The Booklover’s Guide to Being Broke

Books were historically considered a luxury due to the intensive process of printing. However, thanks to the efficiency of modern technology, books have become much easier to manufacture and, in turn, buy.

Nonetheless, I still consider them the little luxuries in my life. Here’s my guide to reading, even when money is tight.

Read Used

I’m the type to go back and reference or reread passages from my books once I’m done with them, and I’m also terrible about misplacing my books, so libraries don’t work well for me.

Here’s what does:

Yard/Garage Sales

Yard and garage sales are great places to find books for anywhere between 25¢ to $5.

Estate Sales

Books at estate sales are usually priced a bit higher than those at yard sales, garage sales, and thrift stores, but in my experience these books are usually the best taken care of out of them all.

Thrift Stores

Most of the thrift stores around me sell paperbacks for 99¢. I love to go around the thrift store circuit with a pocket full of quarters in pursuit of some new books to add to my collection!

Thriftbooks.com

I’ve been using Thriftbooks for years and I absolutely adore it. While they have plenty of amazing deals and a very low free shipping threshold, the prices on Thriftbooks can vary quite a bit depending on the demand of the book you’re trying to buy. It’s always worth checking the price, but if you’re looking to read new releases you’re probably better off borrowing them from the library or buying them from Book Outlet.

BuyNothing Groups

The BuyNothing Project operates on the principle of community. People ask for things that they need but don’t have and offer things that they have and don’t need. Make a post in your local BuyNothing group letting them know what books/genres you’re looking for, and maybe someone will come through with an offer. These groups can be found in Facebook Groups and on the NextDoor app.

Borrow

The Library

Borrowing books from the library is the most frugal way to sustain a reading habit, seeing as how it is absolutely free (as long as you return your books on time)!

Create a Book Lending Club

Grab a couple friends who have a similar taste in literature and start passing the books around. As a bonus, reading each other’s books will help to stimulate the conversation!

Go Digital

Library

Libraries have embraced the digital age, and many have programs through which you can borrow e-books through your Kindle or Nook!

Archive.org

Archive.org is a free resource through which you can borrow from a virtual library of over 37 million e-books. I used this website when I was in college to access some of my books for classes and never experienced any issues with it. Books are usually available to borrow for an hour at a time. While this is admittedly a short length of time, you can borrow the same book multiple times in a row as long as it’s available and hasn’t already been reserved. In my experience, it’s rare to find that a book is unavailable.

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is a free resource that provides readers with virtual books that are in the public domain. Since a significant amount of time needs to pass before a work enters the public domain, this is a great way to access the classics! Their books are available to read online or to download onto your device (such as a laptop or e-reader), so there’s no time limit on how long you can access them.

Trade

Little Free Libraries

Little Free Libraries are small boxes raised off the ground in a way that’s much like a mailbox, where members of the community are free to take and/or leave a book. Just remember, keeping a Little Free Library stocked is a community affair, so if you take a book remember to leave one as well!

If you don’t have a Little Free Library in your area, you can learn more about starting one on their website. I love seeing Little Free Libraries pop up around my city, and I’m sure there are plenty of people within your community who will feel the same.

Book Clubs

Use Facebook, Nextdoor, or another local app to to look up book exchange clubs in your area. These forums are a great way to find new books, pass your old books on, and make some friends in the process!

Shop Discounted

BookOutlet.Com

BookOutlet is one of the cheapest ways to get new books for a low price. Their free shipping threshold is higher than ThriftBooks, but they often run sales!

Happy reading!