The Buckit Blog

Be Inspired to Explore, Discover and Appreciate all the World has to offer.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Home
  • About
    • Children in Nature
  • From The Blog
  • Buckit List & Map
    • Beaches
  • Resources
    • Resource Blog Posts
    • The Buckit Book Club
      • Books on a Budget
    • For Teachers
    • Activities
    • Prescription for Health
    • Play Outside
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Birthday Parties
    • Gift Ideas and Gear
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Books on a Budget

Books on a Budget

Tips for Bargain Book Shopping

Amazon

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE a great deal, I almost never pay full price for anything and that I’m obsessed with Amazon! My favorite way to buy books on Amazon is to buy used. With newly released books, it is often hard to find a cheaper price than what is already offered on Amazon prime, but with older books I can almost always find them for $.01. Yes, you read that right…ONE CENT! The only catch is that you have to pay $3.99 for media mail shipping which brings the total to $4.00. I always order books in “like new” or “very good” condition and have never had any arrive in poor quality. This is a great option for adding to your personal library. When buying as a gift, I always buy new though. Here’s how to buy books on Amazon for $4.00:

Goodwill

Are you normally a Goodwill shopper? If not, you should definitely check out their book section if nothing else. Each store prices their items differently, but ours prices children’s books from $.25 to $1.00 usually. AND, our local stores do several sales a year where the entire store is 50% off! I get a babysitter and set aside some time to sift through the book section and go home with no less than 10-20 books at a time. You do need to flip through the pages to ensure there is no damage, or they aren’t too worn for your liking as Goodwill takes just about anything and just puts the items out. If used books skeeve you out, think of  it like the library. All of the books in a library are “used.” Even so, I do try to wipe down hard cover and board books with a gentle cleaner before putting them on the bookshelf.

Consignment Stores/Sales

Where we live, we have a children’s consignment store called Once Upon a Child. I think most towns have something similar even if the store goes by a different name. These stores take ONLY children’s items, and they only take items in good condition. This will save you some time as you are going through the book selection because you shouldn’t have to worry about books with writing in them, ripped out pages, etc. Prices may be slightly higher than Goodwill, in the $.50-$3.00 range, but still significantly cheaper than buying new.  Also consider braving the crowds at children’s consignment sales. These functions are usually biannual, and are set up only for a few days in a local school. Sellers price their own items though, so you never know what kind of deal you will be getting.

Yard Sales

Last but not least, the bargain shopper’s holy grail, YARD SALES! Obviously this is a seasonal thing, so from Spring until Fall, keep your eye out for advertisements on Craigslist, in the newspaper, and on all the electric poles on street corners. This is where you will find the absolute best deals and on top of that, you can barter a bit to get the price down. Don’t be afraid to make an offer, especially when buying in quantity. People just want to get this stuff out of their house so they are almost always willing to make a deal to see it gone.

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.

Featured

Fairmount Park- Centennial Arboretum

Fairmount Park- Centennial Arboretum

May 29, 2021 By Becca Leave a Comment

What kind of mental picture do you get when you think of Philadelphia? Big cities are such a juxtaposition between beauty and filth in my personal opinion. Everywhere you look there are piles of trash, graffiti, and dilapidated buildings. Philly has more than its' fair share of those things BUT it … [Read More...]

Recent Posts

  • Fairmount Park- Centennial Arboretum
  • Kent County Recreation Center Trail
  • Blair’s Pond
  • The Corona Challenge
  • Academy of Natural Sciences

Favorites

  • Delaware Children in Nature
  • Delaware Nature Society
  • EcoDelaware

Archives

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.

Let’s Get Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Sponsor

About Me

I am a farmer's wife and working mom of two spirited boys. Being in nature is our happy place. The Bucket chronicles our adventures on the Delmarva peninsula and beyond. We love to safely explore, touch and learn while finding and appreciating beauty in everything. Read More…

Load More...
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved · WordPress Design built on Genesis Framework · Customized by Designs by Virtual Bren