Is it possible to save money and still be successful on Bookstagram? When I first started out on Bookstagram I was in awe of all of the bookish things I never knew existed, and I needed everything! Thinking about how to save money while still being a part of this bookish community didn’t cross my mind until much later than it should have. I was swept up in the pretty pictures, the bookish merch, and ALL THE BOOKS. It was fine to splurge at first, but I wanted to stay in this community for a while, and consistently splurging was not healthy for me.
There are still lots of ways to enjoy all the perks of Bookstagram without constantly emptying out your wallets though! I have put down a few tips that I have found helpful to save money and still operate a successful (I say SUPER humbly) Bookstagram and treat yourself to all the pretty bookish things once in a while.
How to save money and still grow a following on Bookstagram?
You don’t NEED props unless you want them!
Many bookstagrammers take the majority of their bookstagram pictures with a lot of props. Fake flowers, cute decorations from Target and Michaels, bowls, etc… I remember watching stories of bookstagrammers “unhauling” all of their prop finds while out shopping and I went right out to the store and bought myself my own Bookstagram photo props. Not only was this expensive in the long run, but my apartment is small and I had no storage for everything I was purchasing AND I never really enjoyed taking staged photos with props.
I kept purchasing them because that is what I saw on Bookstagram and their photos were all so beautiful and I wanted my photos to be beautiful too. I eventually hit a wall in terms of my creativity and I no longer found Bookstagram as fun as it once was. It wasn’t until I decided to take the props out of the equation that I really hit my own personal Bookstagram photo style AND started to save money.
I know that a lot of people really do LOVE taking staged flat lays and book stack photos with pretty props surrounding the photo though, and if that is your preferred style then there are still tips for saving money while you do this. Take advantage of the dollar spot at Target, buy your props seasonally and take pictures with the same props for a couple of months (this will help keep your feed cohesive too), and set a Bookstagram prop budget.
There is nothing wrong with spending a little money on something that you enjoy doing, just make sure that you aren’t splurging and that you are spending your money on things that you really love and not what you think Bookstagram wants you to love.
You Don’t need to own all of the books to take pictures of them
I am a HUGE advocate of staging photos in bookstores and the main reason I do this is to save money! Taking pictures of yourself at Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore, may feel awkward at first, but you will eventually get into your groove, make friends with all of the booksellers, and start to have fun.
If you don’t enjoy taking pictures with yourself in the photo then go around the store and collect matching stacks of books, or hold a single title in front of the bookcases! (Just make sure to put all the books back when you are finished taking pics) Bookstagram photos do better when there are lots of books in the photo, so a bookstore as your background is perfect!
Tip: Most Bookstores have a social media account and if it makes you feel more comfortable taking pictures in the store you could offer to send them some of the photos you take to post on their own social media accounts. They will probably love the idea!
**Going out to bookstores might not be possible right now because of Covid, if you are taking pictures out and about make sure to stay safe and where a mask.
You Don’t need to own all of the books to review them
A big part of bookstagram is reading books so that you can stay updated on what is new and discuss what you are reading with all of your followers. Although it would be most fun to actually own the books you are reading, that sometimes isn’t possible financially. I have to always remind myself to make use of my libraries!!!
They are such a great resource and they normally have a lot of backlist titles that are easy to pick up quickly, and you can get on the list for newer more popular titles when they are returned. It can feel slightly less glamorous to take pictures of library books with the barcode stuck to the front, but you can always take pictures in bookstores and then read the library copy.
Requesting ARC’s, Advanced Reader Copies, of books is another great way to save money AND help authors and publishers promote their books. The easiest way to request ARC’s is to sign up for NetGalley, but you can ask publishers directly for specific copies of books too. This helps you stay in the know for what is new and popular on Bookstagram too, and people will start coming to your page for advice on new book titles coming out soon.
You can also take pictures of your E-readers. If you are recommending books most people won’t care if you have the physical book in your photo, or a picture of a tablet. The lighting of your photo is what is most important when taking photos of books on your tablet. Make sure the tablet is front and center and the lighting isn’t creating any kinds of glares. If you can’t afford an e-reader or tablet (we are trying to save money here after all) then you most likely can download an app onto your phone.
I don’t own an e-reader but I do have the kindle app and I take pictures of my phone for bookstagram all the time.
*This is a great option with Covid and needing to stay in quarantine and still save money too!
How to Save Money and not experience Bookstagram FOMO?
Wanting to buy all of the books!
Most bookstagrammers have a serious book hoarding “problem”. It’s not really a problem though, because books are perfection, so it can be difficult to try to stop yourself from buying all the books! I want to have awesome tips on how to save money AND still buy all the books but I have yet to stumble upon this magic. My biggest tip would be to set a book buying budget and to TRY to read more from your already purchased TBR piles. We can do it!! It might be helpful to create a bookclub support team of some kind too? I am definitely open to creating this if anyone wants to join!
Other small ways to help with book FOMO is to buy from used bookstores, buy paperbacks instead of hardcovers, and to TRY to only buy one edition of each book…which is impossible when there are books like Empire of the Vampire with Black Sprayed edges, Red sprayed edges, American editions, UK editions…We book lovers are only human after all.
Wanting to buy all of the merch!
This is where I personally struggle the most! There are so many amazing bookish shops on Bookstagram selling the cutest merch and I literally need to have everything. This is where I found the majority of my money wandering off to in the beginning. Book candles, shirts, book subscription boxes, bookmarks, book sleeves; It was a treasure trove of bookish goodness and my wallet was not happy!
My biggest piece of advice is to SET A BUDGET. Make different budgets for different aspects of bookstagram! One for merch, one for books and one for props if you decide to use props.
You also need to really think about what YOU want and not what is popular on Bookstagram. For example: receiving book subscription boxes is fun and I love the mystery and excitement of pulling everything out when it arrives, but to be honest…I usually don’t love what comes with them. Most book subscription boxes are hardcovers and the merch inside will be loosely based on the theme of the box. This usually results in receiving a lot of merch from books and fandoms that I have never read. I finally decided this wasn’t really for me.
I am in no way dissing subscription boxes though because they can be a lot of fun and I know a lot of people love them! I am just using it as an example for finding things that really work for you and not just what is popular on Bookstagram. Personally, I like looking for merch that is useful in my everyday life. This means I focus on bookish shirts, travel mugs and the occasional booksleeve now.
Consider creating your own bookcases
I was on Bookstagram for almost 3 years before I finally saved enough money to purchase the floor to ceiling bookcases that I dreamed of having! All of the big accounts had such beautiful home libraries and I had series FOMO! I still don’t have the elaborate Beauty and the Beast home library of my dreams, but I saved a little bit each week and at the beginning of quarantine last year I spent a week setting up new bookcases (and when I say I set them up I mean my mom did because I was terrible at it) and organizing them.
It can be really tempting to jump into owning an amazing home library but it is possible to organize your books while continuing to save money too!
First, there are some very affordable bookcases available so if you want a traditional bookcase then it might be easier to purchase one than you might expect. Second, creating stacks of books on your floor, or on top of dressers can create a fun book haven of its own. Third, you can create a bookcase out of books as well. With this you can purchase a couple of individual shelves and stack books between them to create the bookcase. It’s a clever way to store your books and create a bookish design aesthetic as well.
Floating bookshelves tend to be slightly cheaper as well.
If you would be interested in being a part of a Bookclub Support Team then comment down below!!! I would love to put together a group where we can keep each other accountable for staying on our bookish budgets! Don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay up to date on the blog too!
Check out my Tips on how to grow your bookstagram too.
