Great ways to get best selling books for less

If you love getting your hands on all the latest best-selling books then you have probably found it can become quite a costly experience. However, it doesn’t have to be this way; with a little ingenuity you can get your hands on all your favorite reads for next to nothing. Whatever you’re
budgetary requirements there are ways to make sure you never miss a favorite new release again.

Some great ways to acquire best selling books for less then the cover price are as follows:

Embrace technology

E-book downloads are one of the latest emerging markets in the book industry. You can download the latest best seller to your pda or a portable electronic reading device for typically $5-$15 cheaper then buying a physical copy of the book.

Okay this format might not be great for in the bath or at the beach, but there are many times when it comes in handy, for example whilst travelling. You can store hundreds of books on a portable electronic device. You would have great difficulty hauling around hundreds of books.

Some popular e-book suppliers include:

http://ebooks.palm.com

http://www.mobipocket.com

http://www.ebooks.com

*Keep an eye out for free downloads-some file sharing sites have books to download for no charge, just be careful of legalities.

Don’t discount your humble library

Most libraries get their share of the latest best selling books. If possible put your name down on request forms to make sure you get to read the latest as soon as possible. Some libraries will even take requests for new purchases in deciding how to spend their book funding.

Make use of reward schemes

Gift vouchers to websites which sell books are a common reward option offered by credit card rewards programs, online survey companies, online shopping networks and other loyalty schemes. For example, a recent credit card offer was sign up for a Barnes & Noble Mastercard and you get a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card. Why not get a voucher to put towards your book obsession.

Ask for books as gifts

People often ask what you’d like for your birthday or Christmas and books make for great gifts because they are readily available and affordable. Why not ask for a new best seller on each of these occasions.

Check out book exchanges and second hand stores

These stores don’t just get 20 year old books; bookworms love these joints and sell their books to them. Avid readers read quickly which means that new books end up in second hand stores quite promptly. If you befriend the staff they might be happy to let you know when they get anything
in you like, or tuck it away under the counter for your visit.

Organize a book swap club

Get together with friends and family who have similar reading tastes and take turns to buy the latest books. If four of you got together you would only have to spend a quarter of what you would have had to alone.

Resell your books

Resell your books when your done, whether it’s on auction sites like eBay or to local book exchange if you buy and read your copy early then you can often get a good price for your book. You can put this money towards your next new best seller, meaning you will always pay less overall and still get the latest reads.

Join a book club program

Book club programs generally require the club member to purchase a minimum quantity of books each month, but the cost of each book is significantly cheaper then the recommended retail price. Look for trial offers to these clubs where you get to choose your first four or so books for only a dollar or two. Just make sure you read the fine print which usually requires you to continue purchasing books for a period of time. If you fully intend to keep purchasing books why not take up one of these offers.

Look for second hand books online

Amazon and eBay always have second hand books listed for sale. Amongst the troves of books that get listed are copies of new best sellers. Books often get listed at very low start prices like 0.99 cents.

Shop around online

Online book stores generally sell books for less then the cover price, but how much less varies from store to store. Make sure you always comparison shop before making a purchase.

Price comparison sites for books include:

http://www.myshopping.com.au (Australian site)

http://www.xpert4u.co.uk/books/bestsellers/bestsellers.html (U.K site)

http://www.booksprice.com (U.S site)

In general Barnes & Noble sells books at a discount of 30-35%. Amazon offers some hot new releases and bestsellers at 45% off and if you can hold out a little while has a former bestsellers list which is typically at least 50% off.

Sign up at “Bricks and Mortar” stores

If you like to buy from a real bookstore make sure you sign up to be a member of their incentive scheme. Most stores offer rewards for customer loyalty; some offer up front discounts, newsletters with monthly discounts or gift vouchers once you have accumulated so many points.

There you have it 12 great ways to reduce the cost of your reading bill!