On the premises of the global economical crisis of late, it really wasn't long before the publishing industry took a serious blow too, a blow that caused books to become an expensive luxury everywhere. Today, the hefty price tags on most books in the market make enthusiastic readers think twice before buying and often constrain them to turn to other, less conventional solutions so that they can pursue their passion for literature.

It's not just books that have become exaggeratedly pricey lately - all sorts of printed text materials ranging from school manuals and encyclopedias to newspapers and magazines are virtually at the mercy of today's struggling economy. However, if you are willing to change some of your old shopping habits, accept a little compromise, and try out a few resourceful alternatives to the traditional way of buying books, you can still save a great deal on your purchases.

If you love reading and are looking for more affordable ways to nurture your hobby for books, here are several interesting ideas you could put into practice:

• Turn to Book-Swap Websites

Just as the name suggests, book-swap sites are nothing more than online resources that allow people to trade books around, instead of buying or selling them. The internet is packed with sites of the kind, most of which favor a point-based reward system. The more points you have, the more publications you can swap at once, with the only costs involved being postage, paid at book rate.

• Check out What Online Bookstores Have to Offer

With plenty of dedicated bookstores operating online, what you get is a balanced mix between diversity of offer, cost efficiency and convenience. Respectable bookstores welcome avid readers with an abundance of titles, and allow them to both buy and sell books at convenient rates, especially when they qualify for bonuses or discounts. Whether you are looking to buy or sell books - be they brand new or used, and irrespective of their content - online bookstores will always stand out as a cheaper alternative to physical bookshops and other offline retailers.

• Buy from the Second-Hand Market

Brick-and-mortar antiquary shops, but especially online-operated used bookstores usually favor very generous trade-in policies. Some books can be purchased outright, or, depending on the case, may be available at bargain discounts or may come with various "credit systems". Although mostly regular customers benefit from such privileges, sometimes you may stumble across bargains as a casual buyer as well, so keep your eyes peeled for any convenient offers!

• Buy Remaindered Books

Remaindered books are also a great opportunity for the reader to buy books way below the average market price - always available at significant discounts, remaindered books are surplus publications (over-ordered or over-produced copies) that typically have no visible defects (as compared to used books).

• Buy Books at Library Sales

Library book sales are more of an underground source of collectible and out-of-print titles, mostly gathered from donations. By closely following library book sales, not only you can cut back on the costs of most of your purchases, but you may also stumble across some rare gems lost between ordinary titles. All things considered, library book sales are not at all a bad way to shop for books, so don't hesitate to look into this possibility as well.