4 Tips To Get Free Books Online

Reading books is a fun and engaging activity that allows you to gain new insights, expand your perspective, and generally become well-versed on certain subjects. Apart from this, reading can contribute to your creative thinking ability, which supports your problem-solving skills. Moreover, research claims that reading increases brain power, boosts memory, and mental sharpness. 

Tips To Feed Your Reading Addiction For Free

With all the mentioned benefits, no wonder why there are a lot of people who prefer to consume content through books. However, as you become an avid reader, you might wonder how you can collect more materials without having to stretch out from your budget. Eventually, you’ll have to come up with a few, creative ways to satisfy your desire for books.

Are you ready to dive in and find out how you can get free books online? Below are tips you should take note of.

1. Check Out Free Book Websites

Here’s a not-so-secret tip — there are certain pages online that allow you to freely and legally download electronic books (eBooks). While not every book will be available on these sites, at least you can enjoy an array of literature genres in the comfort of your space. 

You can check out Free Ebooks from Obooko and other similar digital places for a unique collection of novels, classics, short stories, factual, and more. Thanks to technology and these certain websites, reading has become an inexpensive hobby. These resources will surely help feed your reading addiction.

You can freely download your preferred reads and take them with you whenever you’re alone or while traveling afar. Books are almost always the best company and can even make the journey far less intimidating. 

2. Swap Books Online

Another tip to get free reads is to exchange your eBooks with your friends and family. What’s great with this is that you necessarily don’t have to go out to swap with them. It’s also a convenient way to make your reading material diverse and interesting.

Likewise, this allows your loved ones to finally read the book you’ve been talking about for weeks. They’ll surely be able to understand your sentiments and share another viewpoint once they’re done. You can even organize a book swapping group online to make it more fun and interactive.

Furthermore, check in with your online community as there might be book swapping activities in which you can join. There are even region-specific sites that encourage readers to pass books physically, especially if you prefer to meet up with the person you’re trading books with.

Apart from eBooks, audiobooks have also risen in fame because it allows people to consume content on the go. Swapping audiobooks allows you to dive into the plot while you’re cooking, riding on the bus, waiting for the train, and doing other mundane activities. If you’re short on time, this can be a perfect solution to continue following your protagonist’s story. 

With all these, consider exchanging books online. However, make sure to record the books you’ve borrowed and sent out. Also, a book trading etiquette is to return books in the same condition. Otherwise, your friends and family might want to opt-out from swapping reads again.

3. Help Out In Exchange For Free Books

Skim through your community page and see whether or not there are recent posts of people who need online assistance. Alternatively, if you know someone in the neighborhood who needs help in sorting their digital files, offer support in exchange for free books.

If you did great, they might even give you another free reading material in exchange for your excellent service. All these new books can surely help improve your writing skills, especially if you’re currently finishing an essay for school.

4. Be On The Lookout For Online Giveaways

Giveaways always occur everywhere in the online world. For instance, the representatives and leaders of your online book club might host giveaways as a way to pay forward. 

Additionally, if your favorite author releases a new book, make sure to keep an eye out for their posts. At times, authors give away their books to a few people as a way of promoting their work and attracting attention from the public. 

Online bookstores might launch giveaways to drive traffic to their sites. Considering all these options, make sure to be alert and sign up for certain newsletters that’ll notify you every time a giveaway is ongoing. You can also follow certain hashtags online that help you discover live book events and giveaways. 

Takeaway

Knowledge is power and is something no one can take away from you. If you’re planning to make reading a habit, you don’t have to struggle and find money to splurge on books. By following the tips and suggestions above, you can enjoy a plethora of free reading treasures online.

15 Must-Read Books About Personal Finance

Improving your financial literacy can seem like a daunting task. From making investments to planning for retirement, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Luckily, there are all kinds of books to help you expand your knowledge.

Check out these 15 personal finance books covering a wide range of topics:

Books on Investing

1. The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing: Co-written by Mel Lindauer, Taylor Larimore, Michael LeBoeuf, and John C. Bogle, this book offers a variety of viewpoints on the basics of investing.

2. A Random Walk Down Wall Street: Author Burton G. Malkiel describes the history, economics, and market theory that can help investors understand how to best use their money.

3. The Book on Rental Property Investing: Offering easy-to-understand tips, Brandon Turner tells readers how to successfully invest in real estate.

Books on Gaining Wealth

1. Everyday Millionaires: Author Chris Hogan compiles advice from real people who got rich and explains how readers can make the same smart financial choices.

2. The Simple Path to Wealth: In this step-by-step guide, JL Collins teaches readers how to build wealth using data-backed strategies.

3. Rich Dad Poor Dad: Robert Kiyosaki compares the financial planning methods used by one wealthy and one non-wealthy father, offering thoughtful insight and giving advice on best practices.

Books on Planning for Retirement

1. How Much Money Do I Need to Retire?: Author Todd Tresidder answers the most important retirement questions and explains the fundamentals of planning for your future.

2. How to Make Your Money Last: For every step in the retirement planning process, Jane Bryant Quinn explains the necessary topics and offers actionable advice for readers.

3. AgeProof: Co-authors Jean Chatzky and Michael F. Roizen discuss the relationship between health and wealth and advise readers on the best ways to use health and retirement benefits.

Books on Budgeting

1. The Financial Diet: From budgeting pro-tips to guidance on mortgages, Chelsea Fagan draws on her personal experience and advice from other experts to discuss ways to handle various financial concerns.

2. How to Manage Your Money When You Don’t Have Any: If you struggle with money management, author Erik Wecks offers easy tips for dealing with everyday expenses.

3. The One Week Budget: Tiffany Aliche provides actionable steps for managing money in a way that promotes financial freedom.

Books on Handling Finances After College

1. Broke Millennial: Author Erin Lowry offers easily digestible advice for millennials on difficult-to-grasp concepts, such as handling student loans and discussing debt with a partner. 

2. I Will Teach You To Be Rich: Taking the stress out of money management, Ramit Sethi walks through the best ways to tackle key financial topics including car purchases and wedding payments.

3. Get a Financial Life: Beth Kobliner teaches readers in their twenties and thirties a wide range of personal finance topics, like handling taxes and reducing debt.

No matter which area of personal finance you’re aiming to grasp, a book is a great way to get started. To apply what you learn, download this printable worksheet from Annuity.org and keep your financial goals in mind as you read.

5 Things To Know About Digital Comic Books

Have you ever been a comic book fan? When you were growing up, you might remember them being commonplace, as they were available in supermarkets, newsstands, bookstores, and many other retail stores. Some famous bookstores catered these trade paperback copies, and their sales were quite doing very well. 

Unfortunately, there are fewer comic book stores and physical bookstores available now than a few years ago. This is ultimately due to the rise of digitalization. People would instead use and read resources from their PC, tablet, and smartphones. This goes the same when they want to dive into the thrilling world of digital comics. 

Because of the digital age, the comic book industry was in danger of going extinct. As more people became interested in the virtual world for fun and entertainment, comic books that were widely popular from the late 20th century became neglected from the shelves. Some publishers faced difficulties staying in business, so they had to adopt strategies that don't seem to work even on their regular customers. Finally, after accepting the digital age, the comic book industry decided to adapt. 

If you're just starting your journey towards adapting to digital comics, here are some basic things you need to know about them: 

What Are Digital Comics? 

A digital comic book is a comic book in electronic form. A new digital comic becomes available at the same time as its paper counterpart. Digital publishing eliminates the inconvenience of walking into a bookstore to find out that a popular title has sold out. Thus, digital comic books may be more dependable than print books, considering this context. In addition, some digital comics copies include some bonus materials or promotional gimmicks that may not be offered in print versions. 

How Can You Create a Digital Comic Book? 

You may be asking yourself, 'how to make a comic book?' This second question is a given if you are a comic artist yourself and you're planning on self-publishing your works. Before you dive into the publishing part, learn the following steps in creating your digital comic book first:

• Begin With an Idea 

An idea is the foundation of every endeavor; the same goes for comic books. The best tool for a storyteller is your digital notebook, where you can write or type anytime and anywhere. Keep your writing device nearby so you can jot down ideas as soon as they pop into your head. 

• Construct The Story 

Invest the time in writing a script. There are easy ways to improve your writing skills. No fancy app is needed, and you do not need to shell out vast amounts of money for it. It's adequate to hire text editors. 

• Plan The Layout 

You should ensure that the layout will keep the reader engaged. The act of ending some pages with a cliffhanger may help do this. It would help if you focused on drawing your readers into your comics. 

• Draw Your Comics 

It's not necessary to turn in a perfect piece of work at this stage. Concentrate on sketching your comic when inspiration hits; later on, you can add color and add more details. 

• Make The Right Lettering 

Lettering is an integral part of creating a comic. Your story may be fantastic. You may provide excellent illustrations. However, if your lettering looks messy, no one will read your story! 

• Market And Sell 

Marketing and selling your comic are difficult. Informing people is the best option for you. Share it with your family and friends! Tell everyone! This is relatively easy thanks to platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. 

How Wide Is the Selection for Digital Comics? 

If you have known the history of comics and graphic novels and are seeking materials that have been published since the mid-90s, chances are there might be digital copies of those items. The number of comic books may very well exceed hundreds of thousands from different publishers and titles. Publishing companies collect older comic books so they can convert them into digital format. The answer to this question is that digital comics do have an extensive selection that goes way back from two to three decades ago.  

Why Are Digital Comics the Same Price with Printed Ones? 

Since digital comics do not involve paper and ink, you might wonder why they are the same price as print comics. This is a viable question to ask. 

For digital conversion of comics, publishers often hire dedicated staff. Depending on the need, comic books must be prepared in different formats like epub, pdf, and so on, which requires file management, tracking, and submitting to various electronic marketplaces. 

One more reason why digital comics cost the same as print: Publishers want to make sure that they are not undercutting themselves or the comic shops. 

Can You Own the Digital Comics That You Buy? 

Generally, you can't own the digital comics you buy. Even though some digital comic book purchases include ownership, most are rentals. Unlimited lifetime access to its resources is provided by paying a certain amount to the source. 

On the other hand, this is better since it eliminates the need for a larger hard drive to store all your comic purchases. You just need to access them from the retailer's server when you feel like you want to. 

Conclusion 

That covers some of the things you need to know about digital comics. Digital comics are becoming more popular these days. Now is the best time for you to shift and take a plunge into the digital formats since illegal acquisitions of digital comics are not yet commonplace.  

How to Create a Kid-Friendly Book Nook

With some libraries and book stores temporarily closed, it might feel harder to encourage your child to foster a love for reading.

That’s where a reading nook can help! By creating a kid-friendly book nook in your home, children will feel empowered to embark on a literary adventure or dream up a story of their own. 

Value of a Reading Nook in the Home

Reading stories can help develop a child’s brain, hone their ability to focus, and cultivate communication skills. Not only are books fun and adventurous, but they expose children to real-world events from a safe distance. Reading together is a great way to strengthen your bond and help them unpack emotions in a comfortable space. 

How to Create a Book Nook 

Credit: https://www.zolo.ca/blog/reading-nook-ideas

If you’re interested in creating your own kid-focused reading nook, we’ve outlined a few steps to get you started. 

Find a Small, Secluded Area

The first step is finding the perfect place to create your reading nook. Whether it’s simply a chair by a window or a corner of a room dedicated to reading, kids won’t need too much space. You’ll want to make sure whatever location you pick is not highly trafficked and is quiet and optimal for reading. 

Keep it Fun-Focused

From hanging lights to adding creative decor, the best way to encourage your little one to stop and read for a spell is to decorate it with them in mind! Add elements of whimsy and adventure or better yet, let them have a hand in how to it looks. Kids know what’s fun, so use their wildest decoration ideas as inspiration!

Keep it Functional 

The last thing you want is a small space slowly taking over your home. Double reading nook decor as storage by adding a book cart, or shelving to hold soon-to-be-read books. If your little one doesn’t require much space, consider hanging a canopy or adding bean bags that can easily be tucked into a corner. If you’re repurposing a closet as a reading nook, tuck bins and books into the upper shelf, and add a big floor pillow below. 

We hope that our reading nook ideas provide you with inspiration to create your own book nook for your child to enjoy. For even more tips, check out Zolo’s guide to creating the perfect book nook every child will love!

How To Store and Display Your Books When You Live in a Small Space

Owning various copies of all your favorite books is great, but it's easy for an extensive collection to clutter a small home or apartment. Finding ways to store books in a small apartment is important as it not only keeps your home organized and clutter-free, but it also keeps your books fresh and longer-lasting. 

Check out these tips on how to store your books and keep them fresh while in storage or on display.

Avoid direct sunlight

Direct sunlight can eat away the color of your books which causes the covers to look old and dull. Not only that, but the heat from the sun is a temperature issue you’ll want to avoid, so make sure that your books aren’t displayed in a sunny window or that you have the proper sun-blocking shades to avoid any sun damage.

Ideal humidity and temperature

Another important factor to consider when storing your books is the humidity and temperature. An environment that’s too damp will cause harm to the pages of your books while an environment that is too dry can eventually lead to the pages becoming brittle. Try to keep a balanced air quality to avoid any damage.

Keeping the temperature between 60-70 degree Fehrenheit is ideal for keeping your books from cracking, bending or molding. You’ll want to avoid walls that are turned to the exterior as the outside air can fluctuate in temperature and humidity.

Proper cleaning

Make sure to have a proper cleaning and dusting routine to ensure that your books stay fresh. Dust and other build-up that accumulates on your books can start to age them. If your books will be kept away in storage, invest in a dust jacket to keep them clean while they are not on display.

Book arrangement and shelving

Make sure that you arrange your books either upright in a vertical position or laying down horizontally — never tilted. Keep them snuggled up against each other, but not too tight as you want to be able to easily remove them when need be.

Where and how you store your books plays a huge role in keeping them fresh while on display or in storage. You’ll want to keep them on a rust-proof metal shelf or on wood that is treated with water-borne polyurethane varnish. Avoid wood like cedar as the acid in that type of wood can end up harming your books over a long period of time. 

Now that you know how to store your books properly, check out this visual below on 20 ways to creatively display your books in a small apartment.

Credit: https://www.apartmentguide.com/

Why You Should Host a Virtual Book Swap

We’ve all given one another book recommendations during the pandemic. But why not try hosting a fun virtual book swap in which you trade books with your friends and family? 

The team at Wikibuy created these virtual book swap wishlists to help you out. It’s like Secret Santa — but for books! 

Here’s how it works: you gather a group and have everyone fill out their wishlists with the books that they’ve read recently and the types of books they’d like to read in the future. (There’s also a version of the wishlist for the little ones to draw pictures of the types of books they’d like to receive.) 

Then, everyone gets someone else’s wishlist and tries to find a book from their personal library to match the preferences of their wishlist recipient. Finally, you mail your book to your wishlist recipient. 

This is a great way to declutter your bookshelf and receive some new reading materials from the people who know you the best. Download the book swap wishlists, and give it a try!