[Mia28]

I buy them at Yard Sales too, and at book sales (library). I am also involved in a book swap with some co-workers. Our gift shop at the place I work also sells books for $2 (hardcover) and $1 (paperback).

[bornsaver]

Our library has a used bookstore that's open during library hours in addition to a special sale every year when they have books and magazines. I've gotten some books to give as gifts. Many of them look brand new! And I haven't bought a magazine subscription in years.

[nupersatural]

if you want to save money, buying an ebook reader (like kindle) is your best bet.

[bradey]

I bought my second Kindle (with the first one I was careless). Totally loving it. It's full of books, I don't know when I will find time to read them all, so many interesting books I found..
I used to buy books too, but why not save trees ?

[mariaandrea]

I own about a thousand books and 90% of them are used. There's a big used book sale held twice a year here in a big warehouse of books from the library and donated books. It's run by a friends of the library group. On Sunday everything is half price, which is 50 cents per book. I've found some amazing gems and have been going for years. There's also an independent bookstore near me that places new and used books together on the shelves so you can decide which you want. Plus there's a local chain here called Half Price Books, where everything is, you guessed it, half price. I might be a year or 3 behind in new literature, but I eventually get it for dirt cheap.

[R. Paradon]

In the country where I live there are American and other English language books available but they are very expensive so I do not buy them. However as this is a tourist town there is an organization called "Thai's for Life" that receives used books from tourists at no cost and sells them for about US$2 each. When you return them you get a credit of US$1 for each book!

At the moment there are thousands of books available. And the good part is that all profit is used to provide young Thai boys and girls with various diseases medical attention if their parents can not afford it.

It is a great idea and hopefully the concept could be copied in the States.