“Do you buy all the books you read?!” How can you afford this hobby?”

These are questions I get asked frequently, especially when people find out how many books I read in a year’s time. Reading is probably my biggest hobby, and it is also one that my husband and children greatly enjoy.

Below, I’ve shared several places where we look for books to fit them into our budget.

  • Library

  • Borrow from friends

  • Thrift Stores

  • Ask for books for your birthday and Christmas: I keep a wishlist on Amazon of all the books I want to read. That makes it easy for family to select books that I’d love as a gift!

  • Thriftbooks: Millions of books in varying conditions are available for purchase.

  • Amazon

    • Amazon often has a buy 3 get 1 free deal on their books. When this happens, I stock up on books!

    • When I hear of a book I want to read, I add it to a wishlist on my Amazon account. Periodically, I’ll browse through the list and find that the price of a book as decreased (sometimes only 5%, but sometimes 50%+!)

    • You can select to delay your Prime deliveries by a few days and get Amazon Kindle credit in return. This varies from $1-$4 in rewards. I’ll do this and save up the Kindle credit until I have enough to purchase a book on my wishlist.

  • Audible: I do NOT think that a monthly Audible subscription is worth it, but if I have a month where we’ll be doing a lot of traveling or will be in situations where I’ll be able to listen a lot, I’ll subscribe for a month to get a book credit AND get access to the books that are included with Audible. (just be sure to create yourself a calendar reminder to cancel!)

  • Hoopla: My friend Sarah with Altogether Lovely Collective LOVES Hoopla. My library doesn’t have it, and I’ve yet to find a way to get it, but it is something I’m working on! You can read more about Hoopla on Sarah’s Instagram highlights.

Our family loves books; reading is our hobby! We do not have monthly TV or streaming subscriptions, so we have some wiggle room in the budget for books. Since Simeon and I are both involved in ministry, we view our books as not just enjoyment reading, but resources. We go back to them again and again when counseling others, preparing for our podcasts, and preparing sermons (Simeon, not me!). All that to say, we see books as a worthy investment in our home. There’s the saying “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Well, when it comes to books, where there’s a will to have them, there’s a way to fit them in the budget! You might have to think outside the box, but it’s possible. My library is proof of that!

Find some of my favorite books on my Amazon Storefront!