I’m excited to feature my travel book, Uncommon Adventures, in this post. However, while my paperback only costs $6.98 (and the ebook is just $2.99), books often are pretty pricey. Travel books are definitely no exception!
Despite the price, travel books will contribute to having a better time traveling. Famous travel writer Rick Steves often says “Guide books are a $20 investment for a $2000 trip.” But I know firsthand that when it comes to saving for a big trip, every penny counts. Especially if you’re visiting several destinations, a guide book for each location could add up to be hundreds of dollars!
It does seem counterintuitive for me as a travel writer to recommend ways to save on travel books, especially since some of these tips may cause less of a profit for me. But I think it’s important to share tips to save that will allow you to have richer travel experiences. If you like what I have to say and use any of these tips to save money while reading my book, I’ll still appreciate it.
Whether you want to read my book or a book by another author, here are some ways to save money when it comes to travel books.
Use the Library
This sounds like an obvious way to save money on books. Obviously, most libraries have a travel section where you can borrow books for free. But let’s dig deeper.
Be warned that using the library for travel books can sometimes end up costing MORE money! No, I’m not talking about late fees, though you should try to avoid that. A few weeks ago, I went to the library and decided to check out the travel section to see if they had any of my favorite travel books like Europe Through the Back Door or How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. Instead, a Rick Steves book about Belgium caught my eye. Since I’m planning a trip to Germany, which borders Belgium, I decided to thumb through it. Not only did I end up checking out the Belgium book, but it convinced me to take a side trip from Germany to Belgium! And since the bus from Hamburg to Brussels has a layover in Amsterdam, I decided to make a stop there too! So in the future when you see my Instagram pictures of Mannekin Pis or Anne Frank’s House, know it was the library’s fault that I went there!
Oftentimes, instead of browsing for books shelf by shelf, I go to the library website and search for books I want. Then I can reserve them, which is especially helpful if a book is currently checked out by someone else or is shelved at another branch. The library will ship it to my nearest library, which right now is within walking distance of my apartment. Yay for no gas or parking fees!
I know library books can be a bit of a debate in the writing community. Isn’t it better for the author if you buy a book? Check out the next tip for how you can use the library AND support an author at the same time.
Make Requests
Do you want a specific book that your library doesn’t have? Most libraries accept recommendations for the next books they should order. You can ask your librarian for the exact details on how to make this request, but often it’s as easy as filling out a short form on their website.
I’ve made many requests for book orders at my library, and most of them have been approved. I’ve requested travel guides and novels that take place in interesting locations. And I’ll admit, I requested that my library purchase both Uncommon Adventures and Girls Who Change the World, both books authored by this girl named Jessica Lippe.
If you can’t personally afford to buy a book, ask your library to make the purchase for you. It’s a great way to support an author. Better yet, if you’ve bought a book you really like, also ask the library to buy so others can share your book treasure. Naturally, I’d recommend going to your library’s website and requesting they order Uncommon Adventures right now!
As an added bonus to making library book order requests, you often get to be the very first person to check out a book, even before it’s been shelved!
(Note: You can still use this tip even if you don’t have this library service! Instead, make requests for specific books as Christmas or birthday presents. Friends and family probably want to give you a gift that will help you with your trip but would prefer to gift you something you can unwrap instead of cash or an experience gift. Travel books are the perfect solution.)
Use Your Resources
I’m not the biggest fan of AAA guide books. They’re very advertising-heavy and don’t seem to paint the full picture for their destinations. But I always get a copy of their book for my next destination. Why? Easy: I can get it for free.
If you or someone you know has a membership with AAA, getting their guide books is a great way to make up the cost of membership. (I’d also recommend membership for their emergency auto services, which I’ve used recently!) But there are probably lots of other resources available to you. We’ve already mentioned the library, and next, I’ll be talking about digital resources you may have. But you can also check out book exchanges such as Little Free Library, or online sources like blogs and Pinterest. Or find a traveler you know in person and ask if they have any literature they can pass on to you.
I’d highly recommend getting at least one hard copy of a travel book that you can keep in your possession. The rest of your travel books can be ebooks or from the library, but on your own hard copy, you can use the margins to take notes from your library books or other resources you can’t take on the trip with you. Then, tear out the pages of this book that are relevant to your specific trip.
I got the tip to tear out pages from your travel guide from Rick Steves. Of course, he recommends this because it will cause people to buy more of his books! However, it truly is a good tip since it allows you to pack lighter and keep more organized. Since I tear up my free AAA guidebook that’s filled with notes from Rick Steves and other sources, I don’t have to spend any money replacing torn books.
Digitize
You can buy Uncommon Adventures for $6.98, plus shipping. Or, if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can get the ebook for free! In this digital age, you can get the same exact content as a book’s print copy in digital form, but you’ll save several dollars by going the ebook route.
There are more ways than just eBooks to get good travel book content. Referencing Rick Steves again, in addition to reading his guidebooks, I often watch his PBS show. I have many of the episodes on DVD, but you can stream his shows and his lectures for free online. On his show, he often quotes sections of his books verbatim. He also has his Rick Steves Audio Europe app that contains audio tours, interviews, and excerpts of his books in audio form.
Whether you’re reading an eBook, streaming an educational program, or listening to an audiobook, there’s one extra advantage for travelers to use digital versions of books: they reduce the weight of your luggage! Instead of bringing a guide book for each of your destinations plus some recreational books, just download them all onto your phone or another device.
Uncommon Adventures is Compact!
While I often travel with just a Bible app on my phone nowadays, on my first trip to Europe, I struggled with how to pack a Bible when I wanted to pack light. Shortly before my trip, I attended a local street fair, and someone from a Christian booth offered me a free Bible. It was just the New Testament plus Psalms and Proverbs, but it was smaller than my hand. The small print and thin pages made it perfect for packing, and it was worth having a print Bible so I could take this cool picture in Athens on the exact spot where Acts 17 took place! (I share more about this amazing accidental experience in Uncommon Adventures.)
While Uncommon Adventures is a full-length book, the adjusted page margins and print size allow it to be only 84 pages. That’s thin enough to slip into your carry-on bag! And because it costs less to print fewer pages, that savings is passed on to you as the reader.
I know I like to have some books and daily reading guides in print form instead of digital, especially if I’m going someplace where I won’t always be able to charge my devices. In that case, avoid large print editions! (Even if you have a hard time seeing small print, a pair of reading glasses will probably take up less weight and space than bigger books.)
Another way that Uncommon Adventures is a great compact book is that it is multipurpose. Instead of a devotional and travel guide, you just have to bring this one slim book on your trip!
Be sure to check out Uncommon Adventures on Amazon and leave a review!
How have you saved money on books? Share your tips in the comments!
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Jessica Lippe 