How To Build Your Book Collection On A Budget: The first in the new series Uncultured Swine no more! (an introduction to the bibliophile community)
Dear reader,
today I'm going to be giving you some tips on how to buy books- cheap.
I have loved reading for about 5 years so I'm relatively new to it all. When I first started reading I didn't know about bookstagram or booktubers or what 'breaking a spine' even meant. In other words, I was an uncultured swine to reading. Oh how far I have come. If you are new to reading I will be posting a series of blogs that are gonna help you catch up with the last 20 years in about a year. The new series is called, Uncultured Swine no more! (an introduction to the bibliophile community) I hope you will enjoy it.
So, you discovered books for the first time and went onto Pinterest or tumbler or Instagram or youtube or twitter etc. and you got smacked around the face by pictures of these beautiful shelves with loads of books that you didn't know existed and you start to see a pattern of these certain books that everyone keeps going on about and you suddenly realise how far behind you are. You've read the hunger games and twilight and all the famous ones that were adapted into movies but the line doesn't draw there. No, the line is about 100 miles in front of you and you are crawling towards it. And as you are crawling towards it, it's getting further away because new stuff is coming out and you just wanna hide from all the new books and re-read Charlie and the chocolate factory. Do not fear my friend, for I was you once, we can get through this together.
The first step is you need to know who to follow on Instagram and YouTube. I will be making a blog on that later on.
Next step you need to kit yourself out with the basics. I will do a blog on this one too.
Third, get a blomin' bookshelf!
Don't be that person who stacks books up on the floor in rainbow order, I would recommend a billy IKEA shelf to get you started
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/storage-furniture/bookcases/billy-bookcase-white-art-10401931/
Or you could have a look on gumtree for cheaper options.
Then, join a book club. I was reluctant to do this but I'm glad I did because it introduced me to new books and new people.
Alright you've started to build a collection and you are ready to expand, here are a few tips:
1- Abe books
There is this sight which I only found recently but I absolutely love it!
What it is, is basically a book buying sight were you can buy new books, second-hand books, signed books, rare books, first editions and more for affordable prices. Most of there stuff is free shipping in the UK and all their books (new or not) are in good condition. You can get books for a pound with free shipping that won't come in a month but about 3-7 days. It's a brilliant service. Once I bought a book and it didn't show up but I got it refunded straight away after I emailed them.
You can use this code to get an extra 10% off your order: U7CM8T
Highly recommend, go check it out; https://www.abebooks.com/
2- Charity shops
You can find some brilliant books if you know where to look.
I recommend, Oxfam and British heart foundation because they always have the best selection. My local cancer research hasn't got any books but I'm sure some others do.
3- Clearance
In Waterstones and Whsmiths they have a secret clearance section where you can get hardbacks for a fiver, but they're all still new.
4- Damaged books
If you go into Waterstones they give you about 20% for a damaged book. So, if the book you want is a little battered don't be scared to just point it out to the staff.
5- Giveaways
Now I know its a slim chance that you'll win a giveaway but that's not a reason why you shouldn't enter it! If you search the hashtag book giveaway on Instagram and look at the recents, you've got as good a chance as anyone!
I hope you use these tips and that it helps you a little bit.
love
x
today I'm going to be giving you some tips on how to buy books- cheap.
 |
| This is not my shelf by the way |
I have loved reading for about 5 years so I'm relatively new to it all. When I first started reading I didn't know about bookstagram or booktubers or what 'breaking a spine' even meant. In other words, I was an uncultured swine to reading. Oh how far I have come. If you are new to reading I will be posting a series of blogs that are gonna help you catch up with the last 20 years in about a year. The new series is called, Uncultured Swine no more! (an introduction to the bibliophile community) I hope you will enjoy it.
So, you discovered books for the first time and went onto Pinterest or tumbler or Instagram or youtube or twitter etc. and you got smacked around the face by pictures of these beautiful shelves with loads of books that you didn't know existed and you start to see a pattern of these certain books that everyone keeps going on about and you suddenly realise how far behind you are. You've read the hunger games and twilight and all the famous ones that were adapted into movies but the line doesn't draw there. No, the line is about 100 miles in front of you and you are crawling towards it. And as you are crawling towards it, it's getting further away because new stuff is coming out and you just wanna hide from all the new books and re-read Charlie and the chocolate factory. Do not fear my friend, for I was you once, we can get through this together.
The first step is you need to know who to follow on Instagram and YouTube. I will be making a blog on that later on.
Next step you need to kit yourself out with the basics. I will do a blog on this one too.
Third, get a blomin' bookshelf!
Don't be that person who stacks books up on the floor in rainbow order, I would recommend a billy IKEA shelf to get you started
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/storage-furniture/bookcases/billy-bookcase-white-art-10401931/
Or you could have a look on gumtree for cheaper options.
Then, join a book club. I was reluctant to do this but I'm glad I did because it introduced me to new books and new people.
Alright you've started to build a collection and you are ready to expand, here are a few tips:
1- Abe books
There is this sight which I only found recently but I absolutely love it!
What it is, is basically a book buying sight were you can buy new books, second-hand books, signed books, rare books, first editions and more for affordable prices. Most of there stuff is free shipping in the UK and all their books (new or not) are in good condition. You can get books for a pound with free shipping that won't come in a month but about 3-7 days. It's a brilliant service. Once I bought a book and it didn't show up but I got it refunded straight away after I emailed them.
You can use this code to get an extra 10% off your order: U7CM8T
Highly recommend, go check it out; https://www.abebooks.com/
2- Charity shops
You can find some brilliant books if you know where to look.
I recommend, Oxfam and British heart foundation because they always have the best selection. My local cancer research hasn't got any books but I'm sure some others do.
3- Clearance
In Waterstones and Whsmiths they have a secret clearance section where you can get hardbacks for a fiver, but they're all still new.
4- Damaged books
If you go into Waterstones they give you about 20% for a damaged book. So, if the book you want is a little battered don't be scared to just point it out to the staff.
5- Giveaways
Now I know its a slim chance that you'll win a giveaway but that's not a reason why you shouldn't enter it! If you search the hashtag book giveaway on Instagram and look at the recents, you've got as good a chance as anyone!
I hope you use these tips and that it helps you a little bit.
love
x
