Getting Books in Their Hands . . . Affordably

In our house, there are books in every room.

Here is a picture of our playroom. It is stocked with puzzles, various toys, and lots of books.

In places where we don’t have room for a bookcase, we use cloth bins.

We have several dozen books that are readily available no matter what room we may be in. This is important because it makes reading something we can do for fun. If you keep all the books in your child’s room they might associate story time with bedtime and it can limit the amount of reading you actually do.

So, how can you get all these books and not break the bank?

The Library

The public library is a great resource. We regularly visit a few different library branches from two different systems to get all the books we want. The best part of all is that it is free. Most libraries have even eliminated late fines.

Book Outlet

Book Outlet is an incredible resource as it features discounted books at “read-iculously low prices.” They regularly have sales on top of their already low prices. They have picture books, chapter books, teaching resources, and more. You will even find books for yourself here. You might even be lucky enough to have a store nearby. If not, shipping is a snap too.

Used Book Stores, Thrift Shops, and Flea Markets

Used book stores can be great place to find educational books, picture books, and non-fiction. I love visiting thrift stores and flea markets because I have sometimes found some incredible books that I likely would not have acquired any other way.

Dollar Stores

I always browse through the book section at the dollar store. More often than not, I leave disappointed. But every now and then, I come away with a great book at an amazing low price. It’s worth the hunt.

Build Your Collection

We have so many book at our house that we don’t have them all out at any given time. Every two months, I cycle the books we have and freshen up the bookshelves and bins. This means that my son can always find something entertaining to read. When we put books he loves away for a little while, he loves getting reunited with them later. In the meantime, he discovers need books or ones that he might not have payed too much attention to before.

Happy Reading!