I never really started to enjoy reading as a hobby until I was a young adult.  I had different authors and I had to go out and buy their newest books.  I also put a lot of money into my reading hobby.  After I had the kids and became a stay at home mom, there really was not enough money for me to give to my reading hobby, so I had to look for other ways to enjoy reading because I was not willing to give the hobby up.

The Local Library

One of the best discoveries of my life was finding my local library.  They have a lot of the magazines I love to read and I can just go in there and read them for free.  They also get my favorite authors newest books.  If they don’t have a book I want, I usually just ask them to order it and I have never been turned down.  I have even used interlibrary loan to find books that I wanted to read.  The library also has books that my kids love to read. They also have programs for the kids throughout the year that are free. My library also sells used books that are donated to the library.  I have found several that I love on those shelves.  They charge $0.10 for paperbacks and $0.25 for hardbacks and you get a free book after you buy 10.  I think that is a pretty good deal.  So, the library is probably my best source for feeding my reading hobby.

Sharing Books with Friends

I have lots of friends who love to read and love to share their books.  So, we exchange books we have read and save money that way.  When I worked in an office, we all brought in several books we were finished reading and then made a mini library that we could check each others library books out.  Some people worry that they will never get their books back this way, but I have never had a problem with it and have saved lots of money by sharing books with friends.

Book Exchanges

There are lots of book exchange clubs out there.  One of the best known ones on the web is the PaperBackSwap.  This service allows readers to swap books for almost free.  You list the books you want to sell and get credits to get free books yourself.  You do have to pay postage, so it is not free, but the cost is greatly reduced.  They have millions of books to choose from, so why not check it out and see if they have something you would like.

Reviewing Books Online

If you have a blog, there are lots of opportunities to review books.  Most of the time, you are sent a book to read and then have a set time to complete it.  Then you just write a review on your blog. Some companies do pay reviewers, but most just give you the book for free.  At Busy Mommy Media, you can review books and get them for free. There are certain guidelines, so make sure you know what you are signing up for.

Reading Books Online

There are lots of websites online that provide entire books for you to read.  I have found a lot of classic books this way.  It is kind of different reading them online and you might have to get used to that, but for me it has been a great way to read some of the classics.  Some websites that have free books are Classic Reader and Full Books.  Here’s a whole list of some more sites that might interest you.

So as you can see, you really don’t have to spend much money on the hobby of reading.  There are so many ways to get books for free or lots cheaper.  So, next time instead of buying a new book think about some of the more frugal ways to get books.  And, yes, reading can be frugal.