Money Saving Wednesday…Finding Free or Cheap Books
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Today I have been thinking a lot about education. We have had quite a spirited discussion on the yahoo group about the new health care and it reminded me just how important it is to become well educated. It is my goal to educate you to the dangers that are or may be around the corner and giving you the skills to deal with them. I have tried to do that through our General Store, our Money Saving Wednesdays, our Friday tips and now helping you to see what others are doing to earn extra money so you can support them or get inspired.
Today I want to talk abut ways to get books inexpensively or for free. I discovered some new apps which are, unfortunately, only on the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi right now. You can purchase these books for 99 cents. Check them out at: http://appible.com/a/our-apps/palm-webos/ They currently have 56 titles available. Many of these are collections so you actually receive more than one book and some of the books in the collections are not published individually. Prices for collection range from $1.50-$3.50.
One example of a collection is called the Romance Classics Collection and includes: Little Women, Anna Karenina, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations, A Room With A View, Wives and Daughters, & The Scarlet Letter . This collection sells for only $3.00 or 27 cents a book!
Included in their selections are many of the books our children are required to read in junior high and high school. I always tried to read what my kids were reading so I would know what was being required of them.
Books in this format are great for those times when you are waiting for soccer or ballet practice to end. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear they are offering these on other platforms.
We have talked in the past about swap meets and they are a great way to get “new” books for free. Families with children slightly older than yours will probably have the books your kids need for school and will be happy to swap them for some newer titles. If they don’t want to swap then maybe you can borrow but please be prompt about returning them or they won’t be anxious to loan next time.
We often forget about the library. Most small libraries have an agreement with a larger library and they lend each other books. You have to “order” these but it usually only takes a few days for them to come in. Libraries also often have yearly book sales at which time they clear out older,damaged books and books which are not being checked out on a regular basis. You can often pick up some really great books that you remember from your own childhood but have been republished with more up to date artwork. I’d much rather have the older editions.
For all of you bloggers/book club members, publishers will often send you a free copy of a book if you review it on your blog. Most publishers state their review copy policy right on their website and many are anxious to share with those who will promote the book through a review. Please follow through and review the book if you are making this type of request. Many book companies will also send copies of books to be used at school fund raisers. The request should be submitted on school letterhead.
PaperBackSwap is another resources for getting books free! You do have to pay postage to swap books. You start out by adding 10 books to their system. Once you’d added your 10 books, you’ll receive credits to spend on books you want. They do have a wish list so you don’t have to look through all the listings if you already know which books you are looking for. Remember you will have to pay the cost of shipping the books you are offering to those “purchasing”.
Finally check for promotion codes on line from book stores. There are many book sellers on line. Find a book you want to purchase and then look for a promotion by searching on the store name/promotion code.
Keep reading. The education that comes from reading is fundamental to making wise choices and securing your future.
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Don’t forget thrift stores, used book stores (online, too), and yard sales. All are great book resources. I guess I’m old fashioned, but I rather have the real thing stuffed in my purse than the electronic version any day.
I found it interesting, upon re-reading Marvin J. Ashton’s One for the Money recently, that he listed education as a form of “storage”–the resource that you can draw upon for income later! I just love that idea. He encourages us to continue to gain skills and trades that can be useful later.