13 Ways to Save at Barnes & Noble

Avid readers delight in everything Barnes & Noble has to offer, from classics like “Wuthering Heights” and “Valley of the Dolls” to newbies like “The Passenger” and “Big Little Lies.” It could be easy to drop a hefty sum of cash here, but you’ll be sure to save if you try out some of these tactics.

Here are 13 ways to save at Barnes & Noble.

1. Start with the Website

The Barnes & Noble website often offers discounts on any given day, so be sure to start there for all your literary needs. For example, as I typed this, books were 15% off orders of $50 or more, which I could easily spend.

2. Become a Member

For $25 a year, you can become a Barnes & Noble member, which includes goodies such as $50 in bonus coupons by email when you join, member-exclusive savings specials sent via email, free express shipping with no minimum purchase, 40% off the list price of the current hardcover bestsellers and 10% off the price of other eligible items.

3. Get the B&N MasterCard

Savvy credit card users can sign up for the Barnes & Noble MasterCard for 5% back on all B&N purchases, an automatic $25 B&N gift card for every 2,500 points you earn (plus a free $25 gift card after making your first purchase with the card) and 12 months of free B&N membership after you spend $7,500 a year on eligible purchases.

There’s no annual fee for the card, but your APR will be between 14.49% and 25.49% based on your creditworthiness, so pay this card off in full on every statement to make it worth the investment. (You can see how your current credit card use is affecting your credit by viewing your free credit report snapshot on Credit.com.)

Not a big Barnes & Noble shopper? We’ve got a roundup of other rewards credit cards for shopping here.

4. Join the Kids’ Club

Sign up for the Kids’ Club and get 30% off the list price on any one kids book or toy, earn $5 in rewards for every $100 you spend on kids’ stuff online and in stores and get a free cupcake from the café on your kids’ birthdays.

5. Shop the Sales Section

Check out the B&N sales section of the site for up to 75% off select bargain books.

6. Make the Most of Free Events

Put aside the expensive movie night or kids’ activity center membership and head over to a free reading by your favorite author or story and activity time at your local B&N store. Find your location here and discover which specific events are offered in your area.

7. Explore Coupon Options Directly From B&N

Before doing any additional searching, check out the Barnes & Noble Coupons & Deals section for offers like deals of the day, exclusive offers and coupon codes good for a limited time.

8. Search for Coupon Offers Elsewhere

Check out sites like Coupons.com, RetailMeNot and Coupon Cabin for additional discount offers.

9. Sign Up for Emails

Provide your email either at the store or online and get coupon and discount offers sent directly to your inbox.

10. Combine Your Online Purchases

While B&N doesn’t match its online prices with what you’ll find in-store (and often the online items can be purchased for less), if you don’t have enough to buy to qualify for free shipping, try purchasing your items as a group with friends or family who are ordering, or pick up some gift items for future birthdays — a $25 order will get you free shipping.

11. Buy a Discounted Gift Card

Hit up Gift Card Granny to purchase a B&N gift card for less than face value.

12. Follow B&N on Social Media

Never miss another sale or coupon code when you follow the bookstore on Twitter and Facebook. (As an aside, you could also follow your local B&N store specifically — some have a separate page — to make sure you catch any exclusive events or offers they have happening.)

13. Install a Coupon Aggregator on Your Computer

Rather than digging around for missing coupons, install a coupon aggregator like Honey on your computer and let it do the work for you. This way, you’ll never miss out on a coupon or promo code again.

Into brand hacks? We’ve got a full 19 ways to save at Target right here. And if there’s a brand you’d like to see us tackle, shout it out in the comments section!

Note: It’s important to remember that interest rates, fees and terms for credit cards, loans and other financial products frequently change. As a result, rates, fees and terms for credit cards, loans and other financial products cited in these articles may have changed since the date of publication. Please be sure to verify current rates, fees and terms with credit card issuers, banks or other financial institutions directly.

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