Money & Work · 3 min read
Are Books Worth the Money? How to Read More for Less
Whether buying books is worth it, how to get more value from what you read, and practical ways to read widely for free through libraries, apps and swaps.
In short
A good book can pay for itself many times over, but you don't need to buy most of them. Use libraries and free apps for trying books, buy the ones you'll reread or annotate, and get more from each by taking notes and acting on one idea.
A new hardback can cost as much as a meal out. A shelf of personal development books can easily run into hundreds. So are books worth the money?
The short answer: a good book can be one of the best value purchases you'll ever make. But you don't need to buy most of the books you read, and how you read matters as much as what you spend.
Why books can be great value
Consider what's inside a well-researched book: years of an author's experience, research and thinking, distilled into a few hundred pages. If a single idea from a book helps you negotiate a better salary, save money, improve a relationship or avoid a costly mistake, it has paid for itself many times over.
Books also offer things that are hard to find elsewhere: depth, sustained attention and the chance to follow a complex argument from start to finish.
But you don't need to buy them all
Here are some ways to read widely without spending much:
- Public libraries. Most libraries lend books, ebooks and audiobooks free of charge to members. Many libraries use apps like Libby so you can borrow digital books on your phone. You can usually request books the library doesn't hold.
- Free classics. Project Gutenberg offers tens of thousands of public-domain books for free, including classic philosophy, literature and essays.
- Book swaps. Swap books with friends, use community book exchanges or join a book club.
- Second-hand shops. Charity shops and used bookshops offer books at a fraction of the new price.
- Samples. Most ebook stores let you read the first chapter free. If it doesn't grab you, don't buy it.
When it's worth buying
Some books are worth owning:
- Books you'll reread or refer back to often.
- Books you want to annotate, underline and fill with notes.
- Books by authors you want to support directly.
- Reference books you'll use for years.
A good rule: borrow first, buy if you find yourself wanting to keep it.
Getting more value from each book
The value of a book depends largely on what you do with it. Many people finish a book, feel inspired for a few days and then forget most of it. To get more out of your reading:
- Read with a question. Before you start, write down what you hope to learn.
- Take brief notes. Jot down key ideas, quotes and page numbers. A few lines per chapter is enough.
- Summarise when you finish. Write three to five main ideas in your own words.
- Act on one idea. Pick one concrete thing to try within a week. This is where most of the value lies.
- Talk about it. Explaining a book to someone else helps you understand and remember it.
Don't finish books you don't enjoy
Life is short and there are many books. If a book isn't working for you after fifty pages or so, it's fine to stop. Some readers find this hard, out of a sense of duty or sunk cost. Let it go. The time is better spent on something you'll get value from.
A balanced reading diet
Personal development books can be helpful, but they often repeat similar ideas. Balance them with novels, history, biography, science and poetry. Fiction in particular can build empathy and offer insight into lives very different from your own.
Try this
Make a list of five books you've been meaning to read. Check whether your library has them. Borrow one this week, read it with a question in mind and act on one idea.
Related: invest in your most important asset: yourself and our book notes.
Sources and further reading
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