If you’re like me, keeping up with your reading habits on a budget can be challenging. For a long time, I subscribed to Amazon’s Audible and Kindle Unlimited apps, thinking it was my only option to keep up with the speed at which I devour books.
The appeal of any alternative to supporting the Amazon literary monopoly was on my mind. I set out to find cheaper and more ethical options to keep my library full without draining my bank account.
I was surprised to find that there are some great alternatives out there. From supporting your local bookstore through audiobook subscriptions to becoming a remote cardholder to libraries across the country, there is an option for everyone. Here are three great resources for literary fans on a budget.
- The Libby App.
Perhaps the most known resource I’ll mention in this list is Libby. Libby is a free app that allows you to rent electronic copies of books and books on tape. They can be accessed directly on your phone or transferred to your Kindle. This option is entirely free as long as you have a library card. While some titles might have a longer wait time, this is a great free option if you’re flexible about what you read and when you read it. Not to mention, you’re supporting your local library by participating.
2. Libro.fm
This app is for fans of audiobooks. It’s a great alternative to Audible and provides one credit per month, which can be applied to any of their wide selection of titles, and 30% off any additional audiobooks you may want to buy. The cool thing about this app is you can choose the bookstore you’d like your account to be associated with, and your monthly subscription supports that bookstore. An added benefit to this app is the search engine, arguably superior to Audible’s. It’s much easier to filter down your searches based on what you’re looking for, which makes for a better user experience. Libro.fm is a great choice if you go through enough audiobooks per month to justify a subscription.
3. Out of State Library Cards
The final option if you’re looking to spend less per year on books is subscriptions to out-of-state libraries. I recently learned that for a yearly price, you can access many different library cards. The cost of these cards ranges but adding a few library cards to my virtual wallet was exponentially cheaper than I was spending on Kindle unlimited and additional book purchases. Not to mention, you’re supporting public libraries with your dollar.
I hope you’ve found these resources helpful. Let me know in the comments ways you’ve found to read on a budget!
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