At $8 - $12 per volume, buying manga can be an expensive habit. But you don't have to bust your budget to satisfy your craving for manga. There are several ways to enjoy your favorite graphic novels without going broke. Try these 13 money-saving tips, plus a few words about scanlations.
1. Buy it used at a bookstore
© Deb Aoki
Who says you need a pristine copy to enjoy reading manga? If you're willing to do a little hunting, you can find gently read copies of manga at your local used bookstore. Some recommended shops to try:
- Book Off - Los Angeles, NYC, Honolulu
- Powell's Books - Portland, Oregon
- Half Price Books - Nationwide
- Strand Books – New York City
2. Buy it used online
Don't have a great used bookstore near you, or are you looking for that out-of-print gem? Try hunting down used manga online.
A word to the wise: Be sure to take into account the additional shipping costs, because sometimes the extra few dollars for shipping can make your used books cost as much, if not more than a new copy.
3. Sell your used manga
So how do these used bookstores get their stock of pre-read manga? Simple. People like you and me sell it back to them. Granted, you won't get much back in cash for your books, but used bookstores will frequently give you more back if you take your payment in store credit. Which, it almost goes without saying, you can use to buy more used manga.
4. Join a frequent book buyers club
If you've got to have it new, or want the very latest releases at a discount, your best bet is to join your local bookstore's frequent buyer's club.
- Borders Rewards - I'm a fan of the Borders Rewards program, because they send me email coupons for 20 – 30% off practically every week, and I get a store credit for $5 for every $75 I spend. Best of all, it's free to join.
- Barnes and Noble - B and N's frequent buyer club costs $25 / year, but you'll get discount coupons and 10% off every purchase online or at their stores nationwide.
- Books-a-Million Millionaires Club - Nationwide chain Books-a-Million's frequent buyers club costs $10 / year, but it offers 10% off discounts year-round on every purchase.
5. Buy it on sale
Borders and Amazon will occasionally offer "Buy 5, get one free" promotions, which is effectively a 20% discount off the regular cover price. A great excuse to stock up on manga you've been meaning to read, or fill the holes in your collection.
6. Buy it from an online discount manga shop
There are a few online outlets that specialize in offering manga at substantial discounts. If you're keen on stocking up on your favorite titles, this might be a good way to go. Here are a few options:
- Anime Castle offers discounts from 10-50%, depending on the title.
- Anime Wild offers manga at 25% off the cover price.
- Just Manga offers manga at $5.55 with membership in their frequent buyers club, Club 555.
- Right Stuf offers new manga at a discount, and free shipping with orders over $49.
7. Borrow it from your local library
Cheap is good, but free is better. Borrowing manga from the library is always a good option, especially when your cash flow is low. If your local neighborhood or school library doesn't have what you'd most like to read, leave a note or chat with your librarian. They want to stock what you love to read, and they'll almost always appreciate your suggestions for the next additions to their collection.
8. Try trading your manga online
© Kirsten and Jeff Rose
- Mangatude - a free website which includes ratings of fellow traders (Read a interview with Mangatude founder Kirsten Rose)
- MangaTrade (a Yahoo Group)
- Manga_Trade (a LiveJournal group)
- Paperback Swap - an site that features all genres of paperback books
9. Visit a manga cafe
© Deb Aoki
- Manga Cafe Mika - San Francisco, California
- Nix Manga Cafe - Los Angeles, California
10. Borrow it from your friends
If you and your friends all read and love manga, why not start a manga club? One way to set this up is to have each member buy a different manga series and make it available to the other members to read. This way, you and your friends can read and enjoy a variety of titles. Make sure to label your books and keep tabs on who borrowed what and when. The downside to this? The friend who doesn't return your manga, or worse, returns it damaged.
