Where do you buy your books?

**Sara Noel** · 12-26-2001, 09:27 AM

I am curious where you tend to buy your books. I have recently been going to Waldens when I have a good coupon. When I lived in NY I liked to go to Barnes and Noble, but here the closest one is a bit far.

How about online? Any good bargain bookstores?

Sara

**Phaedrae** · 12-26-2001, 11:43 PM

I usually go to Barnes and Noble, and Media Play. Online it's bn.com, mediaplay.com and amazon.com, don't know of any real bargain stores online though, however I will do some research in my free time and see what I can find for you.

**CountryMom** · 12-27-2001, 11:10 AM

My favorite place to buy books is used bookstores, thrift shops and garage sales. Hey, the price is right.

It is kinda like a scavenger hunt and it does take a while to find exactly what you want.

Having said that, I buy my "Gotta Have Right Now" books from either Walmart or Amazon.com. Walmart is by far the cheapest for me, but there selection is limited unless I want a new best seller. Amazon has everything! And even some used stuff.

I have heard good things about half.com too, but have never bought books there. I did buy a couple of videos there and was very pleased.

**AmyBoz** · 12-27-2001, 11:36 AM

When I used to buy books, I bought them at Barnes and Noble. I used to ask for gift certificates there for birthdays and Christmas. Then, I'd stock up! I love bookstores. However, a friend of mine owns a bookstore and what we've been doing lately is that when she is done with the advanced reading copies that the publishers send her, she sends them on to me, so not only am I getting to read for free, I am getting to read them before they are released, and it's kinda neat to see all the author errors because they haven't gotten final editing yet!

**milach** · 12-27-2001, 05:04 PM

I love used book stores, because I can trade in books I've already read and get store credit, so it's like getting 2 books for the price of 1. Plus it gives me an outlet to get rid of books, since I don't have the room to hang on to them.

I stopped buying books at stores like Borders and B&N because usually, I can find the same book at almost 1/2 the price at Sam's Club. I've been screwed several times by not checking Sam's first and ended up paying almost double at the bookstore.

Laura

**Sara Noel** · 12-28-2001, 12:38 AM

Dh and I used to go to a used bookstore back in NY often.
They bought them back and our used ones from wherever too. I'll have to look around here in MI for one similar.
Our thriftstores here are lousy for books. They are soooo bad. :-(

I should try half.com. I'll browse over there.

Thanks,
Sara

**Megareader** · 12-30-2001, 10:26 PM

Used bookstores are great, I love the bargains there. It is a rare occurance to go to a full-price bookstore, when we do it is Barnes & Noble or Borders. Mostly we get books from the library though.

**KathiS** · 01-01-2002, 04:59 PM

I like to get my books from yard sales and thrift shops. If there is a certain book, I really want to read, I usually go to Half.com

**Sara Noel** · 01-06-2002, 02:49 PM

Has anyone tried these for bargain books?

http://www.1bookstreet.com/1bargainb...rgain_Home.asp

http://www.bookcloseouts.com/bc/home.asp

Just wondering opinions on these two online stores.

Sara

**bamamomto4** · 01-17-2002, 12:26 AM

The gotta have right now books usually come from Sam's,cause they're cheaper than most book stores.But 98% of mine come from our local thirft store.They have some GOOD books!! I could spend allday in there looking at books!

I almost forgot...some come from ebay to

**Bevv** · 01-20-2002, 12:54 PM

Paperback books I wander through the Used book stores, unless there is something just out that I want... then I have been hitting Barnes and Nobles online with the free shipping for two books they have had recently.

Audiobooks like valuebin.com. They specialize in books that have been returned from the bookseller, so they are not in perfect case condition sometime. but are still brand new.

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 01-20-2002, 11:28 PM

I work at the local library so I buy a lot of books at our three times a year sales. Where else can you buy a BAG of books for $18.00?

I live about 25 miles from Portland, Oregon, home of Powell's, the largest bookstore on the west coast. It takes up an entire city block! When I want something very badly, I go there. They are also on line and I check them out. Since they have both new AND used, one can usually find great deals there. If Powell's doesn't have it, I go to Amazon.com.

**pat123123** · 02-18-2002, 11:04 AM

For used books locally I shop at a couple of thrift stores (mostly I find children's books there or occasionally cookbooks) and the library's used book store--we are fortunate that our library has an actual used book store open whenever they are, staffed by volunteers. Books cost from ten cents to three dollars, occasionally some children's books are as low as 5 cents. It's supplied thorugh donations, discards from the public library and some of the schools send their discards as well.

For used books online, mainly ebay. I have a few I've been meaning to purchase at Half.com just haven't done it yet!

For new books...I shop at Books a Million and Waldenbooks (utilizing my 20% educators discount since we homeschool) and occasionally at Hastings book and video (they also have an instructor's discount...but it isn't a set percentage, you never know til checkout how much it will be so I don't shop there as much for them unless I can't get the item elsewhere)

**RewardsJunkie** · 02-26-2002, 08:43 PM

I go to our public library and buy books there for .10 ea. A lot are mysteries and such. If I don't like them I take them to the used book store and trade them in for books of my choice. I also buy my National Geographics that I collect there. They a lot of times have really old ones.

**QuilterMom** · 03-04-2002, 01:00 PM

For books that are gifts I like to use Barnes & Noble online whenever they have free shipping offers.

For myself and dh, we buy the majority of our books at Sam's although I am always on the lookout for books at garage/yard sales, thrift stores and library sales.

We are doing homeschool preschool and reading books is a huge part of our lessons. I have had great luck recently finding books and workbooks in perfect or near perfect condition at Goodwill.