Today started out nicely, but then work was pretty hectic. I came home pretty stressed out, and decided to take my stack of no longer needed books out to the local book swap shop. I had never been there before, so I wasn't sure if I would get a good deal or not. But I figure any benefit would be better than just tossing them in the giveaway bag that goes to Goodwill once it's full.
They give you credit of 50% per book based on the UPC price marked on the back of each book. I had a hardcover of a Stephen King novel (I had two copies) that had no paper cover and was a little older, so they gave me $2.00 credit since that's what they think they can sell it for. They also took everything I brought in, including a pretty pregnancy journal I never got around to using, a neat book about adoption in comic book format, and a John Grisham I'll never read again. All told it was $18.50 in credit for my new account there! I was figuring I'd be lucky to get a few bucks for these so that was a cool surprise.
You can buy books there off the dollar rack, the $2 rack, or even new at 20% off. These you can't use credit for. But used books you can apply half from your credit, half paying out of pocket. I got a copy of James Patterson's "1st to Die" to start the series, since I bought the "4th of July" at Goodwill a couple of weeks ago, not realizing it was in a series. I also bought a used (but just like new) paperback copy of "Twilight". My daughter had picked up a pretty battered free copy off the trade-in rack at the school library but it's kinda hard to read it since you're constantly putting chunks of pages back in place as you go! LOL. With my credit it only cost me $5 total, and I still have $13.50 credit for another time.
I would not buy new books there, or hardbacks, simply because I think I can do better online. But when I'm ready to read the second book in that James Patterson series, I know where to go! I looked but they only had new, hardcover versions of "New Moon" and the other two remaining books in the "Twilight" series, so I may have to look elsewhere for these. The selection of kids' books was pretty limited. The one book my son was interested in was $30 on the UPC price but looked like it had been taped up in a homemade wrapping. The manager said it was a brand new book and I could have it for 20% off but not be able to apply any credit to it. No thanks! So I guess the trick is to ask before I have them ring anything up, just to be safe . . . .
Still it was good therapy after a rough day at work, and a fun and inexpensive little outing. It's rare that I get one on one time with the kids, so it was neat to be able to have this short trip with my second oldest boy. It's also good to know that I can buy relatively inexpensive paperbacks and get something back for whenever I clean out the bookshelves!
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Comments: 34
A book day is my kind of day! Thanks for sharing about your swap shop.
How awesome that your son appreciates books, too!
And thanks for posting to BOOK RESCUERS!
If I don't have several books on hand to read I feel lost.
Myria, I'm the same way! I'm currently reading "Twilight", a parenting book to earn parent involvement hours at the kids' school (a requirement for them to attend), and slowly paging through a couple of homemaking/housekeeping books. Tomorrow I go pick up Jodi Picoult's "The 10th Circle" from the library to read with my online reading group.
I am always reading something
It sounds like you might be able to get some good deals. I frequent a used book store a lot. Many of the books are reduced a lot....and you can buy a book with all credit, no cash. Most of the books look like new.
Definitely sounds like my kind of therapy ... especially if you add chocolate into the mix :) As long as it's not actually IN the books, of course!
Hmm, what about a book about chocolate??
that'd just make cravings worse if you didn't actually have any chocolate on hand, lol!
i love books......we have a huge used bookstore here...... i could spend the entire day there just looking....... pif
I have 2 books read that I want to write reviews on
I have to rethink my reading time now because Steve goes to bed around 6 pm and my reading time has been in bed for years.
We used to have a little store in town where we could trade in books. I really miss it. I love to browse bookstores.
Sounds like great therapy to me. I used to do the paperback swap thing locally when I lived in Denver, but haven't found one in Portland.
I used to do the credit swap for used books, but the shop went out of business. So many people, including me, are buying online.
I used to buy online often, but now I hardly ever do because s&h has gotten so high. My mother still thinks it's a good deal if the book is only $1 or 1 cent, and I guess it is for someone who doesn't want to have to stand for long and dig through books. I'll buy onliine if I get a great deal on a new book or if a used book is very hard to find and out of print.
S&H is high. I browse ebay for books sold in lots. Some sellers also offer shipping discounts. I count the S&H into the amount of my bid.
so kewl
A great way to get rid of old books & hav emoney for new ones~!
You may want to check out www.paperbackswap.com all books are worth 1 credit & you may be able to find titles there that you cannot find at other places.
I checked the site out -- it looks pretty neat! I take it you've used it before with success?
Yes! In fact I have a book to amil off tomorrow. It really helps a person to get the full value of a book they have - all books are worth one credit. I love that site.
Because I prefer hardback books, book buying can be quite expensive. So I always buy used books unless I get a Borders or Amazon gift card from gather or my credit card. I used to buy online at amazon.com marketplace, ebay, or half.com. There's also a bookstore near where I live that sounds similar to what you describe. But the very best deals I get are at library used book sales. Our library has a used book store and so does another library a few miles away. Another library has sales four times a year.
I get hardbacks for 50 cents or a dollar usually, sometimes $2. And they're not usually old. And they aren't necessary former library books. Often I buy brand new books that local bookstores donate to Friends of the Library.
Our library has a small room with an ongoing sale, usually for $1 - $4, depending on the book. The local community is mostly older folks so it's hard to find something for the kids there. There is a local Friends of the Library building that occasionally has a big sale and you can buy bags of books for just a few bucks -- my kind of sale!
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Congratulations!
I was happy to find we have a book store here that does the same thing. I sure hope they stay here. I love to read.
We used to have a huge one like that, it's out of business, but recently and I haven't been to it, but a teeny one opened up, nearby, so I might as well check that one out.
Marilyn
I always love a good book,
~HH
Book therapy is one of the best kinds HH
i have not been able to really read since the kiddos, pretty soon i hope
extending a Helping Hand