Smash Your Reading Goals on a Budget!

January has long had the reputation of stretching on and on. December’s early payday, coupled with the overspending throughout the Christmas period can make for some very tough times in the opening weeks of the new year, which is why any financial advice particularly valuable.

If one your goals for 2019 is to read more books, then you will definitely need to set a budget aside for it. As a book blogger, I can testify that books are not cheap. But acquiring so many books also means I have discovered wonderful ways to achieve my reading goals without spending so much. (Sometimes.)

30 days has September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31. Except January feels like it has 198762.

— Jono Read (@jonoread) January 19, 2019

 

I would like to share with you some of the tips and tricks I have picked up along the way. They have helped me to read so much, whilst protecting my budget.

1. Borrow books from your library. 

A library card is free, and most libraries will also have a collection of films you can borrow from. What a double blessing! Not only that, the quiet environment of the library will create the peace you need to read undistracted – perfect for clocking those miles on your read-o-meter!

2. Swap books with your friends.

Invite your nearest and dearest to join you on your reading journey. That way, you can all buy different books, then swap once you’re finished. That should slash your book budget in half, at the very least.

3. Visit a charity shop.

You may not get the latest releases, but charity shops can offer great reads starting for a fraction of the average retail price.

4. Download e-books.

Quite often the Kindle version of a book will be cheaper than the paperback or hardback edition, simply because there are no printing or shopping costs involved. You might not be able to take the ‘instagrammable’ photo of the perfect stack neatly piled against your white backdrop, but at least you’re saving money!

4. Spend a day in a bookshop.

This one will either sound cheeky or clever, depending on your outlook, but there are large chain bookstores which welcome shoppers to spend some time on their sofa, whilst they flick through a book. Waterstones in Piccadilly Circus (central London) is a great location for this kind of pastime.

5. Listen to audiobooks. 

The Audible app offers subscribers the chance of downloading an audiobook every month for 7.99 a month, even if the book costs double that! And most at times, listeners can get the first month of subscription for free!
P.S. this is not an ad, or an official endorsement,  and you would need to verify prices with Audible if you decide to become a member. 

6. Put books on your wish list.
Why not request the books you most want to read for your birthday or graduation present?

7. Become a book blogger.
If you have a genuine interest in books and would love to share reviews online then consider building a brand around that. Authors (especially indie authors) really value reviews and are sometimes willing to send you a FREE ARC (advanced reader copy) for a review.

That’s it! Madeline’s tips on how to smash your reading goals without denting your pockets this year.
Will you be following any of my advice? Do you have any general money saving tips to share with the rest of us? Well comment below!

You may also be interested in:
Madeline’s Must-Read List for 2019
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