MoneyMagpie: How to Stick to Your Reading Resolutions on a Budget

Founded by TV personality and money expert Jasmine Birtles (Homes Under the Hammer, GMB, This Morning, BBC News plus many more), MoneyMagpie has been helping millions of people make better financial decisions for over a decade.

There’s been a growing literacy crisis in the UK for a while, which is why the Government announced last year that 2026 is the National Year of Reading. And while a lot of their campaign will be aimed at getting more children to read regularly, I thought it was a good time to encourage everyone to pick up a book now and then!

Reading is a pastime that’ll make you richer, happier, and more relaxed, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do so. Books are expensive, but I’ve found several ways you can get them free or cheap to stick to your new reading goals for 2026.

Sign up to the library

This is the most obvious one perhaps, but fewer people than ever are using libraries. And it’s one of those community services that if you don’t use it, you lose it!

With a free library card, you can borrow books, eBooks, and audiobooks – but you can also borrow things like board games, DVDs, CDs, and some even have tool libraries if you need to do some DIY.

If you don’t have one nearby, don’t fret: you can sign up online for a library card these days, and use it to read eBooks and audiobooks. Some libraries also have a delivery and collection service for people who can’t leave the house easily, so speak to yours and find out what’s on offer.

Try free trials

There are lots of reading-related apps you can try for free. Rotate through a few to find one you like, and then consider signing up for the subscription if you’re an avid reader. It’s a lot cheaper to pay one monthly fee for unlimited books or magazines than buying separately.

The most famous is Kindle Unlimited via Amazon.co.uk, and also Kobo Plus which is part of Kobo. Right now, you can try three months of Kindle Unlimited for just 99p, and Kobo Plus for 30 days for free. If you prefer magazines, Readly has a two-month free trial on right now, with thousands of titles including back issues available.

If you prefer audiobooks, look for free trials such as Bookbeat, which currently has a 60-day free trial, and Everand has 30 days free. Spotify and Audible also have audiobooks, but wait for free trials as they are the most expensive and limiting options.

Sign up to get free eBooks

Avid readers can get their hands on free books from places like NetGalley, which offers advanced copies. This means you can read them before they come out for sale! To get this, you will need to leave reviews, which don’t take very long and are really helpful for anyone considering buying the book. Remember, a review doesn’t have to be positive: if the book wasn’t for you, the things you didn’t like might be exactly what someone else is looking for! So honest reviews are always best.

Remember to also sign up to author newsletters to get giveaways and updates about their latest books. They will often reach out to their newsletter readers before anyone else to look for advance copy readers, or send exclusive short stories or even novellas to their subscribers.

Publishers will also have their own newsletters, where you can find out about the latest upcoming releases as well as access exclusive discounts and early-bird sales.

Find discount book shops

If you love physical books, make sure you become a regular at your local charity shop. They’re always inundated with books that you can pick up for far less than the original retail price. Second-hand bookshops will often also offer a trade-in price, if you bring some of your books to exchange, too.

The Works is great for getting discounted big-name books, while eager readers will benefit from getting a loyalty card from Waterstones or their local independent bookshop, to earn points and freebies.

Invest in a multi-platform e-reader

If you want to read eBooks, you might automatically think of a Kindle to read them on. These are great but limited to the Amazon Kindle platform. Kobo e-readers are fab for Kobo eBooks, and also allow library apps to borrow free books from your library.

But the market winner is Boox e-readers, because they run on Android and are open system. This means you can download the Kindle, Kobo, and library apps, as well as your audiobook apps, onto one device. The Boox Go 7 Color Gen II is my favourite for the size and colour screen, though the Palma2 is a super handy small size for those who prefer something on the go.