Free Book Club Tips

A free book club can be a big financial relief.

Many book groups have a number of costs associated with them: food at meetings, renting space for meeting restaurant bills, caters, springing for hardcover novels once a month.

These costs really add up!

Even if you're not a member of a book group (or someone interested in starting one) these tips can help you save money and find no-cost or low-cost books!

Tips for a Free Book Club

One of the main book club expenses is food. Traditionally, when a meeting is at your house you must provide a meal (or at the very least, snacks) for your book group. If your book group has 10 or 20 people, this can really add up fast!

One strategy to get around these costs is a simple "no food" rule. Perhaps you could just serve drinks, like coffee and tea.

Another method is to find low-cost food. Stores like Aldi and Gordon's Food Service offer extremely inexpensive snacks like crackers, cheese, pretzels, and frozen appetizers.

You could also ask for donations. At the end of the night, many bakeries and grocery stores throw out that day's pastries, breads and bagels. If you explained your situation, the store might give you these leftovers for free.

Some book groups choose to meet at rental spaces or restaurants, and this can also be costly. Meet at a public library, book store, or at member's homes instead.

Find more information on starting a book club here.

Finding Free or Low-Cost Books

At the Library

Libraries are the best source of free books, but you will need to plan your book selection carefully if you want all members to be able to take advantage of your local library.

Many libraries have book club programs and offer kits that contain multiple copies of one book, along with a discussion guide. Ask to see if your library has a similar program, or work to get one started. Then, plan your free book club picks around these library kits.

Avoid New Releases

Avoiding new releases will also reduce the risk of books not being available for checkout at the library. The latest Oprah Winfrey book club pick or a new novel by a popular novel will likely have a long waiting list at your library. But, books just a few years old will probably have many copies available.

Get Free Romance Books

Romance books are everywhere, and you'll be surprised at how many places you can find free or low-cost romance novels.

>> Find out how to find free romance books here!

Find Used Book Stores

Many libraries and non-profit organizations also have stores where you can buy books on the cheap - often as little as a dollar or a quarter. Find out where these used book stores are in your area.

Hold a Paperback Swap

Paperback swaps are another way to get free books. They involve getting a group of people together and exchanging unneeded books.

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