I love to read! Fiction, non-fiction, homemaking, how-to's, and business building books are just some of my favorites. When I see a good book, it's hard to pass up, especially if it relates to one of the goals on my never-ending to-to list. But to save money we sometimes have to be patient. So instead of always just buying a great read the first time I see it, I check some of my resources to see if I can get it for free. Yes, you read that right ... for free!

There are a few obvious ways to find the book that you are looking for and get it for free. First, ask your friends and family if they have it. With the exception of books, I regularly reference. I know after I read a book it sits on my shelf for a long time collecting dust before I read it again, if ever. I'm sure this same thing happens with your books too, along with your family and friends, so there should be no problem lending them out. Give some people a call and see if they have what you're looking for. Don't forget about the local libraries. With a few clicks of the mouse from your home you can see if the title you are looking for is available or even have it transferred from another library if it isn't in stock. Obviously, you may have to wait some time if it's a new or popular book you are looking for, but free usually trumps being impatient for me. If you have books that you are ready to part with, check out PaperBackSwap.com. There you can list the books you want to get rid of and get credits to use on books you would like once someone requests your book. You’ll have to pay to ship your book to the requester but any books you redeem your credits on will be shipped to you for free.

If you're more of the eReader type, boy are you in luck! There are tons of places to find free eBooks. I'll list just a few of the most popular places, but be on the lookout for them whenever you are online. If you have an eReader, you're probably familiar with how to get books for it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Did you know there are also quite a few free eBooks there too? Sign up for the Amazon Kindle Daily Deals Newsletter to get a promotional code for an eligible Kindle title (there's a list you can choose from) or check Barnes & Noble's free Nook books page to see what's available. eReaderGirl.com gives daily updates of free eBooks including Nook and Kindle books along with PDF's that can be read on the computer. At another site, StoryCartel.com, you can get a free eBook in exchange for an honest review of the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and blogs.

Also remember if you find a free Kindle book you like but haven't taken the leap into buying a Kindle eReader yet, you can always download the free Kindle reading app on your phone, computer, or other device.

Happy saving!