com gives away e-reader advance reader copies as well. You need to write reviews and post reviews online afterwards, but I’ve gotten quite a few books from there.
My library does a book giveaway on the last day after their quarterly book sales. I show up when it starts on giveaway day and usually get 30-60 books for free although I do throw some cash in the donation jar.
I have used Paperbackswap and the library for years as well. Both good places although paperbackswap has slowed down a lot when they changed their fee structure. They have related websites for dvds and cds as well.
That’s amazing about the giveaway at your library book sale!!
My local library has a “Friends of the Library” bookstore. The store is operated by volunteers who sell books the library no longer wants or from donations. I’m a teacher and have purchased 95% of my (300+ books) this way. The children’s books are $.25 and adult books are $1! It’s an amazing value.
Thanks for sharing this great tip!
I love all of these ideas, and I’m already using some of them! Another great place to get really cheap books (although I’m not sure if it’s as cheap for places other than US and Canada) is bookoutlet.com and most of the books are around $3!
Our neighboring county (which is where our state capitol is) has a West Virginia Book Fair. The Kanawha County Library hosted a used book sale from all their libraries with the WV Book Fair for years.
Then the “politicos” got involved over how a small part of the WV Book Fairs funding came from Kanawha school board, they decided to cancel the Fair altogether.
This caused such outrage from readers and non-readers alike that the library was able to get their funding back because of the support of all the states people. We now have our Book Fair back and everyone is happy again.
Our WV Book Fair of 2015 was even able to host Neil Gaimen and Jodi Picoult!
Libraries also have book sales and sometimes after, they will either sell them for dirt cheap or have boxes of free books. Ask what they do with unsold books from their book sales.
I’m another “behind the times” reader. I never thought I would want to use ebooks until I found out how many great old fashioned classics & out of print books are out there for free! I recently downloaded Kindle to my laptop and have been enjoying dozens of free books both from the past and present, including some recommended on MSM. Thanks for all the great ideas!
Thanks so much! From what I’ve read, it looks like you might have to convert kindle book files in order to read them in iBooks…is that right? Or, could I download books that you feature as free ebooks and read them in iBooks? I can experiment with both, but just thought I’d ask 🙂
Goodreads! It’s a website where you can track what books you’ve read, but there is also a section where you can request giveaway books and the idea is that you write a review for them. They are usually newer books that will soon be published. As a tip, it always helps if you register the day if the cutoff for some reason. I’ve won 2 free books this way.
Also check out library book sales. I bought 26 children’s books for my kids for $6 at the last one. We are set for books for awhile.
Thanks so much for all of the ideas on ways to read good books for free or nearly free! I just got my first smartphone and we have an iPad at home. For those of you reading ebooks on apple products (iPhone, iPad, iMac), do you use the kindle app or iBooks? Is there an easy way to read kindle books on the iBooks app? Curious to hear what other readers use who are reading ebooks on apple products. Thanks so much!
My husband uses iBooks, I use the Kindle app. We’ve currently been having this very discussion because he thinks I should switch over to iBooks. 🙂
I’ve used Better World Books in the past with great luck. They almost always have a “Bargain Bin” at about $3 per book and many times the books come from independent booksellers. They offer free shipping (and the last time I ordered I had the option to purchase a carbon offset for the shipping which came to about 70 cents or so), support literacy programs worldwide, raise money for libraries, and save books from landfills. The books I’ve ordered have always come in much better shape than I’ve been expecting and almost always come sooner than I’ve expected. I’ve never had a problem with a single order.
I second Jenn, I love Better World Books. They’re cheap and support literacy programs. It’s a win-win
If you ask the librarian to order the book, they usually will. Not sure if they can only do this every so often though.
If you have a Kindle, a book can be loaned to you from a friend’s Kindle. The only catch is that you can’t read the book at the same time.
I found a site a little over a year ago that I have been using to get books for cheap. It is called swap.com. You can trade cds, games, books. All that it costs is the cost of postage. You can print your label through their site or take the book to the post office. You can trade one media type for another if you wish. I have been very happy with the service. You may want to check it out. I believe that printing the shipping label and postage costs you $3.60 (that may have changed). You list the books you own you want to trade and add the books you wish to receive to your wishlist.
Thank you for these ideas, Crystal. I’ve always used my Swagbucks to buy books from Amazon.com but recently began going to thrift shops. I was shocked to find hardbacks at Salvation Army for 79 cents – and many books on my wish list were there!
I use PaperbackSwap & I LOVE it! I also use bookmooch.com. I am also checking out my local Goodwill all the time for great books at a great price!
HA! You stated, “you just can’t have too many good books.” YES! You can! You should see my house. When we moved, the movers estimated that we had 12,000 pounds of books to move!!!! We had several yard sales and made a few trips to Goodwill and the Salvation Army and only (??!!) moved about 3,000 pounds! With a family of four book lovers, our Kindle Fires have become our best friends. (By the way, my Kindle has over 3,500 books on it!)
Oh wow!!!
I wonder how many pounds of books I have…I have over 4,000 books in my bedroom.
I thought I was the only one who had books like that!!! I have at least 800 but no more than a thousand so I’m not close yet!
I get the majority of our free books from the free Kindle downloads, and I do learn about a lot of them here on MSM.
Kindle lending system has also been a great source for me lately–sharing between friends. I don’t have a Kindle, but I use the Kindle app to read books on my iPhone.
I do have an Audible subscription, and find that worth it for me at this season of life. I occasionally buy paper and Kindle books, but get a majority of my reading free from free offers or borrowing from the library or friends. I also share audiobooks with several friends, as well.
If you already have Amazon Prime, they have a free Kindle lending library for Prime members.
Look and see if you have a Little Free Library near you. It’s a box where you swap books. http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/get-on-the-map.html
Click on Find a Little Free Library. There are a few in my town. It’s pretty neat.
Love the tip to recommend books for your local library to buy! My Library recently bought “Money Saving Moms Budget” and Jon Acuff’s “Quitter”! They don’t order all I request, but they do order some! 🙂
Our Library charges for inter-library loan, so it is not a free option.
The only problem with Paperback Swap is that it seems all the books I want are the same one everyone else wants. I’m like number 200something on the list for most that I’ve requested!!
Awesome tips! Thanks! Used bookstores can also be a good option. We have a couple in my area. They are huge warehouses, with books sorted by genre, and you can get great books for $1 or $2.
I’ve used half.com a lot over the years; usually I compare to Amazon’s lowest price since Half’s shipping is $3.99 and Amazon sometimes beats the price (book plus shipping) due to free shipping with Prime (OK, honestly, it’s pre-paid shipping, right?). The only other drawback to Half is that books labelled “new” often have remainder marks–which is only a problem if you had hoped to give them as gifts. Board books are my baby gift of choice!
My boys have also done the “trade books in at local bookstores for credits” and both amassed libraries of a couple of hundred books. They have found with the downturn in the economy that the used books stores near us are either going out of business or not buying as many books.
didn’t half.com just shut down?
Between the main article and the comments, this is such a great collection of places to get books for less! Thanks for getting it started, Crystal.
I wanted to add another one to the list – If you live in a place with the “Half Price Books” chain of stores, its worth checking out (list of stores can be found at http://www.hpb.com/stores/). They sell mostly used books at half the list price, and their clearance section is awesome! You can get paperbacks for as low as $0.25 and hardcovers for around $1-$2 it in the clearance section. The stores (at least in our area) are quite large, well organized, friendly staff and a great bonus is that have nice seating areas – my daughter loves reading books with me in the store 🙂
I need to find more time to read more. I know you recently wrote a post on how to find more time to read. I definitely need to heed those tips!!
I think you covered all the ways I’d find free or inexpensive books! Borrowing is always a great option! Typically, if I find myself borrowing it more and more, I’ll tend to purchase it.
If you are eligible to join the Amazon Vine program, they give away lots of paperback books. I was surprised to find some books on my to-be-read list on Vine, but they offer some from established authors and not just new, unknown authors.
Also, try Goodreads.com/giveaway
I am also a voracious reader and normally read several books each week. You have some really good ideas listed but I wanted to caution people that Interlibrary Loan is not free everywhere. At our current location, it’s $1, still a great deal compared with buying a book, but if you order several books it might be a shock to have to pay when you pick them up. So I’d suggest asking your library if you don’t already know for sure that this service is free.
Thank you so much for letting us know about this; much appreciated!
At the public library I work at, we request a donation for postage on inter-library loans, usually it’s about $3. We don’t MAKE anyone pay it, but the postage comes out of our budget, so if we spend it on postage to borrow a book, it’s less we can spend on books that stay at our library for our patrons. Like Cathy said, it would be good to ask . You can also let them know if you have a favorite author. We try to keep up on new books from authors that we know are well liked, and you might even get a chance to score some free books when they “weed” the shelves. We have a bookshelf that has books we have weeded or that someone donated, but we already had on the shelf.
Great tips! Thank you for sharing!
Request that your library buy the books (or DVDs or CDs or whatever). I have requested my library buy tons of things and 99% of the time they do. Then I can check it out free as usual! Also like amazon there is a site called half.com where you can buy books or movies or any other media related stuff. I have bought school textbooks for just 75 cents! Good luck though 🙂
Wow, I wish my library was that accommodating! I’ve requested 3 books in the past 6 months or so and each time I get an email back saying, thanks for requesting, we were unable to get the book at this time”.
I have used Scribd on/off for past 2 years. $8.99 for unlimited audio/e-books. However, if you listen to more than a few popular books, they will limit you to a less popular library of books. Even so, I find it a great deal considering I couldn’t even buy one new release for the price!
One issue I Have is it seems some authors only release their new books to those who are authors or bloggers. Not everyone is a Author or blogger who want to read new books. Also not everyone can afford every new book that is release. I am all for reading books and have been blessed when Michael Hyatt send me his new book earlier this year. Also just last week the Owner of the Houston Rockets send me a copy of the book Shut Up And Listen.uh
Hi Jr this is Jay from NC send me a email thanks
Hi Crystal!
I honestly prefer reading books on my iPad instead of my Nook Color. I love being able to read my library books, books from Kindle app and Nook app all in one place and I like the iPad screen better. Also, when I go somewhere I have my books plus everything else I do on iPad all one one device. I will say that I do like the way you can organize your books on the Nook. I haven’t found a way to organize them in the Nook app.
Our neighborhood association office accepts donations of books that others are able to borrow, and the office doesn’t keep track of what people check out. If you return it, great! If you don’t, no big deal. I use this especially when going on vacations to the beach where I don’t want to take my ereader. If a book gets sandy or wet I don’t have to worry about returning it in poor condition. I don’t have to return it at all if I don’t want to! Nice perk for this book lover!!!
I get most of my books from the library. Another way is to just ask your friends. When they start talking about what they are reading, just ask if you can borrow it sometime. Unless a book is groundbreaking, most people don’t read them again and are happy to lend them to you. My neighbor is a working mom and is always buying books because getting to the library is difficult with her schedule. Most people are happy to oblige.
I read about this one mother who use to buy books at yard sales and thrift stores for 10 cents to 25 cents each and then take them in and get store credit at a local second hand book store and use that credit to buy the books she did want at the second hand book store. I tried it once and it really does work books that cost me 10 cents were traded for $1. Of course the prices in the secondhand book stores are more too, but it is a great way to trade a title you did not want for a title you do want and save a lot of money. For instance lets say the book in the second hand store cost $2 but you got $2 credit by trading two books you paid 25 cents a piece for, then your book really cost you fifty cents.
I use the library and ereader girl. Also, if you go to the amazon website under kindle store, they list the top 100 free books everyday. You can narrow it down to the category you want (science, romance etc.) I was slow to warm up to the ereader but once I got one for Christmas, I haven’t paid for a book since.
When there is a book I want that isn’t free, I use my swagbucks trade in for amazon gift cards. I can usually get $5 in gift card to amazon a month, and kindle books tend to be $5 and under.
Kate
There is also a site like Paperback Swap called Book Mooch. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve gotten many books used via Amazon for extremely reasonable prices — sometimes just a penny!
Marlena, if you can’t find all of the books on your list via Crystal’s suggestions, e-mail me your list — if I have any copies of the these books available, I’d like to help out by permanently loaning you them.
I love to read, and would love to see you read more, too…and if I can be of help, I will.
A tip I got from this site was to sell our used books (we had lots and lots) at a used book store for store credit. (In our case, they’d give twice as much store credit as they would cash). We could buy new or used books with our store credit.
I buy a lot of books on a regular basis and it’s almost always second hand. Of course, that doesn’t work for new releases, but for those, I’ve had good luck at Costco and Amazon. Most of the time, I read it and turn around and sell it through my second hand sources, getting most of my money back. The money I don’t get back I consider a good deal for a chance to read it. My favorite sources are:
1) local consignment events. THere’s a great consignment sale event that’s several times a year near me. It’s only for kids’ stuff, but they sell homeschool and parenting books as well. I get money when I sell, so it’s like free/credit.
2) thrift stores. The Salvation Army near us is a gem for books. I’m not sure why, but I find the best books there for a buck. I’ve added a large number of Christmas books with ones bought there – I love it!
3) a used book store near us has fabulous prices, especially for kids’ and homeschooling books (often under two dollars). I get credit when I sell books to them (not a lot, but they are the books I don’t sell in other ways) and I often walk out with an armful I’ve paid five dollars for.
4) our local library. They always are raising money by selling donations at the front of the building. They’re about 50 cents each or fill a bag for 2 dollars. I’ve find all kinds of goodies, including piles of Ladybug magazine and Childhood of Famous Americans books. Sometimes, I’ll buy a pile of books I’ve already read or own and sell them elsewhere for more or give them as gifts. It’s too good of a deal!
I’m part of a website called Bookcrossing.com. Here’s how it works: you leave a book somewhere in a public place (post office, coffee shop, waiting rooms, etc.) marked with a bookcrossing bookplate, bookmark, which includes your username for the website. Someone else comes by and picks up your book, takes it home, and with the user name you provided can track where the book has been, and leave an update about it. I’ve done this several times to give books away, and to get books that other members have left behind. I usually get an email every few days to let me know if someone has released books close to me. It’s quite fun, almost like a treasure hunt, to see what books you can find and where they’ve been!
Is there a fee for this?
You can find FREE ebooks at project gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/
Also project gutenberg australia. http://www.gutenberg.net.au/
These will be books that the copyright has expired but are still some of the best books I find.
PS- Paper Back Swap is great!
Library Book Sales! We usually hit the fill-a-bag-for-$x days.
For instance, the library where we live now has a deal on the last day to fill 2 standard reusable shopping bags for $10! That’s a steal!
After we read them, we keep what we like and pass on or sell at a yard sale the rest.
Don’t forget that libraries also offer free loans on eBooks and audio books. (listening to one right now, actually!)
If you have a little spare cash on you, always check out library sales, or what we used to call “Quarantine” sales. I used to work at my college library, and any books with too much wear or of which we had too many copies would get put up for sales. I bought a beat up copy of The Count of Monte Cristo for a nickle. The cover had been taped back on, but that book kept me entertained for an entire summer. It was a nickle well spent!
I used Paperback Swap until someone ordered ALL 25 of my books at once! I didn’t have the funds to mail that many at one time. Now I just use the local digital library and free ebooks on Amazon.
Don’t forget that you can get a FREE Kindle App to read books on your computer. Nook also has this too. There may be free ebooks available for one and not the other.
I was very encouraged by the 15 ways to read more list. I’m accomplishing a lot more reading.
That’s what I have, Carisa, and I love it! 🙂
I just went to our local library today and bought a book for $1. It’s a hardcover, looks brand new and something I’d love to read! The library bookstore does not distinguish the condition of the book, just a flat price for the genre.
I use Audible.com. I love to listen to books. It cost $14 a month, but with that you get one free book credit a month. Also every once in a while they offer free books. They have deals where it is free the first month or that it is $7 for 3 months. My sister found a deal for it on a groupon type site.
Interlibrary Loan books are wonderful. I sign onto the library at home and request books and get an email when they are at my local branch! Sometimes it takes awhile but it is free so who cares!
love, love, LOVE Paperback swap – it is the best!
You are definitely not behind the times 🙂 I don’t have a smart phone, ipad or any sort of e-reader, that is much more behind the times!
I was going to comment on this too. I don’t think “I’m behind the times” should be followed by “I can read on my iPad”. If having an iPad is behind the times then I’m in big trouble, lol!
Well, it’s not an iPad Mini, so that does put me a little behind the times. 😉 I won it last year and didn’t think I’d use it (and almost gave it away), but I actually have found that I’m loving it more and more for reading ebooks on it — something that is surprising me!
Christian Audio offers a free audio book a month. I’ve used the app and the website. Really liking the book from last month
I’ve loved downloading these — sometimes they have some really fantastic ones!
You can also download kindle for your laptop, I had that before I got a mobile device.
You might also check local school libraries so see if you can borrow there. And our church has an awesome library – even if you don’t attend a church, you might find a church library willing to lend books. Good luck!
If your local library doesn’t offer inter-library loan but you live near a community college or university, look into getting a membership there. Most university libraries let residents sign up for a library card and they have much broader connections in their ILL. There is almost nothing they can’t get you! 🙂
When you participate in Paperback Swap, do people send items book rate or first class? How much does it usually cost you in postage for each book that you receive?
You can send things book rate and it’s usually no more than $2-$3 per book.
And if they order multiples, you save on postage.
Thanks for all the great tips! I love the idea of contacting publishers for review copies. I didn’t know they would be so willing to give away copies. I use Paperback Swap and love it!
angie. would you know off hand some publishers that would give away copies of books?
I love these ideas! My sister in law uses Paperback Swap and says it’s awesome.
If I seriously love the author, I write and ask to be an Advanced Reader Copy reviewer. ARCs come before the book is officially out. Writers want reviews there when the books come out to show people that the book is good. Authors often have Facebook pages also.
It’s got a lot of pros: you can set up a book wishlist (up to 100 if you’re not a paying member, 500 if you become one) for those books that are not immediately available. They notify you by email when a book you want has been posted and you confirm (or not) if you want it. You can also get books in various categories -I order for my 10-year old and for myself- and buy discounted new books directly from the club. Some aspects to keep in mind: if you want to order available books, you can pay for credits or earn some by mailing your own used books, which means paying postage at media mail rates. You may also have to wait before your books are available; some are offered within a couple of weeks and others have been on my wish list (I don’t exaggerate) for years. The way I make it work is by combining with other places to read for free/cheap like local “Little Libraries,” public library loans (online too if you have a kindle/reading device) and used book sales – I’ve even gotten books for a quarter at garage sales and bought whole series for my son via the Nextdoor app.