Everyone says that having books and reading to kids are important because it connects parents to children, instigates their imagination, concentration, and helps them develop good communication skills, learn to read and write better and the list goes on...However, a home library can very quickly break the bank when you try to get a rich variety for them or when they get hooked on a series that seems to go on endlessly beyond book #20.

Here are some tips on how to ensure to have exciting books at home on a budget:

1. Go to your local library

Sounds obvious but many people forget they can borrow books for weeks on local libraries. Many libraries also provide the service to reserve a book through an app or their website, which is great for the kids who love a series!

If borrowing can be a bit overwhelming, most libraries will sell pre-loved books for cents! We often see libraries selling 5 books for a dollar...bargain!

Schools sometimes make sale of their books too, all you have to do is to ask them about it and see when their next book event is.

2. Street library

This is probably one of my favourite. In many cities in the world, the street library movement is having a good deal of attention. It is totally free. All you have to do is to find one and get a book you like! You can either return the book you took after reading or bring another one to keep the library alive. You then, keep the book you took for as long as you like. If you are keen, you can register to have a street library yourself or just simply make one!  

3. Used books 

You can find board books for 3 dollars or less on second-hand bookshops, op-shops or even Amazon, eBay and Gumtree. If you decide to buy online, remember that shipping can quickly increase the price of the books and make it not a good deal after all.

4. Book swop

Easy one! Talk to a few friends to do a book swop a few times during the year. Maybe swop books at the beginning of every season or every school term. It's a win!

5. Book as birthday present

When guests ask what is a good idea for a birthday present say books! Even better, mention a specific book or type of book (about numbers, farm animals, a flip the flap book, an Atlas or the numbers they don't have of their series) or of a particular author. Don't feel bad about asking for specific presents,  as a guest of many children's birthday party myself, it is so much easier to get a gift that you know the birthday child will like.

6. Car boot sales and local markets

When children outgrow an age group, parents are quick to send away the old stuff and that includes books. So make your way to local markets and keep an eye for car boot or garage sales for some super cheap - if not free - books!

7.ebooks

eBooks might not be something good for very young children but it might be a good habit to give teenagers. Instead of scrolling, they can immerse themselves in digital books. There are plenty of free eBooks of classic stories and new good quality writers. Do some research on what titles are trending between youngsters and download it for them.

8. Giveaways

Follow book reviewers, authors, illustrators, publishing houses, teachers, librarians and parents on social media. There are loads of giveaways frequently. Just make sure to follow who has the same interests as you, for example, if your children are 0-5 years old, follow who review books on the same age group. A quick browse through their posts will tell you if they will be helpful to you or not.

9. Go for quality not quantity

It's better to have a few good books than dozens of badly written or poorly illustrated books.

10. Browse

Sometimes, smaller bookshops have cheaper books than the major stores on malls and main streets. Ask around and see where your friends buy books. Also, remember to be in the lookout for seasonal books, for example, Christmas books will be cheaper after Christmas. Books about mum, dad, Halloween, starting school and other events will have the same marketing flow.

Remember that a library is built slowly, through a few years, it grows, it shrinks....Some books come for a reason, others for a season and a mostly come for a lifetime.