I’ve been gone from the site for awhile. On my time away, I started shopping for textbooks. Then I needed to shop for teen literature and plays for two other classes. When I noticed some of my orders didn’t reach the “$25 and over free shipping,” I started to get a few comics I’ve been waiting to buy. Though none were manga, which I need to catch up on, many of them were bargains. And because they were bargains, I think it is a good time for some people to go back and invest in their favorite hobby: collecting comics and manga.

Barnes & Noble is holding an After Holiday Sale and Clearance on many comics. Sadly, the online site is running out of stock on most comics. But hopefully there are a few copies left at the actual retail (just check for the store availability link usually on right side). I found Stephen King’s Dark Tower lying in the bargain section under Silver Surfer and Punisher for seven dollars. Now seven dollars is around the same price as a manga, but this was a hardcover book. Hardcovers usually sell around $20 to which I just wait for the paper back cover.

If Barnes & Noble isn’t your store for books, then Borders is the next best thing (or better). They may sell at retail prices, but they always have a discount to go with it. Right now the Borders website allows customers to use multiple coupons on their orders. If the bargain bin in B&N doesn’t tickle your fancy, try something more along your taste at a reduced price in Borders. For info on coupons, look at the greatest site ever made.

There is also Powell’s and Amazon’s online stores. Powell’s sells used books, and if you’re lucky comics and manga, and Amazon…everyone knows about Amazon. If there are other sites with great deals on comics and manga, now is the time to start sharing. It’s understandable if people still want to save their money, especially now. But if we can stretch our dollar for some quality entertainment, then why not?

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No, really. Go look at the Great Manga Project.

The economy isn’t looking too great nowadays, which means cutbacks on a few of our favorite shopping items like comics and manga. But if you really need your manga fix, even if it’s just one volume, here are a few dollar saving tips.

Buy Online

There is a simple reason for this other than laziness. Products offered online at retail websites are cheaper than at the store. Take a testimony from me.

Windy, Leenah, and I drove to Borders over the weekend to look for some “How To Draw Manga” books. Windy found one by Hikaru Hayashi priced at $25 (retail price). Leenah found another one by Christopher Hart priced at $22 (retail price). Since Leenah didn’t have money to pay for hers, I had to. I knew it was cheaper online, but she didn’t want to wait for it in the mail. She wanted it now.

Guess what happened when I checked for price comparison on the items bought? The books were priced under $20 at Amazon.

I could go into the detail as to why it’s cheaper online and whatnot, but I don’t think people care about that. The point is buy online. Now if the retail price is the same as the online price, time to move to the next tip.

Buy Used

If you are the type of person that keeps your old books in mint condition, then skip this option. You don’t have to buy manga from the users themselves. Powell’s Books is a great site that sells new and used books from one warehouse. Though they may not have the biggest manga collection, it’s reassuring to know the exact condition my books are in (and that they are coming in the mail).

Get a Book, Pretend You Don’t Have Money, and Get Someone Else To Pay For It

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It worked for Leenah.

Trade

Mangatude has a community of people wanting to trade manga and other related products. I haven’t tried this options. I have a thing about trusting users for getting my order. You can decide on the option by checking out this article by Deb Aoki.

Okay, if there are other tips you want to share (other than One Manga and sites like that) leave a comment.