by Karen M.
Member since:
March 7, 2007

Buying Books on the Cheap

July 22, 2007 07:11 PM EDT
views: 55 | comments: 26

I love to own my own books and I love them to be in near mint condition. However, as we all know, books can be very expensive. I do try and earn a few gift cards here and there, but there are other ways to get new or near new books without spending the big money. I like to go to Half.com and find a seller that has several titles I want in new condition. Usually you can get paperbacks for .75 and if you buy more than one, shipping goes down. I also always look closely at thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets.

Do you have some ways to get nice books at a fraction of the cost ? I would love to hear it.

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Comments: 26

Rob Appell Jul 22, 2007, 7:20pm EDT
Any books I have, I've had most given to me. I don't read them, but they fill me bookcase nicely. Being in the process of moving closer to you to Rochester, I've got to get rid of them and other stuff and it's yard sale time. It's a shame because I have nice hardcovers in never read condition that cost $25- $30 that I'm going to have to sell for $1, otherwise, they won't be purchased and I'll have to pay to have them moved.
Try the PaperbackSwap.com. You can exchange books with people infinitum for the cost of postage.
Leanne B. Jul 22, 2007, 7:33pm EDT
I am not too much of a book reader but I use gift cards when I want one
michelle K. Jul 22, 2007, 7:47pm EDT
I always got cheap books at Value Village as a kid. I can't say they were in perfect condition but they were cheap to get!
Kelly M. Jul 22, 2007, 7:50pm EDT
Trading with friends works well!
donna h. Jul 22, 2007, 8:01pm EDT
yard sales..alot of times paperbacks for .10/ .25
Brian T. Jul 22, 2007, 8:07pm EDT
I go to Amazon books and then they list all authorized dealers with used books in mint condition for just a few dollars, you can't beat the price.
Pam H. Jul 22, 2007, 8:18pm EDT
Karen, I swap alot with friends. Books I want to keep, I will order on Amazon alot because you do get a deal. Now I am going to have to try Half.com
Pam H. Jul 22, 2007, 8:19pm EDT
I am going to check out Amazon for the new Harry Potter book if my son does not get it first.
Oh, yeah, the library book sales. I don't know about your library, but all the Phoenix libraries have carts of books by the door that have outlived their time in the general collection. Most are hardbacks. I picked up the SF novel Chindi for $1 yesterday.
Leslie ~ from NYC ~ R. Jul 22, 2007, 8:29pm EDT
bookmooch.com and paperbackswap.com are both book exchanges - you send out books you don't want and get ones you do.
Thrift shops - some are more expensive than others.
Some cities have people selling used books on the street - NYC is one.
Libraries, garage sales, sometimes schools, tell your friends which books you'd like as gifts - there's at least birthday and winter holiday - Christmas or Chanukah - and mother's day, wedding anniversary - as long as it's NOT a cookbook (LOL)
CyberGwen ! Jul 22, 2007, 9:10pm EDT
I am a huge believer in the Library book sales. I have three libraries near by so it seems there is one every other month or so. (Sometimes two in the same weekend!)

I go in the morning to get the really great stuff and then come back the last hour when they charge by the bag. I can pick up grocery bags full of books for $2! You can't beat that anywhere, I dare you to!
Nan G. Jul 22, 2007, 10:28pm EDT
I love books but packing and moving them has been a chore as I have moved four times in the last six years. I still have my bound set of twenty years of National Geographics. Yes I know that I can research it on the net but nothing replaces holding the book. For other books, I have resigned myself to the library.
There's also www.bookcloseouts.com that's got lots of books at great prices. You can also sign up for their email newsletter and they have sales that they'll notify you of.
Tom M. Jul 22, 2007, 11:17pm EDT
Wow...you all know your books !
Jennifer N. Jul 22, 2007, 11:50pm EDT
I like thrift shops and library sales. We don't do yard sales anymore :(

I use Amazon's Used book site.

I wrote an article today about how I earn free gift cards for this very use for Amazon. :-)
Jennifer N. Jul 22, 2007, 11:51pm EDT
I also like Barnes and Noble's used book area. I guess not all locations have this as the one in NY by my mom didn't appear to have it, but our whole top floor is music and used/bargain books.
J R B. Jul 23, 2007, 3:04am EDT
There is a Red Barn in town, has really cheap books.
cda asfc Jul 23, 2007, 7:07am EDT
I trade with a friend at work or I will get them at Goodwill. The nice thing is most paperback are 99 cents. Then they have discount days based on the color of the day. So sometimes I can pick up books for 50 cents each.
J F. Jul 23, 2007, 7:53am EDT
paperbackswap.com
Christine Zibas Jul 24, 2007, 1:22am EDT
I use PaperbackSwap, but there are a lot of book swapping sites on the Internet, including BookMooch, TitleTrader, and so on. Look around your local area for book sales. When I lived in Washington, DC, the State Department had a great book sale/fundraiser every year. Where I live now, they hold sales yearly at the local colleges, usually to raise money for a charity. Half.com is a great place to buy like-new books. Also I check out the remainder sections in regular bookstores...you'd be amazed. Often you can find a remaindered hardback of a book for less than the paperback version is selling for in the same store! I always ask for books for Christmas and birthdays, but people rarely buy them for me? Why? Maybe there not as fun to pick out as other gifts?
Karolyn Q. Jul 24, 2007, 8:45am EDT
If I am not buying them at the bookstore I will usually buy books at yard sales.
marilyn l. Jul 24, 2007, 6:51pm EDT
I go to a second-hand book store where I got a whole series of books by Pearl Buck for cheap and Main Street for $2.00. They have lots of books there of old time books. I love it!
Don't forget Half Price Books (a chain) or other small used bookstores that can be found in the nooks and crannies of our cities and towns. Then there is bookcrossing.com
Jennifer P. Jul 31, 2007, 11:10pm EDT
Thanks for that info! I love to read and to own my books. The swapping sites don't work for me because of that. I have not bought any new books recently because I can never find anywhere that I can afford them. Thank you for this info. I will have to check out what kind of deals I can get.

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