Books on a budget - Mouths of Mums

Getting lost in a book is an amazing experience. Living the character’s steps and indulging in their world can have lasting effects on your own life long after you have closed the cover.

But with household budgets being tightened all over the world, how can you find the books you want to read and stick to your budget? Julia Harris from Saving Mummy has some easy options for feeding your book habit – without taking out a second mortgage.

Tips for books on a budget…

Library

Your local library is a goldmine for all things books – and it is free! Most libraries also have an online service now where you can search directly for your book request in the comfort of your own home. You can even reserve a copy when it becomes available. This site, http://www.nla.gov.au/libraries/ allows you to search library collections close to you – Australia-Wide.

Sale trolley (at the library)

Local libraries often have ex-library books for sale too. Prices range from the 50cents – 5.00 range – great bargain!

E-books

Wanting to purchase and read straight away? E-books are the ticket. A quick search can reveal a range of prices with some books free or .99cents. Cheap and quick to have you reading now. http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/eBooks has a great range of free e-books for Australian readers.

Book Swap

Organise a book swap with your friends or local community. Use a simple system to ensure equality and swap away! No cash at all required! www.reidgirlshandmade.blogspot.com.au has a great tutorial (and printables) for hosting your own book swap.

BookSwapAustralia, BookMooch.com & PaperBackSwap.com

Interested in exchanging your own books for the price of postage? www.bookswapaustralia.com.au, www.bookmooch.com & PaperBackSwap.com are for you. Simply post up books you would like to exchange and whenever a member requests one you earn points for mailing them. Redeem your points for any of the titles listed. All you pay for is the postage.

The Book Depository

Looking for new books? The www.bookdepository.com has a massive amount available online. You only pay for the cost of the book – free postage worldwide!

Garage Sales

Garage sales are another source of cheap books. Especially great for kids books! Prices generally range from 10cents to $2.00.

Friend’s library

Do you meet up regularly with a group of friends? Craft group? Mother’s group? Playgroup? Why not set up a simple library between you! It would cost nothing. You could even tailor it to a certain ‘type’ of book – ie. Craft or parenting books.

Birthday requests

Do you have a birthday, special occasion or Christmas present coming up? Put in a request for a book voucher! You can then use your gift to purchase the book you are really dying to read – brand new and without costing you a cent! Most bookshops for example, http://www.dymocks.com.au/ and http://www.angusrobertson.com.au offer gift cards for purchase.

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178 Comments

- - mum512198 said
  - 19 Apr 2024
    11:14 am
Interesting perspective! I appreciate the insights shared in this article.

- - mom112217 said
  - 31 Oct 2016
    10:06 pm
A very good article,l have been buying books at the op shop for $2 and they are in great condition! So good!

- - Melissa89 said
  - 26 Jul 2016
    8:31 pm
I don’t seem to use many actual books (most of what I need is online) but when I do need a book I get it from book depository

- - jacqbeckett said
  - 28 May 2016
    7:40 pm
I have been buying books at full price, it got to the point when I couldn’t stop reading books, I’m having to change elsewhere to find books, went to savers today and got books for $3.99 each. the markets I have got books from $5 to $8. library have been a saver for my pocket. my son finds the library boring, this morning I had to explain to him, a library isn’t supposed to be fun with a café and a playground, it wouldn’t be a quiet relaxing library. because of my son’s learning ability, he dislikes books….we will get there some stage soon but apart from that, I said to him looking for a book is an excitement, you want to look forward going home in your own comfort and start reading a book….im loving country romance books! wish I was living in the outback!

- - mom90758 said
  - 24 Nov 2015
    7:36 pm
I love reading and I use the local library a lot indeed!!

- - dannsbuild said
  - 22 Sep 2015
    8:43 pm
I like reading! Really good knowledge to know! Thanks for sharing this!

- - mom103936 said
  - 12 Feb 2015
    2:47 pm
Go to Vinnies.
2nd hand books for $2!!

- - mom94125 said
  - 03 Jan 2015
    7:02 pm
i will swap books with friends so that we all get to have a good read

- - mom93821 said
  - 24 Dec 2014
    7:21 am
Libraries are good for the holidays too! I have bags full of DVD’s, books and CD’s from the library. Inside fun time; when it gets to hot outside.

- - mom93821 said
  - 31 Oct 2014
    10:32 pm
Thanks for sharing this informative article. I absolutely love libraries; such fantastic places which are full of wonderful books, DVD’s, CD’s and other resources. I love searching the library catalogue and ordering books and other resources.

- - caramello said
  - 31 Oct 2014
    9:12 pm
thanks for sharing your helpful ideas.

- - mom57522 said
  - 31 Aug 2014
    11:31 pm
Love our local library, always there!

- - june11 said
  - 18 Aug 2014
    4:12 pm
We have a library which people can donate books to that everybody can read if they wish to.
At a later date some that are of no interest to others are collected and given to a charity, not always the same one.

- - jj13 said
  - 04 Aug 2014
    4:48 pm
also check if your library has ebooks. so convenient and easy to use!

- - hayley91 said
  - 31 Jul 2014
    10:09 pm
Ive only just started to read so these places will be good for me to have a look at thank you

- - mom63821 said
  - 17 Jul 2014
    3:03 pm
We are at the library weekly now with 2 young kids, it is the best thing the council do. Thanks

- - mom57522 said
  - 24 May 2014
    4:31 pm
I love looking through to books at my local thrift shop

- - mom57522 said
  - 20 May 2014
    8:52 pm
I often find a good book at my local charity shop.

- - kazh said
  - 17 May 2014
    3:05 pm
Already using most of these. Highly recommend.

- - Mrs Bucket (that's pronounced Bouquet) said
  - 14 May 2014
    10:38 am
As book collectors and avid readers we lend a lot of our support (and get bargains for us) to the Lifeline Bookfairs / Booksfests. Can’t remember the last time we paid full price for a book. So many of the books are brand new as they are not only donated from the public but from businesses or bought new, once read they’re donated. I tend to go for the vintage and antique books myself, new or near new for our daughter and hubby has come away with so many new or near new novels at such low prices.

Another worthwhile book fair are the ones run by Rotary.

Here is a picture of some of the books from our last book haul, we came home with over 200 books from the Canberra Lifeline Bookfair.
- Michelle replied
  
  28 Jun 2014 , 1:08 pm
  Usually the only new books I get these days are the ones I win
  - ginoula5 replied
    
    14 Aug 2014 , 12:51 pm
    
    thanks for sharing, will look into this, love my books.

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Article Books on a budget