It’s swiping through BookTok and instantly being influenced to buy the latest trending memoir, despite having hundreds of books already on my list that are far more relevant to my current state of mind. It’s a total steal of my mental peace, because now I must possess it. The title immediately takes over my thoughts, my feed’s algorithm, and my search history.
Tactic #1: Secondhand Bookshelves
I start by scouring the web for the best deals. If time isn’t an issue, waiting for a generous avid reader to donate a copy to a secondhand shop can save me up to 70%, depending on condition.
Tactic #2: Monthly Coupons
My second move is collecting coupons and timing purchases with monthly bookstore promos. Ordering foreign editions online usually brings a 20–25% discount, plus the additional $3 saved using cash vouchers¹.
Tactic #3: New Memberships
The real icing on the cake is signing up with a new account to trigger the newbie welcome coupon, shaving off another $3.
Tactic #4: Gift Cards & Points
Stacking credit card cash-back rebates or company holiday gift cards brings the final total to zero, making the book completely free (by girl math logic, at least)!
Tactic #5: Muling via Friends
Alternatively, I could ask a friend or family member to grab a copy from Barnes & Noble or Amazon while abroad². In-store deals can be great (sometimes), especially since where I’m at, foreign books imported carry a steep markup. But between soaring FX rates and wasting precious suitcase weight, it’s rarely worth the hassle.
And that is how, a month and a half after the initial impulse (right as I dragged myself through the final chapters of Yesteryear) Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage arrived the very next day. A sign that it was time to move on.
I scored the hardcover for $19 total (including overseas shipping and exchange rates), which I’d like to believe the bookstore ordered just for me hence the wait time.
An absolute steal ✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡
Price Comparison
- Amazon: $13.99
- Barnes & Noble: $30.00
- Eslite: $40.00
Footnotes
- Mom calls this the ecommerce shell-out-money (撒錢) method. To bait anyone looking to spend more, but for me savings are savings. This tactic doesn't get Mom anyway; she’d only spend it on (free) McDonald breakfasts.
- Mom, I’m sorry you spent over $60 on Careless People and Flesh in NYC, dragging them through airport security all the way to Chicago and back.