Your Guide to Buying Children's Books in Bulk

Books are expensive. Children will read these books many, many times, but will eventually out grow them and need to get more advanced books. As your children grow, their interests and the things they want to read, will change. Since you'll be buying books frequently throughout the course of their lives, spending less money for more books is always the best way to go.

Why spend $5 to $20 each on books, when you can grab used books, most often in sets, for just a few dollars, or maybe even less than a dollar each? The savings you'll get when you buy books in bulk will give you more room for other things, such as the new bookshelf you're going to have to buy to hold all the new books in your personal library.

Ebay is an absolutely wonderful place to find children's books, and to get a lot of them for your money. In fact, it is usually the first place I go. For my son's Christmas gifts, I wanted to get him a collection of Dr. Seuss Books. At $8 a pop plus tax brand new, I nearly fainted when I realized how much of my Christmas budget it would use. I turned to Ebay where I was able to find a collection of 20 books, for $40. Shipping was free, too. Granted, not all the books were Dr. Seuss, but the others were Berenstain Bears, and Little Bear, hardly a compromise. All of them were hardback, and in excellent condition. For $2 a book, I secured a relatively decent addition to our already growing library. We now read at least two of these books a night!

The key is to search for "wholesale lots" when you see the side options, after searching for "children's books". Some deals you may find are going to be better than others, so it is important to break it down to get a per book cost, including shipping, to see where the best deals are going to come from before you start bidding. Look for "Buy it Now" auctions or auctions that are ending very soon for the best chance of winning. If you're going to chance an auction that doesn't end for a day or more, set a firm final price you'd be willing to pay, and forget it. Don't get caught up in the moment bidding, or you may lose the value you were seeking in the first place.

Other Ways of Bulk Buying Children's Books

• Check your local charity stores. They usually have a wide selection of books under a $1 apiece, and oftentimes have sets.
• Go to the local library and see if there are any books they are replacing or are too worn for their use.
• Check out local used book stores in your area.
• Check for a Scholastic Warehouse Sale in your area.