How to Fill a Kindle on the Cheap

I’m pretty much obsessed with my new kindle.  There are so many things to love about my kindle, but one of the things I don’t love is paying $10 for an ebook.  Most of them can’t even be lent to a friend so it’s hard to justify buying the ebook when the regular old book is nearly the same price or in some twisted cases, even cheaper. 

So I’ve added a layer to my obsession.  I am now spending way too much time searching for cheap and free books to feed my kindle. Since I’ve now spent more time than I’d like to admit browsing Amazon’s kindle section, I thought I should share what I’ve learned. It helps me justify the wasted time. 

I should also mention that you don’t actually have to have a kindle to take advantage of ebook deals.  You can download a free kindle reading app from Amazon and read on your computer.

This one is kind of a no brainer, but Amazon posts a daily deal for an ebook every day.  It’s never more than $2.99 and often it’s less.  Sometimes it’s an amazing bargain, sometimes not so much.  But if you’re in the hunt for a new ebook, it’s probably with the two seconds to check it out.   

Additionally every month Amazon posts a new selection of 100 books priced $3.99.  It’s a pretty random variety of both fiction and nonfiction.  Here’s the link to February’s books. 

Now for the really juicy stuff – where to find decent books for FREE!  (In good conscience, I must warn you that the following info may be addicting.  I honestly can’t stop myself from downloading free books at this point. ) 

First off, all the classics can be downloaded free.  If you’re a Jane Austen fan or want to reread Treasure Island, you’re in for a treat.  All popular classic are available through Amazon completely free of charge. 

Things get a little bit trickier if you want to download something more current for free, but there are usually some good options available.  One way to find decent free books is to check the free list on Kindle Best Sellers.  Amazon’s 100 top download free ebooks list is updated hourly.  Any really exciting freebies usually show up there pretty quickly. 

You could also check with your local library and see if they have ebooks available.  My library has quite a few books for kindle available.  The downside is that some of the wait lists are long, but it’s definitely a viable way to read best sellers for free. 

My new discovery is that there is a daily discussion in the Kindle Discussions where people list their favorite freebie finds.   I’ve found many an interesting book this way. Here’s the link for today’s discussion – FREE Books - Monday, February 6, 2012    

A couple of hints I’ve learned the hard way.  Some free books are self-published crap.  If you’re worried about wasting time, I’d do a quick Amazon search on an author and see what other books they’ve written.  Most established authors will have other books selling for actual money, but will be offering a freebie or two to lure in new readers. Also, read the reviews if you’re worried about reading something awful.  Also know that some freebies also go away in a hurry.  If you see something you like, go ahead and get it or you risk the price increasing.   

And finally, a quick disclaimer, I make no claims of being a kindle guru.  I’m just having a ton of fun with my new gadget and wanted to share what I’ve found so far. Please let me know (nicely preferably) if I’ve led anybody astray.  I’d love to hear if anybody has any other tricks up their sleeve so please share if you have anything to add.

Happy ebook bargain hunting.