Money Broke for Books? Time to Deal with It!

I know it's almost getting to pay day, but it's still a few days away.

Let's face it, you're struggling towards the end. 

No matter what reasons behind the fact that you're broke every end of the month, it could be you ran out of money due to many unexpected urgent needs, shop too much, or bad money management... nevermind. 

Get over it. 

Do better next month. 

Start today!

...at least, start by reading this post.

Most of us need food everyday, some of us also need (new) books. *peeking at those book piles every corner in the room* *bless me God*

I'm going to share some tricks (1) to make you survive to the pay day, and (2) to help you do better next month and ahead so you can finance your book desires, including other needs.

The Power of Plastic Cards

No, I'm not suggesting you to buy one (or some) with credit cards. No more debts to the next following month for you, girl!

I'm talking about giftcards you can hunt from many blogs or websites to win. Too much hassle?

Ok, you can check your bookstore membership cards! Members usually have, well at least, 10% discount. Not much, but helpful. Make sure you ask for 'special offers for members', who knows... Just because.

I myself have Periplus and Books and Beyond membership. I'm collecting more stamps for my Aksara Bookstore membership. 

Gramedia also has membership cards, a tie-in with Flazz Card BCA one, however, I'm not that interested yet. They have 10% off for Gramedia publishers books. Previously, you can have 10% using any Flazz BCA cards. Now, not anymore =(

Library Visit

Oh, what about it? Go out and hunt for free reads in a most quiet (maybe peaceful) and anti-mainstream place on earth today.

Coz love doesn't always mean you have to own it. Your love for books will last. Everyone knows!

It's time to brace yourself into an adventure of finding a random book or cross-genre reading challenge. As I'm a believer of live life limitless therefore I read without limits.

You can visit local library nearby. As for me, I'm in Jakarta and we got Reading Room in Kemang. My favourite =) There's one far away in Lebak Bulus called Rimba Baca, a place I've never been.

Now I miss how it is in the States where there's library in your area, instead of religious praying area like in Indonesia.

What About Digital Library?

In case you're really that broke that you cannot go anywhere but just to stay home, you can count on your gadgets and free wi fi at home. There are many sources where you can read books online for free and legally. 

Even better, if you have library membership in the States, you can download OverDrive and put your library in the app and access with your usual digital login. You can try others apps developed by Moco and maybe BookMate.

When I say 'many', I mean it. Expand the list with Google =)

End of Bookhoarding

Don't you wanna check your bookpile before you crave for another new reads?

This might end your heavy burden to slip every one book between another in the bookshelf. Your shelf is so going to explore.

Prevent it from happening by scan them one by one and try to remember how each one book ends. This might help you to decide if you have really read it or not. Coz many times we think we did read it, but we haven't. Like me, I have ADD and short term memory loss. It happens a lot.

Done reading them all? ANOTHER TIPS: Try to fix your shelf by re-arranging those books in place again could help you thinking from buying more. Well, it will stretch your bookshopping mood until the next pay day.

Free Books on Google Play Store, Everyone!

Yeah guys! Freebies!

What more can I say? And remember, don't judge a book by its cover =)

Tap the 'Entertainment' tab, besides 'App & Games' and voila! Do you see where it is said 'books' to click? Enjoy!

It Doesn't Have to Be New

Time to Bookswap? Waving your friends or post a tweet or status on Goodreads who wants to swap.

Thankfully, I have bookblogger groups on What'sApp, forums, and book club buddies I can always scream to whenever I want to do this. I'm sure you're surrounded by cool people whose books you want to have. On the other hand, time to get rid of your least fave book collection, right?

Some say, secondhand books are as worth as what those people say secondhand Balenciaga. Even though, I don't think it's the same, but you can have a new book finally somewhere in Betterworldbooks.com or Half Price Books. Unfortunately I don't know where to find this kind of places in Jakarta, but I recently got followed and likes by online bookshops on Instagram. 

The Power of Plastic Cards (2)

I have to repeat this point. I know they're amazing somehow!

Manage your book funds with another kind of plastic cards.

These cute Flazz Cards, E-Money---all those money that you topped up in a plastic cards---are not only handy for fast payment process. It can help you budget and limit your funds in certain amount, dedicated for books. 

That's how I do it. So, I can always have money to buy books when I need it. 

I'm using Flazz Cards BCA since years ago. You know I must have been grabbed by the cute designs. Yes! But the design determines what the money in the card is for. 

I put the Batgirl Flazz Card for toys and Hello Kitty & Dear Daniel under Cherry Blossoms for books. 

Save More for Books!

Yes, coz you know you'll need some bucks for this thing every month!

You can use your Flazz Cards, but I also have my Jenius account. It's an app where I can save and have another saving for certain needs. With interest, too!

The app comes with a Debit Card. Visa one. And a virtual card if you want to buy online books. You can buy books online with this... without worry. Why? You can set a limit of how much you want the money spent from the app to buy books (or any other things). Everything is under you control.

There's my favourite feature from this app, called DreamSaver. It's another saving section for your wishlist. I'm having Julia Child's cookbook as my wishlist. The new one is very expensive but I want the new one so bad. So, I'm going to save with this DreamSaver. 

DreamSaver allows you to reach your wishlist/dream by auto-debiting your money in the app into this section everyday. Depending on how much and how fast you want to achieve the dream. Sometimes, you don't realize if you don't go take away coffee everyday, you can afford what you want. This is how the app helps you. It will send notifications every time it will deduct your money to be saved in DreamSaver section.

Good luck, girls!