Autotelik

I've only been reading regularly since the start of the year. Before then, I read only what was required during college literature courses. Now, I'm getting so addicted to reading as a hobby that I've purchased around 30 books in the last several months (most of them bargain books of former bestsellers). Good thing is, my girlfriend reads them too, and it's fun reading the same books and talking about them. Bad thing is, I just keep buying and buying, with more and more books accumulating on my wishlist. I know I can always borrow books from the local library, but as a DVDTalker here, I'm sure you guys can understand the propensity to purchase rather than to rent/borrow. I also have around 300 DVD titles, but then I buy DVDs because I know I'll rewatch them. The problem is, when I buy a book, I've been doing it because I know I WANT to read it, but not sure if I'll ever re-read it (unless it's really good).... and it is this thought that has been really bugging me.

So, what do you guys do? Borrow, purchase, both? If you purchase a lot, do you ever feel that you're wasting space/money?

antennaball

Half Priced Books and eBay.

Joe Molotov

I've used those, as well as Half, Amazon Marketplace, and then Hastings for my B&M needs. And, although it's hit-or-miss, Goodwill can be good for a couple of cheap paperbacks. I hardly buy any of my books new. I'm not really a collector when it come to books, so I'm not that worried about condition as long as it's all in one piece. Unless it's something like LOTR or Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that I read every few years, and in that case I like to have a nice copy.

eisenreich

I get mine at Goodwill for $1/hardback. I volunteer there to help go through the donated books, sorting the trash from those that will sell. You'd be surprised how much good material, in really good shape, comes in. I'm also in charge of sorting and pricing dvds that arrive; so far six Criterion's for a buck each along with about 80 quality titles.

JAA

I generally have books recommended (and loaned) to me by friends. On the rare occasion I decide to make a purchase, I will try to find a very clean used copy.

Pointyskull

Library!
I use it for everything - books, DVDs, CDs, etc.

John-In-VA

Library definitely. I'm almost in full rental mode with DVDs too. I've outgrown any need I had to display the "trophy" of what I read or watched on my shelves.

Scarecrow

Ebay, Half, Half-Price-Books, Amazon.

djmont

Fortunately, I get all my books free. Before that, though, I used to spend a fortune on them... A lot from Amazon and B&M bookstores, a lot used as well.

Books are never a waste of money! If nothing else, you can burn them for fuel once the balloon goes up.

OwlAtHome

I use book clubs and half.com/ebay but recently I've gotten rid of and mooched some books at bookmooch.com. Another good place is Used Book shops, Thrift stores and The Good Will store. I try to stay away from there because I always get too much.

girlnextdoor

Usually buy in paperback. But if there is something I want in hardback I will go to the library. Usually, I put a hold on it and have it ready to pick up without having to search the library for it.

innocentfreak

I used to do the library but they weren't very reliable on contacting me when my books came in since the local selection is horrible. Currently I have been buying through Amazon 4 for 3 sale. I don't have any used bookstores locally so I am kind of stuck in that way. I used to order through half.com and ebay but shipping came to almost the same price that I paid new on a lot of the books I checked so it wasn't worth it to me.

Nth Power

Usually Amazon, but sometimes I'll get out and go to B&N or Borders.

Abelkems

I used to just buy everything new and pass them on to friends once I had finished. Recently, I have been using a trading site called Paperback Swap. I have been able to find a lot of older or out of print titles that I couldn't find in book stores. I usually still buy new releases.

tonyc3742

Checking out new titles from the library (reserve on the website, they ship them and hold them at my local library).
Purchasing old titles at the annual library booksale, 5 bucks a box.
I've got about sixty bucks credit at a local used store, and I did get the Peanuts books and a few more from QPB, but I have a hard time paying more than five bucks or so for a book unless it's something special (I did buy the big hardcover Narnia from Buy.com over Christmas, with free shipping and a GCO discount.)
I'm also keeping a lot fewer books (again, unless they're "special" or somehow cool) from the booksale. Once I read it, unless I'm sure I'll read it again, or it's part of a collection, I'll trade it, sell it, or give it to my dad. I already have 8 bookcases (of various sizes) and at least five boxes full of books, so I'm more discerning with keeping.

AGuyNamedMike

Goodwill, eBay, bookstores, etc. I never make time to go to the library anymore. When I come across a series that got good reviews I pick up the first one on the cheap. If I like it, I go to a book chain and pick up the whole set. Hopefully that way some of the cash gets back to the author.

xmiyux

I worked in a couple different local libraries for several years so i regularly frequent the library for my books. They also tend to order anything i want to check out.

I do buy some - especially now that a Borders opened up in my town.

Finally i also use the Paperbackswap website.

boredsilly

I'm a bit of a slow reader, plus I never know when I'll be in the mood to read, so I just buy the books I want to read. Usually through eBay, Half, and Amazon -- so the price burden is pretty low. Especially with paperbacks.

beavismom

Garage sales are a great place to stock up if you read mainstream stuff. I buy paperbacks for .25 and hardbacks for .50 to 1.00. I just bought 60 (almost all hardback) at a neighbors garage sale for $20. I probably have over 100 books to read on my shelves right now.

MrX

Half or Amazon marketplace

neocheddar02

I usually buy recommended books at Barnes & Noble or at my local used bookstore. Also, I'll blindbuy a handful through book clubs (like the History Book Club or QPB)

starman9000

thanks, I never heard of that site before. Signed up last night and already have 2 books on the way. Is the site pretty active?

dugan

abebooks for what I can't buy locally

ceeece

I used to do Sam's Club but I don't use the membership enough now to justify it. So, I've been doing Amazon

Autotelik

Well, since starting this thread, I've bought fewer books now. I tried the local libraries and they're pretty well stocked with things I want to read. Every now and then, I still check out Barnes and Noble for bargain hardbacks, and pick up a title once in a while for $5-6.