Some Places That I Check Out For Good Book Deals
1. Costco
I have found tons of books at a much cheaper price at Costco than in bookstores (I found Rick Riordan’s latest installment in the Kane Chronicles for 9 or 12 bucks!). Costco also has great prices for boxsets… so if you’ve been wanting to buy all three Hunger Games books, or the A Song of Ice and Fire series, or whatever else is currently popular as a boxset, you might want to go here!
2. Walmart (I’m guessing Target too, but I don’t have one here)
I don’t know how it is in the United States, but in Canada most Walmarts have great discounted prices on usually expensive novels. Sometimes, if the store is organized and large, there is a huge selection of new and older novels. I can’t even begin to count how many books I’ve bought at a Walmart, let alone say how much I’ve saved!
3. Your local bookstore
I know books can be expensive, trust me. So, what do I do when I do get a chance to go to a bookstore (usually Chapters or Indigo, again in Canada)? I go directly to the “for sale” section. They usually have wicked deals. I once found Wither for $4.99! Sure, you might have to scour the section a bit, but it’s worth it if you want a good price!
Also, make sure that you’re up to date with any sales going on at your local bookstore. Sometimes the Chapters or Indigo bookstores here have great sales. For example, the stores sometimes do a “buy 3, get 1 free” sale, or a “buy 3 for 10 bucks” sale (on classic novels usually, that’s how I attained nearly all of the Jane Austen novels) during the summer.
If your book store has a discount card and you buy a lot of books, get one! Even if it is just a points card, anything that helps you save money in the long run is worth it!
4. Secondhand store
I can never emphasize enough how much I love secondhand store book shopping. At 50 cents (lowest) to $1-2 (highest) per book, what’s not to love? Sure, you’ll have to hunt for the books, but I won’t lie: the hunt is the best part because of the adrenaline you get when you find a great book you’ve been looking for.
5. The internet
I know, the whole shipping and handling thing is annoying and can be expensive, but Amazon and Chapters/Indigo (same company) have great deals online. If you’re a plum or rewards member with Chapters/Indigo, you get discounts added to the already discounted price. The deliveries are usually quick.
Both sites have a limit for free delivery: Chapters/Indigo is anything over $25 after gift certificates/taxes/promotions, while Amazon has the same deal.
Also, make sure you’re on the mailing list so you can get information on any online or in-store promotions (of course, in-store would apply to Barnes and Noble shoppers rather than Amazon shoppers).
I’m always looking for book deals and though I know there are a lot of other sites that offer cheaper books, I don’t really like to stray from what I know. At the end of the day, it’s my visa that gets used to pay, so I like to be careful. With that said, always make sure you know where you’re buying from online and be wary of sites that seem too good to be true before giving out any information.
Happy reading!
