Penny’s Tips Volume 138

Hi everyone! I have decided to give you a money saving tip once a month and let motor mouth Rosie take turns with Elvira and Friday on the other Tuesdays. I don’t like the term penny pinching for obvious reasons so I will stick with money saving.

  Mom saves a lot of money by not buying new books. Look at all these new books she just finished reading from the library. Most books don’t need to be owned so why not borrow them from the library? And most libraries offer a service of getting you books from other libraries in the area if they don’t carry it. You can also do this with dvd’s. Mom goes into Barnes and Noble and makes a list of new titles then goes home and orders them from the library.

If you have a Kindle, you can go online to Amazon to search for free titles each week. Most of those are fiction though and mom mainly reads memoirs, so she hasn’t found a lot that way, but if you like the cozy mysteries then you’re in luck.

Many libraries have book sales where you can get books at very low prices. And if you really want a book and can’t find it in any of these ways, try Thrift Books. They sell used books and when you spend $15 shipping is free. The trouble with Amazon and eBay for used books is the cost of shipping per book because Prime doesn’t work with the used books.

And if you have a blog or a place to write reviews, you could sign up at NetGalley to review books for free. Most are Kindle or e-versions.

If I missed any other ways to get free or cheap books let me know.

We are joining Comedy Plus’ Happy Tuesday Blog Hop

64 comments

  1. Good tip, Penny! Although I really prefer printed books, I finally caved and started reading on Kindle. It does save money, and space. XO

    1. Thank you. 🙂 I prefer printed ones too, but when desperate I will go for the Kindle. XO

  2. Our library has a used bookstore. And the year before covid hit in 2020, I had bought 10 books and put them in reserve just because they were so inexpensive. Boy in 2020 did they come in handy when the library was shut down for months. I checked out books and movies all the time. Thanks for sharing the information about going to a bookstore to look for new titles though.

  3. Penny, very valuable information here you gave us. Mom reads like there’s no tomorrow so she goes through many many many books.

  4. Those are great tips Penny!!
    Mum used to work in a thrift store and got lots of books there 😉
    She also uses Bookbub for her ereader.
    Mum reads and I curl up on her lap.
    It’s a win win 😉
    Purrs, Julie

  5. https://www.abebooks.com/ is where I’ve scored many book titles that aren’t mainstream, such as those published in the UK, but not in USA.
    Will only purchase a book if it’s the only way I can get it, otherwise the library is the place for me! For audiobooks and ebooks, and books on CD or actual real-life books too.

  6. Wonderful tips on saving money. You’re so smart.

    Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday, Ellen. Scritches to all the kitties. xo ♥

  7. This is a fantastic tip, Penny! As someone who loves to read, I need to make better use of my local library. I used it a ton as a kid, but admit that as I’ve gotten older I kind of forget about how useful the library is. Purrs, and happy reading!

  8. Thanks for the tips, Penny!
    I wish the library had a delivery service, as we live far away from the ones here. Also the free Kindle books, are usually not what I read. I read lots of biography and memoirs, too.
    Interesting about the Netgally. I always wondered about that.
    Wishing you a very Happy New Year! 🙂

  9. Penny I 100% agree with you on the ‘pinching’. I really dislike being pinched…everyone who knows me purrsonally knows that. And they know if they pinch me they will 100% get punched. somewhere. Pinching brings out the beastie in me
    I like my Kindle and our Library has a service called LIBBY. If you have a library card you may checkout books having them sent to your Kindle or iPad.
    Hugs Cecilia

  10. Mee-yow NO ‘Penny Pinchin’ alloud here!! Penny iss our frend!
    $Money$ Savin soundss MUCH better fore sure Penny.
    Yore tipss today are rite on! BellaSita an Autny Sheila go to Mission Store an to Giant Tiger that have soft cover bookss on sale!
    An Aunty Mary-Ellen an BellaSita Mum xchange bookss two!
    **nose rubss** BellaDharma an ((hugss)) BellaSita Mum

  11. Charlee: “Hey look! It’s Chandler, Chandler Bing!”
    Chaplin: “I thought he was still in Yemen.”
    Charlee: “You could write a book even if you were in Yemen, I guess.”
    Chaplin: “Maybe.”
    Charlee: “As for the Kindle books, our Dada is on a list where he gets emails of reduced-price or free Kindle books and he says you are correct about the cozy mysteries. They show up there ALL THE TIME.”
    Chaplin: “So. Many. Cozy. Mysteries.”
    Charlee: “Yeah, that’s exactly how Dada said it! I think that means he’s not really into them …”

  12. Good tips! If you can download books, lots of libraries have services like Hoopla. They have ebooks and audio versions.
    xxoo
    Maggie

  13. Great tips, Penny. Granny was a member of the library almost all her live, she also bought some for almost nothing. We also have second hand shops in our environment where they sell them for cheap😸Double Pawkisses for a Happy Wednesday to all of you🐾😽💞

  14. I use the library a lot too, for books, DVDs, and music CDs. Others have already mentioned thrift stores and Abe Books. If you have Amazon Prime and a Kindle, sign up for Prime Reads. Each month you’ll get an email and get to pick a free (or sometimes two) book.

    1. I never thought of cd’s-great idea. I didn’t know that about prime thank you. XO

  15. Hey, my husband signed up for Amazon Prime. I wonder if Prime Reads is included. Hmmm… Thanks Penny! But be nice to your family. ~wags finger~ I know you are, in reality. You just want an edginess to your posts. lol

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