I don't splurge on books- I prefer the term, "Investing in Future Generations."
We're all book nerds here, right? At least to some extent, whether that be reading or writing them (or hopefully both!). I happen to be both, myself. If there's one thing I love more than writing books, it's reading them. But . . . man, books can be e x p e n s i v e, with a capitol $$$. And while I'm still growing my collection of book babies, I have learned a few things here and there along the way that have helped in keeping with my budget and expanding my reading horizons at the same time.
๐HAVE A BOOK BUDGET
The first tip to buying on a budget is to have a budget. I organize all my money physically, with bills and coins, into separate envelopes for different purposes. Gift, Savings, Spendings, Author Fund . . . I even have a travel fund! Try setting aside a percentage of money towards books. (I do anywhere from 10% to 30% depending on how soon I want a book.) You could even look up "book fund aesthetic" on Pinterest to get you inspired.
๐DON'T JUST BUY ONE BOOK AT A TIME
This is me giving you permission to get a stinking book HAUL. Think about it - you want to buy a book - The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes, let's say - and so you click "order now" on Amazon. Then you decide you also want to try out her other book, Fawkes. (Click "order now" again.") But wait - who's this author she has endorse her? Sara Ella? Let's try her book, The Wonderland Trials, too! Phew, that's three different books - and they all come with their own shipping cost. Try adding books you want to your cart, and then letting them sit there until you can get a good haul together. It'll save on shipping, and who knows - Amazon may surprise you with a discount or two!
๐LOOK FOR USED BOOKS
This one is h u g e. I rarely ever buy books brand new anymore unless they're a) preorders, b) indie, c) the best price I can find. Places like Alibris.com is great for Indie books, and Ebay.com usually has whatever you're looking for. I try to steer away from Amazon for different reasons, unless it is genuinely the only place I can get a book. Used bookstores are also a great place to look, as well as places like BookOutlet.com, Pango.com, or Thriftbooks.com. You can also try looking for a little box on Amazon that says, "Save with Used". I've gotten great deals there before, too!
๐RESEARCH BOOKS BEFORE YOU BUY THEM
Seriously - why waste your money on a garbage book, when you could research it first? Sites like SqueakyCleanReviews.com or BooksforChristianGirls.blogpost.com have lists of content for lots of books. And, of course, you can follow me on Goodreads, where I do my best to keep y'all updated on the books I've read.
๐KEEP A PHYSICAL LIST OF YOUR TBR
And when you want a book, add it to the list and think it over for a while, especially if you're not certain about it.
๐MAKE A WISHLIST
Add the most expensive books on your TBR to this list - like that indie published series of fairytale retelling dealing with trafficking and pro-life (it's called The Redwyn Chronicles, and you should read it). Then, when siblings, parents, or grandparents ask for a wishlist for a holiday, you can give them that, and save them (and you!) time.
๐SELL/TRADE OLD BOOKS YOU DON'T READ
We all have books like this, right? I call them my "un-haul" books, and usually it's due to content or just plain irritation at the story. This is literally extra cash sitting around, waiting to make you richer! See if friends are interested, or get an account on somewhere like Pango.com to sell them. Some bookstores offer trade-ins, which might be a good idea too!
That's it for today's post! I hope you guys found this useful, and I hope you had fun reading it too. I know it's a bit out of the norm for me, but I was feeling inspired after reading Erin Phillip's do a similar post, and thought I'd try and do one myself!
What was your favorite tip? How do YOU grow your library? Where are your favorite places to buy books? I'd really love to know! <3
Cheers!
P.S.: If this post seems a bit late . . . you'd be right! I took sick last week, and had zero energy to do things like write blogposts . . . or newsletters . . . or pretty much anything in general. ๐ถ But that's why you get a little Monday post, as an apology for not getting you one on Friday. <3
Hope you're feeling better ๐ปโค๏ธ
Ooohh this is really helpful, Deigan! I've been wanting to expand my bookshelf but also expenses like college and a car are looming on the horizon which cuts into my book-buying budget. ๐