Where I Find Cheap Books

I’m library challenged. No matter what I do–write due dates on my calendar, set alarms on my phone, hang lists on the fridge–I am unable to return books on time. Many years ago, I gave up and started buying books instead. Buying can get pricy. So, I learned to find cheap books.

While I keep an eye out for authors I enjoy, I mainly shop to enrich Peck’s homeschool. Having a vague notion of what he’ll be studying over the next few years aids my search. I also need to know which series he reads. My organized SIL Curls keeps a list of titles she owns in her purse, making it easy to identify which book in a series she needs. I’m not that with it, but keep thinking I should start a list on my phone. 😛

Library Sales

Don’t laugh! Yes, I go to libraries to buy books, instead of borrowing. I’m going to a library sale today. Seeing table after table of cheap books fills me with glee. Along with fiction books, I’ve found Abeka readers, social studies workbooks, and anthologies.

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are not my favorite places. The cramped and cluttered spaces give me the heebie-jeebies, but I have found many a treasure in those disorganized piles. Classic novels often wind up in thrift stores. Parents buy them for their child’s school work and, then, pass them on to their local second-hand shop when the child finishes them. These are great places to find the books on your student’s assigned reading list.

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Clearance

Anytime I’m in a big box bookstore, I check the clearance table. Hidden gems await under the big 50% off sign.

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Discount Stores

Stores like Ollies, Marshalls, and, even, the Dollar Store have book sections. Take the time to peruse those departments. I find condensed classics or kid-friendly versions of popular books. Condensed classics come in handy when introducing your elementary child to literary authors like Shakespeare and Dickens.

Antique Shops

You read that right. I have found wonderful children’s anthologies in antique stores. One such book listed fables and stories by country. It blended perfectly with our study of world geography.

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Basically anywhere I go, I look for books. They can be found in the most unexpected places. Once, I discovered a brand new Magic Treehouse book on a shelf by itself in a discount store. There were no other books to be found in the entire shop! I went home with a treasure that day because I went hunting for one. Cheap books are just about everywhere–keep your eyes peeled, and you will find them.