How To Buy Cheap Books So You Can Build Your Library

This post is all about how to buy cheap books

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If you are a reader, then you know buying books can be expensive. Any amount of time on Bookstagram or Booktok has us convinced we need to own a massive library. We all want the perfect aesthetic library to show off our trophies. But you are lucky if you can find a paperback book for $10.

Of course, there are free options like the library. But that doesn’t work if you want to annotate your books. Or really, have a trophy. Plus there are usually long holds on popular books, meaning you will wait months to finally read it.

As much as I love to support authors, I read too fast to be constantly buying new books. And for some books I just don’t want to wait the long hold time. After spending 5 years working in libraries, I learned several ways you can buy cheap books without spending all your money.

Here is how to buy cheap books

Thrift Stores

Thrift shops are not all about pretty clothes and home decor. If you read anything on my blog, you will know I love thrift stores. They are the perfect place to find amazing deals.

And one of these amazing deals is books!

People are always going through their books and donating them. While it seems like you are only going to find old. books, that is simply not true. I have found lots of popular authors such as Hannah Kristin, Collen Hoover, and Sarah J. Maas.

There are often new releases that someone read and got rid of. Not everyone is going to like the same books and want to keep them. So instead of tossing them, they donate the books.

Books also stay popular for years, or we find old books that become popular again. Don’t be afraid to check out your local thrift store or Goodwill to see what books they have. A great tip is going to more than one store to find which ones have the best selection. Over time you will learn where the best books are donated.

Most of the time you will be spending a max of $2 for a hardback book. I have greatly grown my collection this way.

Used Book Stores

We all love the old used book store. The store smells of old books and just gives off the best cozy atmosphere.

They are just like a thrift store, only dedicated to books. A used book store will have a wide range of books, DVDs, and music. Meaning they are great places to look for things other than books.

While I do love a good used bookstore, I sometimes find them costing more than other options. For local bookstores in my area, it is common to see prices of $7-$10 for a book. This is not much cheaper than a new book at Target or Amazon.

There is an important thing to remember though, used bookstores are small businesses. This means you are supporting a local business compared to something like Amazon. Because of this, they might have to charge more for overhead costs.

Used bookstores are also starting to carry new books to help make up the difference in their used book prices. While this isn’t the cheapest of options, it is still a great place to buy books. Chances are you can find good deals on hardbacks or even a special edition.

Friends of the library

Friends of the Library are used book stores found in your local library. You can donate your books to the organization, which then turns around and sells them. The stores are run by volunteers and all funds go back to the library to use for funding. It is a great cause and supports your local library.

I find a lot of great books in my local FOL without spending very much. The most I spent was $5 for a hardback copy of Lessons in Chemistry that had just come out. 

A few times a year, Friends of the Library has a large used book sale. Depending on the size of your library, there can be hundreds of books to go through. Most of these books range from $1 -$4 depending on the type of the book. Then on the last day of the sale, they usually mark the books half-priced or have a ‘fill a bag’ day.

My library just had its semi-annual sale and I was able to fill a large, reusable grocery bag for $12. Meaning I got 20 books for $12. You can’t beat that deal! Make sure to hop on to your library website to see when your library’s next sale is.

Damaged/clearance section at the bookstore

Now if you aren’t pick about the condition of your books, you can find great deals on damaged books.

My favorite tip is to head towards the back of Barnes and Noble for their clearance section. I have found several books there for $5. Just recently I got a copy of Daisy Jones & the Six for $5, all because the back cover had a slight bend.

You might also find books that just aren’t selling well. This is a great option for book gifts.

How to Get Books for Free

Free Little Libraries

Free Little Libraries is part of an organization made to make reading accessible. The best part of this program is that the books are free! The program is run by community volunteers and you can use their app to find locations near you.

Almost anyone can volunteer to set up a Little Library in their neighborhood. Once it is set up, anyone can come and grab a book or leave one of their own. This is a great option you have books you want to share with others while getting some of your own to read.

I have found some amazing books this way. I also love leaving books in there knowing other people will love them just as much.

Amazon First Reads

If you are an ebook reader or a Kindle girlie, Amazon First Reads is a great program. Each month Amazon releases a free ebook to its Prime users. These books are new releases or early releases to help get the book author reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

I have gotten several popular books this way. During Prime Day months, readers often are able to get two books for free. Any of the other free books you did not get, you usually can buy for 99 cents.

Stuff Your Kindle Day

If you are on BookTok or Bookstagram, then you know all about Stuff Your Kindle Day. This event happens a few times a year by Romance Bookworms. Authors in the romance genre get together and make their ebooks free for 24 hours.

This event has even expanded to other genres and audiobooks.

There are hundreds of books to choose from in every romance genre you can think of. Going through all the books becomes so overwhelming that book creators have started creating lists to share what their top choices are.

You do not need to be a Kindle user to participate in these events. You just need a way to read ebooks. This is something I highly recommend if you are into ebooks.

Now you know everything about how to buy cheap books, and even free ones!

We all deserve to create our own home libraries without spending a ton. Not only will these options help, but you are helping others in your community. I always recommend donating or giving away books you don’t want/need to help others create their own library.