Books are a wonderful source of enjoyment, enrichment and enlightenment.  Retail price books are expensive and even discount books at online discount book stores can add up in cost.  I love to read; averaging about 2 books a week.  I estimate that at retail prices this mix of fiction and non-fiction books would cost me at least $1,600 per year.  I don’t pay retail, however, and my book budget for these 100+ books per year is closer to $300.  Here are my money saving secrets: 

I use libraries whenever I can and it is convenient to do so.  Library books are essentially free considering you have already paid for them out of your taxes.

My brother and my daughter share my passion for reading and once or twice a year we swap books.  Many books are read three times in the family before they are ultimately donated to a charity.  I do buy many books through charity events or thrift stores and pay $.25 to $1 for each book.  This is the ultimate in recycling.  At one time I was trying to build a large library but I realized that the best thing to do is to keep just the important reference books and put the rest of them back into circulation.  We have made over $600 selling books on half.com over the past few years.  Yes, I did buy replacements to read and pass on.

Textbooks can be purchased used or new at online sites or through college bookstores for a significant savings.  Some publishers are even offering e-books which some students prefer because of the digital format.  It always pays to shop around.  Get the textbook list for each class as soon as possible and do your comparison shopping online before classes start.

I’ve been enjoying more and more electronic books (ebooks or e-books) because they don’t take up any space or gather dust.  The electronic book format offers some advantages for searching and finding information.

I do shop online stores such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble Bookstore but when I buy I check with comparison shopping sites such as half.com and Addall.com to find used and new books at discount prices.  This saves me a ton of money.  Pre-owned books or returns often sell for a small fraction of their list price.  Shipping can be quite reasonable at many online book stores so the net cost is a significant savings.

You too can save money on books.

Here are 35 more great ways to save real money.