#BooksOnABudget: How I Fit Books Into My Obnoxiously Strict Budget
By: Devyn Gaydos
Tags: Books On A Budget, Bookish Thoughts, Book Blogging, Debt

I have a ridiculously strict budget for a number of reasons.

I’ve got $16,000 in credit card debt and $30,000 in student loan debt and for whatever reason they all want their money back. I have previously had issues with emotional shopping, which is when you have a bad day and you buy a bunch of things that you totally don’t need and often don’t even really want that bad. I’m getting married this year and weddings cost a lot of money if you don’t have people doing stuff for free. (We do not.)

Ever since I got overwhelmed with credit card debt and finally decided to take my finances seriously, I’ve been strict with my budget. After the payments I send to my debt, my utilities and housing, and my savings, I am left with between $300 and $400 every month. I then have to buy food and I try to keep that to $50 to $60 a week which leaves me with about $100 for extra fun things. Oftentimes that is spent on: dog food or toys, nights out with friends, birthday gifts, travel expenses, gas, etc.

That leaves me with a monthly budget for books of: like $10.

Now, of course, there are some months where I have a little bit extra and can buy myself a shiny new book or two, but for the most part I have very little to spend on books. Yet I read ALL THE TIME. Here’s how I do it:

THE GOSH DARN LIBRARY

If you are on a budget and you don’t know how you can get books, allow me to introduce you to your local library. Most cities and towns have them and oftentimes they are filled with a wonderful selections or backlist books and new releases. (There are of course libraries all across the US that are dealing with budget crises that make keeping the stacks stocked more difficult, but give them a shot anyways and donate if you have spare cash!) Thanks to my local library I am literally never without a book to read, not to mention the fact that they also host free movie nights, a book club, they lend out movies and tv shows, they provide literacy programs and business planning help…I could go on. The only downside is that there is often a wait for well-received and popular books, but you know what, there are thousands of books out there. Get in line, wait your turn, and re-spark the conversation about a good book when you get your mitts on it.

Used Bookstores (Online and In Store)

Love a used bookstore. Books, when well cared for, can have a life long past the one on your shelf. I recommend finding a used bookstore in your area if you can, but if you can’t, there are tons of online options. My particular favorite is ThriftBooks because the selection and prices are both fantastic. AbeBooks is also a great option! If your library has a sale at any point (a lot of them do a yearly one, so check with staff at your local branch), that’s also an excellent place to go.

Book Swaps

If you have a group of pals who all have too many books (Is there such a thing? There is when you have a square footage limit at your home), put together a book swap! Have everyone bring 10–15 books that they no longer need on their shelves and get together at someone’s house and swap away! This is a great way to get some books that may be out of your genre comfort zone without spending a dime. If you have leftover books, donate them to the local library, local shelters, or to a Little Free Library in your neighborhood.

Little Free Libraries

Look at that segue. If you don’t know about the Little Free Library phenomenon, you can get the history here. They’re a great place to swap, drop off, and pick up totally free books in your neighborhood. In my neck of the woods, there are two just on my dog walking route which is just amazing, so you might have one near you too! You can see a map of all of them here and if there isn’t one near you, maybe you and your local book club could start one up and spread the free book love!

Being a book fan can get way too expensive for most of our budgets. That’s why it’s necessary to keep track of what you’re spending and put in a few minutes of research to see how you can enjoy the books that are out there without blowing your budget!