Love Reading? Get Your Free Kindle Book Today

Amazon is celebrating World Book Day with a free Kindle book for its U.S. customers. All avid bookworms need to do is log on before midnight on April 30, 2023 and choose one of nine books from around the world. It's the sixth year Amazon has celebrated UNESCO's international book day with a giveaway.

How the Amazon offer works

If you read a lot, it can eat into your bank account balance, meaning it's worth watching out for free or discount books. When you log onto the Amazon World Book Day 2023 page, you'll find books from several different countries. Buy one and you'll get a credit for $4.99 (the cost of the book).

Here's the list of books that are part of the promotion:

• The Last Rose of Shanghai: A Novel (China)
• All the Lies They Did Not Tell: The True Story of Satanic Panic in an Italian Community (Italy)
• Say Her Name (U.K.)
• Small Deaths (India)
• War and Me (Iraq)
• Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold (Nigeria)
• Broken Summer (South Korea)
• West Side Love Story (Mexico)
• Piece by Piece: How I Built My Life (Andorra)

Amazon Prime customers can also get a bonus free copy of Where Waters Meet by Zhang Ling.

How to save money on books year round

If you spend a lot on books, an eReader may be a good way to save money. It doesn't have to be a Kindle -- there are several other options on the market. Whichever you choose, eBooks are often much cheaper than the physical versions. Plus, while books can be aesthetically pleasing, eBooks won't take up as much shelving space and are easier to travel with.

Here are some other ways to sustain your literary appetite without breaking the bank:

• Join your local library: Not only are libraries a great place to find books, they also often have DVDs, music, audiobooks, magazines, and more. Plus, you'll find activities, events, and courses and be able to access their online resources.
• Buy used books: Thrift stores are a great source of used books, but it's not always ideal if you're looking for a specific title. Look online for secondhand books that get delivered straight to your door.
• Use book apps: Check out the Internet Archive for books and audio recordings from around the world. It's free, and the site has over 20 million downloadable books. Project Gutenberg focuses on older works where the copyright no longer applies and is another great source of free books. If you have a library card, the Libby app also lets you borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from your public library.
• Consider Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime: Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month and comes with free or discounted delivery as well as access to movies, music, and eBooks. It's important to weigh up whether you'll get your money's worth, based on how much you'll actually use those services. Kindle Unlimited has a wider range of available books and will set you back $9.99 a month.
• Swap books: Part of the joy of having a physical book is that you can lend it to a friend and share the experience. Rather than hoarding books at home, why not trade them with people you know or participate in book exchanges online?

Bottom line

The occasional free book is all well and good, but it's important to find other ways to reduce your reading costs. I read four or five books a month, sometimes more. Given that paperback fiction can cost upwards of $10 or $15 per book, paying full price for books would cost me over $600 a year. Making the most of free offers, discounts, and reading apps means more money to put in my savings account or use for other financial goals.