Reading books and magazines is one of my favorite ways to relax, but I was shocked to see just how much money I’m spending on them over the course of a year. As these are a luxury rather than a necessity, I’ve been looking into how I can reduce my spending without giving up my books and magazines altogether. Here are some of the things that I plan to do.
Use the library
This is a no-brainer, but we often overlook our local libraries. My local library has been the source of all of my recent reads, so I’ve not had to spend a penny on books lately. It’s not a particularly big library, though, so it doesn’t have a huge selection of books. I’ll often just go to the larger library in the next town, because they almost always have what I’m looking for. That library also has the option to check out magazines or to read them in the library and then put them back when you’ve finished. This only extends to a small number of magazines, but it can be a great way to check out the latest issues if your library offers this. I’ve noticed that there are always a few of the popular women’s magazines on the stand, as well as selected sports and men’s titles.
Charity Thrift Shops
If the library isn’t an option, consider using thrift shops to find cheap reads. When I’ve been to thrift shops in the past, the books weren’t in the greatest condition, because they were mostly second hand, but I couldn’t complain when they were selling for $1 or less.
Swap books
There are lots of sites that allow you to mail your used books out to other members who have requested the book(s) and receive credit that you can redeem for other books. This isn’t strictly free, because you’ll need to pay the postage, but it can work out cheaper than buying the books new. Some examples of these sites are BookMooch, PaperBackSwap, Readers United, Title Trader (where you can redeem for CDs and DVDs, as well as books) and Whats On My Bookshelf.
If your friends and family are also avid readers of books and magazines, ask if they’ll enter into a swap in exchange for one of yours. This can be a quick and easy way to access new titles and if they live locally, you won’t have to pay postage so it’s also free. Depending on the tastes of your friends and family members, you may be able to broaden your horizons by getting hold of books or magazines that you wouldn’t normally buy for yourself.
Cheaper magazine subscriptions
Buying magazine subscriptions online can bring big savings. Magazine Price Research monitors the price of various magazine subscriptions and draws together coupon codes to help you find the cheapest option. Current subscriptions include 15 issues of Family Circle for less than $4 and 26 issues of ESPN magazine for $4.45. Another good site is Magazine Subscriptions, where you can find popular magazine subscriptions for under $10.
If you know where to look, you can easily get your hands on books and magazines without having to spend a lot of money and in some cases, you don’t have to part with a single cent. What are your tips for spending less on books and magazines?
(photo credit: bravenewtraveler)
