I'm not going to lie: I didn't make the switch to an eReader gracefully. I held onto my paperbacks with a hostility that would scare even the toughest librarian. I'm officially a convert, but not for the reasons you may expect.
It turns out my frugality and my eReader are a match.
Here are three ways your eReader can save you some serious cash:
1. Chapter previews: It used to be that when you were looking for a new book, you would drive to the bookstore, ask for a recommendation and then read a chapter or two in a darkened corner hoping no one would catch you. Now, most eReader stores allow you to download the first chapter or two for free. If you don't like the book, you don't have to buy it.
2. Lending programs: Most libraries loan out eBooks (here's how to find which libraries nearby lend eBooks), so be sure to ask what platforms your local library supports and start downloading. One thing to keep in mind: just like regular library lending, you only get to loan the book for a set amount of time and then your book will expire. In addition, many of the eReader bookstores will now allow you to connect with friends who have the same device and allow you to lend books to one another.
3. Public domain books: Did you know that you can download books that are in the public domain for free from the Kindle and Nook stores (Nook's dedicated eReader storefront is connected directly to Google Books)? Believe me, there are some great books in the public domain. Treasure Island, A Tale of Two Cities, The Invisible Man and Little Women - just to name a few.
What other ways has your eReader saved you money?
(Images: kodomut via Flickr's Creative Commons and Elizabeth Giorgi)
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I like the first picture with Kirino in the background. I've often asked my parents if they'd let me buy them an e-Reader and they've always said no because it was digital. I guess it's more of a preference, I for instance have 3 bookshelves full of manga and I wouldn't mind owning an e-Reader for reading manga on the go.
It's been so long since I've read a book in dead-tree format, I assumed from the headline that the author was migrating from tablet reader apps (e.g. Kindle for iPad/Android) to a dedicated e-ink device- a move I've been considering given their superior display capabilities in sunlight. I forget that people are still beholden to print books. Something about the sensory experience of holding paper?
Even setting aside the consumer friendly features, ebooks themselves are just flat cheaper, when they're not free.
For me, an e-reader has nothing to do with saving money. It is convenient. It is practical. It is easy to use. I bought a Kindle during the first month it was available, and I have never looked back. I read because I love the written word. I don't give a shake what form it takes; it is the content that matters.
That said, my Kindle has given me the opportunity to concentrate on, and buy books that I truly want on my shelves. I am a photographer, among other things, and I collect monographs.
So, let's stop trying to find ways to rationalize the use of digital readers, as if they are somehow inferior. Let's just incorporate them into us lives and move on.
I wouldn't say it is always cheaper, you can't sell what you do buy and you can't go to the used book store for less than half priced finds.
In a small apartment, it keeps clutter down by letting me read magazines and books all in the palm of my hand. What's cooler than traveling with a library?
I read a ton of ... errmmm ... Women's books ... (Ok - so they're romance novels). I will admit that with all the books being reissued with new covers, I have, upon occasion, purchased a "reissue" of a book I already had. Very frustrating to get home and realize you already own the book. Nook keeps me from duplicating my books .... now if only there was a way to get all the paperbacks I already own ... onto my nook!
Not to mention there's a privacy issue .... no one knows what books you are reading ... so no embarrassing covers for people to judge you by ....
In response to ab83 I will say though that while you cannot re-sell an e-book, a lot of times it's not worth it to try and sell your unwanted dead tree books either. Many mainstream novels tend to become relatively worthless almost immediately, just look at the "find one used for $0.01!" side bars on Amazon's pages. And selling things on eBay can often be too much hassle with time and fees and shipping to be worth the few bucks you receive as a result.
You don't get to pick up cheap e-books like you would older paperbacks at a store or some kind of yard/charity sale, but they do have deals on e-books on Amazon occasionally (daily deals and those 'singles' and things.) It's a trade off, like many things are.