Cailin Riley Books

Look, I’m all for supporting artists and authors, whether that means buying a book new or used.

That said, there’s something special about giving a used book a new, loving home. With used books, you sometimes find little surprises such as notes written in the margins or a fun bookmark left forgotten within the pages. Used books are also almost always cheaper than a new edition, meaning you can load up on more at a time. Lastly, you are helping to reuse books, which reduces paper production and benefits the environment. While you might not always be able to buy used, it can be a great option if you’re eco-conscious.

Here are XX ways to find and buy used books:

Check out local shops and bookstores that sell used books at affordable prices.

In my town, we have a great, long-standing, independently owned bookstore that sells both new and used books. Many shops like this offer a credit program, where you can trade in your unwanted books for store credit to use on new ones. You can also visit shops like Goodwill and the Salvation Army, which typically have used books for sale at a lower cost.

Consider book subscriptions that offer used books.

I used to be a big book box subscriber, which was fun at the time. However, many of today’s book subscriptions are fairly costly, even if you only get a book or two a month. That’s why I was excited recently to find out about Used Books Monthly, a used book subscription service. The site offers several subscriptions ranging from one used book a month to four books of a genre of your choice. They even offer packages that include tea blends!

Host or find a book swap.

If you search around, you might find groups or organizations in your town that host annual book swaps or sales. For example, our local library hosts an annual sale for all the extra book donations they get that they can’t find a home for. The books are cheap and it’s a fun community event that lots of folks attend. You can also do this on a smaller scale with other friends who like to read; offer to share your books with others and you’ll be surprised by how many people reciprocate!

Find Little Free Libraries around town.

If you’re not already a big fan, now’s the time to start hitting up your local Little Free Libraries! The Little Free Library is a community-driven effort that allows individuals or organizations to build and register a public book box, also known as a “library,” on the online site. These book boxes provide a place for anyone passing by to pick up a new book to read for free or drop off books for others to enjoy. I helped register a Little Free Library on campus for the university where I worked, and it was a joy to see people stopping by to check out the books. You can find a personalized map of Little Libraries in your area here.

Have you found any other clever ways to find used books for cheap or free? Please share!