10+ Inexpensive Ways to Find Great Books Besides the Library

We love public libraries, but that's not the only way to stock your shelves (and devices) with high-quality reading material. Here are my favorite places to buy great inexpensive books.

10+ Inexpensive Ways to Find Great Books Besides the Library
Photo by Nick Fewings / Unsplash

Is there anything more cozy than curling up with a book on a quiet afternoon? Reading is one of my favorite ways to relax, and as a relatively fast reader I can easily burn through 3-5 books a week. At this pace, I would be spending an absolute fortune if I paid for every book out of pocket.

Public libraries are an amazing resource for so many reasons, but going to the local library isn't always feasible or convenient. Reading is a hobby we can do in the cracks and crevices of our days, but if I had to lug around a library book in order to do it, I'd hardly ever read.

Thankfully there are so many free and inexpensive sources for digital books and audiobooks, many of which can be accessed with or without a library card – and without regular trips to your local library.

Libby

These days, thousands of public libraries offer access to Libby, an app where you can borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free. Depending on the digital library your local library is associated with (ours is connected to the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium), the amount and types of books that you have access to may vary, and there can be extensive wait times for popular titles.

That said, Libby is an amazing free resource. I can browse through thousands of high quality books and audiobooks without ever leaving my home, and if I realize the book I borrowed was a dud, I can return it immediately and look for something different. A good portion of Libby ebooks can be sent to Kindle, and I love to load mine up with a variety titles before a trip so I'm never without something interesting to read at the beach or pool.

There are several other things I really love about Libby:

  1. Borrowed books that are automatically returned when they're due – no late fees.
  2. The ability to place holds on high-demand titles, and getting a notification when it's my turn to borrow, which is super convenient.
  3. Being able to easily return high-demand titles as soon as I'm done with them (because I'm always hopeful that others will do the same).
  4. Tags identifying the books I've already read – because sometimes I forget. 🤣
  5. The convenience of being able to borrow books or audiobooks at any time, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

As much as I love Libby, it does have limitations, the biggest of which is that it lacks an algorithm that recommends similar titles and authors. Unless I know exactly what I'm looking for, it's not always easy to find books I'll love on Libby. Another drawback is that some titles won't ever make it to my digital library. That's why a couple of times a year I'll pay for a month or two of *Kindle Unlimited.

Kindle Unlimited

A Kindle Unlimited subscription runs around $12/month, unless you are eligible for a free trial or special pricing. I personally don't pay for it year-round, but every so often I'll pay for a month or two and catch up on the authors and titles I can't get on Libby.

One of my favorite –and least favorite– things about Kindle Unlimited is the algorithm that recommends similar reads. On the plus side, I've discovered authors and series that I absolutely love, that I wouldn't have been able to find anywhere else. But the downside is that if I read too many books from the same genre in a row, that's the only type of book that gets recommended.

The other thing I love about Kindle Unlimited is that I can see all of the Amazon reviews for each title – something that I really miss when I'm looking for books on Libby.

With Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow up to 10 titles at a time from the Kindle Unlimited library. There are many indie authors who only publish through Amazon, and Kindle Unlimited is a great way to get access to a ton of new content for less than the price of 1-2 ebooks a month.

Everand

Everand (formerly Scribd) is a subscription service that gives you access to thousands of books, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts, and even sheet music for ~$12/month. There are limits on how many popular titles you can read over the course of one billing cycle, but the website isn't super clear on the specifics.

It's been quite awhile since I subscribed to Scribd/Everand, but they do offer a free 30-day trial so you can test it out risk-free. For those who avoid the Amazon ecosystem or just want another option, Everand is a budget-friendly alternative.

Audible

*Audible Plus is another Amazon subscription service that gives you access to a library of audiobooks and Audible Originals, and exclusive podcasts for ~$8/month. Audible Premium Plus is nearly double the price, but includes a monthly credit for audiobooks that you can keep even after your subscription expires.

Good audiobooks can be expensive (the Harry Potter audiobooks retail for $30 each!) so if you're looking to fill your Audible library with these titles, an Audible Premium Plus membership cuts the price per book in half, which certainly makes sense. (If you're going to do this, I would consider choosing an annual subscription, as that brings the price even lower and gives you access to all 12 credits at once).

But there's another way to save on Audible books that I think is even better.

How to Save Even More on Audible Audiobooks

One of my kids listens to audiobooks constantly on Libby, but we don't allow phones in the bedroom at night, so at bedtime she'll play an audiobook from our family Audible library on the Amazon Echo in her room.

Fortunately, I've found an even cheaper way to purchase audiobooks on Audible – buying discounted books and daily deals that are only open to Audible subscribers.

To do this, I'll subscribe to a month of Audible 1-3 times throughout the year, and then during that month I'll scan through the titles that are 50-80% off and purchase any we might like. December has been an especially great month for finding deals.

Using this trick has allowed me to stock our library with C.S. Lewis, the Anne of Green Gables series, the Hobbit, all of Jane Austen, and more on sale for $5 or less, and then I use the subscription credit on a spendy full-price book for our collection. Using this method, I've bought several books that I read yearly (like this one) so that I can listen to them in the kitchen while I'm chopping vegetables or making dinner.

It's nice to know that we have a stocked library of audiobooks that can be accessed at any time from our Alexa devices or the Audible App.

Spotify

I don't currently use Spotifiy, but if you're already paying $20/month for the Premium Family plan, you should know that the plan manager gets free access to 15 hours of audiobook listening per month. Depending on the titles, this can give you "free" access to 2-3 books per month, which is really nice!

a bunch of books that are sitting on a table
Photo by Nellie Adamyan / Unsplash

But Sometimes I Need the Hard Copy

Digital books and audiobooks are great, but sometimes I need a hard copy. For fiction that I'll only read once or twice, I actually prefer a digital copy because it's portable and doesn't take up much space, but for nonfiction reads I almost always want a book I can hold in my hands.

When that happens, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for buying hard copies on the cheap.

How I Buy Hardcover and Paperback Books at a Huge Discount

Important note: if there is an author you like, go ahead and pre-order their books at the market rate. Pre-ordering books tells publishers that a book is in-demand and can impact the amount and rate of distribution. If you want to help an author, pre-order their book!

New books can be pricy and aside from the occasional deals on Amazon and Target, sometimes you just have pay full price, which is totally fine. But for books that have been out for awhile, I've found a few reliable places to get great quality books for $4-5 each.

eBay

eBay is my favorite place to find pre-owned books for super cheap. Several major thrift store chains seem to have shifted most of their book sales to eBay, usually at highly discounted rates. One of my go-to eBay sellers is SecondSale, and I love to take advantage of their Buy 3 get 1 Free sales, which allow me to get great quality titles shipped for around $4/each.

My last book order from eBay, which came to a total of $17.57 shipped.

When I'm looking for used books on eBay, I've found it best to check out SecondSale, Goodwill, and other "charity" sellers, as they offer the best deals. Be sure to look at the condition – Like-New and Good are preferable to Acceptable, which can indicate excessive notes, highlighting, and significant wear and tear.

Buying gently used books on eBay has allowed me to stock my shelves with titles (especially hardcover versions) that just wouldn't fit in the budget at full retail. As a bonus, buying used books gives them a second life and –if you're buying from a charitable organization– support a worthy cause.

Thriftbooks.com

While I tend to use eBay because it's familiar, Thriftbooks.com is another great way to score gently used pre-owned books. I personally haven't ordered directly through the Thriftbooks site, but I have a friend who does so regularly and recommends it. I have ordered from Thriftbooks storefront on eBay a few times with great results.

Local Book Sources Besides the Library

While there are nearly endless places to find books online, some of the best deals can be found locally. Here are a few of my favorite offline sources other than the library for free or cheap books:

  • Thrift stores
  • Yard sales
  • Used bookstores
  • Buy-nothing groups
  • Bookstore discount racks
  • Little free libraries
  • Library fundraisers
  • Borrowing or trading with family and friends

Reading Makes Life Better

If I have downtime, you'll find me reading. Books can teach us, take us on adventures, and give us perspective that we would otherwise never have. Filling our shelves and devices with high-quality reading material is a priority for me – I'm super thankful to have so many budget-friendly ways to make that happen.

If you have any other suggestions for finding free or cheap books (besides the library) please add your tips in the comments! Thanks.


Jamie Siebens is a writer, editor, and administrative genius with a knack for getting things done. She lives in Northwest Wisconsin with her husband, teen daughters, and a quirky rescue pup named Bentley. She writes about perspective, personal growth, and intentional living at www.jamiesiebens.com

*Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps me to keep the lights on here (so to speak) and continue creating free content. Thanks for your support!