Hey friends! To continue with our week of all things book-related here on Finding Delight, I’ve got a guest post by fellow blogger and book-lover, Cassie…

Books are an amazing, enlightening and empowering force, one that has the possibility to change the world or at least the perspective of their readers. I can’t recommend enough that everyone should be indulging in the secrets of their pages as much as possible.

However, a stark truth that has to be faced is books are often expensive. New and popular releases regularly come with a hefty price tag. Avid readers often find themselves gazing longingly at titles they just can’t afford. These five tips are all great ways to save money when buying books, thus opening you up to a whole range of exciting new titles to explore.

Avoid the Hardback

While hardbacks are a beautiful and tempting product for any book lover—who doesn’t crave their shiny covers and satisfying weightiness when you read them—they are also by far the priciest. In fact, they’re often double the price of their paperback counterparts and can be over ten times more expensive than the e-book version.

While treasuring those beautiful books might seem like an important pursuit, if you remind yourself that you can indulge in numerous alternative literary delights for the same cost, then it will soon become easy to put them back on the shelf and save your pennies! Some people might argue that e-books are just as expensive since you have to add the initial cost of an e-reader, but there are numerous apps that let you download the releases directly onto phones, tablets or laptops that you already own.

Take Advantage of Project Gutenberg

There are so many classic novels that have been produced by influential and pioneering authors all throughout history. Each one of these pieces of literature is a must-read for any bookworm’s list. What’s even better is a large amount of these works can be found and read for absolutely free.

Project Gutenberg is an online resource founded in 1971 to help support the distribution of e-books. It provides readers with a staggering collection of works whose copyrights have expired, books that are in the public domain. The law around copyright varies, but in general, most books find themselves in the public domain so many years after their original author has died. The site currently holds over 50,000 titles, and many of these are famed classics—think Jane Austen, H.G. Wells, Lewis Carroll and hundreds of other timeless authors. 

Use a Virtual Private Network

The internet does wonders for helping us spend less on books. However, what many users fail to realize is the internet is not created equal. Book distribution websites and services often restrict their catalogs depending on region via a process called geo-blocking. In short, this works by identifying the IP address on your Kindle device or computer and only allowing you to view or purchase books available in your region. This means you can often miss out on great titles and deals just because you’re based in a certain country.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a handy piece of software that enables users to choose which country their server appears to be browsing from. The Kindle catalog in particular is notorious for setting up deals based on location, so by installing a VPN you can check that you aren’t missing out on great savings elsewhere. The software also provides an added layer of security to protect your credit card details when buying online. Secure Thoughts is a leading review site if you want to find out more information.

Browse the Discount Sites

As well as Kindle deals, there are many other dedicated sites that can be found online that specialize in providing discounted versions of your favorite novels. Students are probably already familiar with Half.com, as many use it to cut the cost of textbooks, but it’s also a wonderful resource for anyone looking to find great deals on favorite books. 

Powered by eBay, it’s run on the same concept as the main site but specifically caters to book lovers. Sellers can use the platform to clear out secondhand copies of books they’ve read, making it the perfect way to find discounts. As users have to compete to attract buyers to their products, you can often find significant savings if you’re willing to dig deep enough. As most books are secondhand, it’s also worth keeping an eye out for quality.

This trick is one that can be used when buying paperbacks from Amazon, as often titles can be found secondhand from individual sellers for a fraction of the bookshop price. These deals often come up when you do a search, so be sure to check them out before committing to a purchase!

Participate in a Book Swap

Last but not least, and my personal favorite way to save money on books, is the classic book swap. The concept is simple: you can pick up a new (to you) book, and all you have to do is leave another one in exchange. It’s a common practice in hostels, as travelers aren’t able to cart around large quantities of reading material, but it’s also becoming a regular occurrence in neighborhoods.

In England, many public telephone boxes—which are now largely seen as redundant —have been transformed into mini book swap libraries where passers-by can browse, borrow and donate books in return. It’s free of charge and a great way to drum up interest in literature and even engagement in your local community. If you don’t have a handy resource like this available near you, then you can get together with fellow book lovers from your friend circle, each bring a few unwanted titles and have your own mini swap session! 

Money should never be a reason for not getting your fill of reading. There are always new and innovative solutions to your financial problems when it comes to books. These are just five of my most-used tactics, but if you have any more tips and tricks, then I’d love to hear your ideas! Be sure to leave a comment below.

About the Author: Cassie is an entertainment and technology blogger for Culture Coverage. She’s been an avid reader all her life and loves that the internet has made it easier than ever to access the greatest stories out there.

(Photo by Galina Kochergina.)

P.S. Now that you can afford books, here’s how to make time for them!