There are many reasons to use e-books and e-readers. They are portable, convenient, and offer tons of high-tech features and options to enhance your reading experience in ways that ordinary books cannot. But one of the most compelling reasons that people like e-book reading is that it can save them enormous amounts of money. Since Amazon.com was the inventor and seller of the first really popular e-reader, the Kindle, it’s only natural that the majority of people who like e-books shop on Amazon. So here are a couple of money-saving tips that may help you next time you visit Amazon for items related to e-reading.
Tip #1: Buy in Bundles for Big Savings
A smart way to save if you’re investing in an e-reader is to shop on Amazon and search for “bundles,” which are special bargains offered by that retailer. Oftentimes you’ll find deals where Amazon will offer an e-reader plus a whole package of useful and valuable accessories, all bundled together. Typically the accessories are essential items that you would want to purchase anyway at the time you buy your new e-reader gadget.
Buy in a bundle, and you have the convenience of purchasing everything you need at one time, which makes shopping easier and quicker. But you may also be able to take advantage of special bundle pricing. When you use the Amazon search engine to browse for an item, just add the word “bundle”. For example, if you search for “Kindle Paperwhite” you’ll get results for those devices. But search for “Kindle Paperwhite bundle” and the search engine should put any Kindle Paperwhite bundled special deals at the top of your search results.
Example of Special Bundle Deals
A recent search revealed a special Kindle Voyage Travel Bundle. That includes a brand new Kindle Voyage 6-inch e-reader…plus extras like a premium leather cover, power adapter and travel bag, for a grand total of about $305. Normally that would cost you close to $375. The same kind of bundle offer for Kindle Paperwhite, with accessories…including the stylish little travel bag…was listed at $199.97. But if you bought all of these e-reader items separately at the regular pricing, it would cost you $269.96.
Similarly, there is a Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including the Kindle Paperwhite and a leather cover, that can save you 20 percent off the price you’d pay for the e-reader and its bundled accessories if purchased separately. A Fire Tablet, which can be used as a great e-reader, was also offered along with an Alexa gadget, for a bundled discount of about 25 percent. That’s a huge savings, and you can then parlay the money you save into purchasing more of your favorite e-books.
Tip #2 Take Advantage of Amazon Warehouse Deals
Another great way to save on Amazon when shopping for e-reader items is to browse the warehouse, which is Amazon’s version of a bargain bin. Many customers who shop on Amazon.com every day are not aware of the section of the online mega-retailer’s store that is devoted to special marked-down merchandise. If you are one of those who doesn’t regularly check-out Amazon Warehouse Deals, it may be worth your while to give this discount section of Amazon a look.
The deals can change from day to day or month to month, but basically the inventory offered through Amazon Warehouse Deals is huge. Much of it also appeals to e-book readers. What you’ll find is deeply discounted items that are being sold that way due to such things as minor cosmetic imperfections, merchandise that isn’t in its original box, and that sort of thing.
The items are in perfectly good working order, so if you aren’t picky about a scuff or a missing original box, you may be able to find huge money-saving bargains. A recent browse through Amazon Warehouse Deals found a Kindle Oasis with a premium leather charging cover, with minor cosmetic imperfections, for about $75 off the regular price. You can also find refurbished items like Kindles, if you’re hunting for a cheaper way to buy an e-reader.
Why E-Reading is So Economical
Once you make a basic initial investment to buy an e-reader, the cost of reading material – whether it’s textbooks, fiction, nonfiction, or newspapers and magazines – is drastically reduced. Plus that e-reader investment may not be very much at all. There are some great ones on the market that don’t cost much more than a single hardback book.
You may also already own a device that can work as an e-reader, whether you realize it or not. You can use most tablets, laptops, and other computers as e-readers, for instance, so there are hardly any financial barriers to e-reading…but the savings can be fantastic and continue to save you money for many years to come.
