In an age of digital media, bookstores might appear to be headed for the same fate as the dodo. But millions of us still love to browse for actual books as well as e-books.
If you’re a book lover, Barnes & Noble probably holds a special place in your heart. And the nation’s largest retail bookseller offers several ways to trim the expense of your favorite books and other merchandise.
Following are seven ways to cut the cost of purchases at Barnes & Noble.
1. Become a member
Pay $25 annually to join the Barnes & Noble membership program, and, in about a week, you’ll get an email with $60 in coupons.
Other benefits include:
- Savings of 40% off hardcover best-sellers and 10% off almost everything else in stores.
- Free express shipping — with no minimum purchase requirement.
- Access to special savings throughout the year.
2. Sign up for emails
If you don’t want to spend $25 to become a B&N member, at least sign up to receive the retailer’s emails. It’s free, and you will be notified of sales and other promotions.
To sign up, enter your email address into the box in the lower right corner of Barnes & Noble’s home page. It reads, “Sign up for savings, news, updates.”
3. Check out the discounts online
Stop by the Barnes & Noble website and check out the B&N Outlet and Sale pages for the latest discounts.
4. Open a Barnes & Noble credit card account
Open up a Barnes & Noble-branded Mastercard, and you will earn 5% back on every purchase you make at the retailer, whether online or in stores.
You’ll also earn 2 points for every dollar spent at a restaurant, and 1 point for every dollar spent elsewhere.
After your first purchase, you’ll get a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card. And each time you reach 2,500 points, you will also get a free $25 B&N gift card automatically.
If you put $7,500 on the card in a year, you’ll also receive a free year of Barnes & Noble membership.
Remember, it typically only makes sense to open a credit card account like this if you pay off the balance each month. Carrying a balance will rack up fees that quickly wipe out any savings the card offers.
5. Sign up for the Barnes & Noble Kids’ Club
When you register for the B&N Kids’ Club, which is free, you’re entitled to purchase one book or toy for your child at 30% off the list price.
You’ll also score a $5 reward for every $100 you spend on kids’ merchandise, with a limit of four rewards annually. And your kiddo will really love this one: a free cupcake from the Barnes & Noble cafe on his or her birthday.
6. Use discounted B&N gift cards
You can cut your costs further by purchasing Barnes & Noble gift cards for less than their face value, which you can do through discount gift card marketplaces such as Raise.
Recently, Raise was offering Barnes & Noble gift cards for a discount of up to 6%. For example, if you buy a $100 B&N gift card for $94, you will effectively save an extra 6% on everything you buy with the card.
7. Shop through a cash-back site
When you shop online through a cash-back portal you’ll earn money back on your purchase. These websites include:
For example, Ebates and TopCashback were recently offering 2% back on purchases at Barnes & Noble, and Swagbucks was offering 1% back. All you have to do is sign up at the websites, which are free, then do your shopping via those sites.
Do you know of other great tips for saving at Barnes & Noble? Share them by commenting below or on our Facebook page.
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