Where to Buy Cheap Books: 4 Surprising Places

If you’re an avid reader, you may find yourself burning through books at lighting speed. The cost of buying new books can add up quickly, but sometimes you can’t help yourself!

I’ve definitely been there and over the past year, have gotten more creative with how and where I shop for books.

Today’s post will cover where to buy cheap books, including 4 great options for physical and digital reads.

Where to Buy Cheap Physical Books

#1. The Salvation Army

After checking out multiple used book stores and discount retailers, we’ve found the Salvation Army to have the best prices.

At our branch, it’s only 99 cents for a paperback and $1.99 for a hard cover which is incredible. They also have multi-buy deals: for example, you can buy 5 paperback books for $4, instead of close to $5.

Stock levels and book types are always changing, so when we’re looking for books we may go there once a month or so to see if they have anything new.

We’ve also shopped at Value Village, but the prices are much higher. Their used books are more in line with a used bookstore: around $4-7 for a paperback.

#2. Garage Sales

Another great place for cheap used books is a garage sale! Prices vary, but in most cases they should be cheaper than what you’d find at a used book store.

The other benefit is that people often de-stash a bunch of books in the same series, or from the same author or genre. And if you share the same taste in books as the seller, you may find yourself picking up a bunch of their used books!

Where to Buy Cheap Digital Books

#3. Kobo Discounts

If you have a Kobo eReader like me, you probably buy your eBooks from the Kobo Store. Problem is, many ebooks are over $10 which can add up fast.

Here are some ways to score deals on Kobo eBooks:

Get $5 off your first book when you sign up through my link.

Yep, just click here to get $5 credit to your account towards your first Kobo eBook.

Shop their eBook Savings page.

Kobo has a special page where they feature their special deals and discounts – find it here.

This includes a deal of the day (normally around $1.99!) and other discounted reads. eBooks change often, so check back to see the latest or subscriber to their newsletter for more updates.

Shop their free eBooks.

Kobo has a bunch of eBooks available for free! They may not be the most popular titles, but they’re a great way to discover a new genre or author. Shop that section here.

#4. Kindle Unlimited Membership

If you have a Kindle eReader (or just the app!), a Kindle Unlimited Membership may be worth exploring.

Choose from a 6-, 12-, or 24-month membership plan, each of which provides you with unlimited reading from over 1 million eBooks. You’ll also get access to unlimited listening to thousands of audiobooks.

Memberships are $9.99/month and can be cancelled at any time. Get a 30-day free trial when you sign up here.

Get more information and sign up here.

Other Ideas

The Library

If you don’t need to keep a copy of the book (or need to mark it up), consider seeing if your local library carries it. Many libraries also carry eBooks nowadays!

Share with Friends

Have friends with similar taste in books? Lend each other your faves! It’s a great way to get more out of them and save money on buying new ones.

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I hope these tips helped give you some new options for book shopping. Have any other go-to stores? Let us know in a comment below!