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​Satisfy Your Inner Book Nerd with Thousands of Free Books

I LOVE books. I'm a reader, and have been since I taught myself to read when I was three. My Mum used to tell the story of me waiting at the letterbox for the Reader's Digest to arrive, and I was just four years old. 

By the time I was seven, I'd gone through most of the children's section of our local library, and completely read through the school library. 

As I started to earn money, I'd save up and buy books. Finding a book sale was (and still is) my idea of heaven. I haunted used book stores to pick up a bargain. Fetes and garage sales were my favourite places to find great books that fit my budget.

Three years ago, for Mother's Day, my children gave me a Kindle. I was a little wary - I love my books, I enjoy reading them and the idea of a little screen replacing my books kind of messed with my inner book nerd - for a while.

It didn't take me long to come to love the convenience of being able to slip the Kindle into my bag and have books ready to read while I waited -without having to lug a book around. And then I found that I could read in bed, at night, without needing to put the lamp on (and wake Wayne up) - anywhere: home, camping, even in hospital.

But what made me super excited was the idea that I could have thousands of books stored on my Kindle, ready to read whenever I had the urge. No more piling books onto shelves, stashing them in boxes, stacking them by the bed or next to the coffee table. 

For a book lover that was heaven. Until I realised that I'd still need to buy them - or so I thought - not something that appealed to the Cheapskate in me. The frugal side of me refuses to spend a fortune on books - either hard copy or digital, especially when there are so many that can be found absolutely free. 

These days I rarely, very rarely, buy a book. There are too many ways to find reading matter totally free.

Where to find free hard copy books

1. Your local library. You won't own the book, but be honest: just how often do you read a book more than once? And if you do want to read it again, you can request it and book it out, totally free of charge. Can't find the title you were looking for? Ask at the library to have it brought in for you. 

2. Borrow from friends and family. Again, how often do you re-read a book? Just remember to take extra special care of any books you borrow, use a bookmark and don't damage the cover. And always return it promptly, or you may find that particular friend is reluctant to lend you anymore books.

3. Become a book reviewer. Start a book review blog (although that's not absolutely necessary) and write reviews of the books you read. Sign up to First to Read (from Penguin) for the opportunity to read and review books before they're even published - free. https://www.firsttoread.com Or join the Tyndale Blog Network - you'll need a blog and there is an application process to go through, but for the opportunity to receive and review books you may think it's worth it.

Where to find free ebooks

1. Bookbub is a great resource of free ebooks for any e-reader. You'll also find heavily discounted ebooks too.

2. Centsless Books - click on the "free ebooks" category then have fun scrolling to find the right book for you.

3. Search for FREE eBooks on Amazon. Amazon offers hundreds of free titles to download, you just have to know where to look! Here's how to do it:
• Choose "Kindle Store" from the search drop down.
• Type in "free kindle books".
This lists all the FREE book, with the newest offers first.

4. Sign Up for a FREE Trial of Kindle Unlimited. Kindle Unlimited typically costs $13.99 per month and offers unlimited books to read on your Kindle. You can have up to 10 books at a time, and to get more just return what you've read. However, you can read some of your favourites free when you sign up for their 30-day trial! Just make sure to set a reminder on your phone to cancel if you don't want to continue with the monthly fee. 

5. Booktopia has around 2,000 free ebooks you can download.

6. Hundredzeros is another site that offers free e-books. Choose from a category on the right, or just browse to find what you want to read.

Don't have an e-reader? No problem! Download the free reading app and read to your hearts content on your computer, tablet or phone. 

There are so many ways you can enjoy reading, without spending any money, there's no excuse for not having anything to read.

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  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
    • Learning Centre
  • Recipes
    • Recipe File Index
    • Meal Plans
    • Add a Recipe
    • $300 a Month Food Challenge >
      • $300 a Month Food Challenge
      • The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
  • Newsletters
    • Newsletters 2023
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