If you're an avid reader like I am then you'll know your passion can become as expensive as it is enjoyable. At a retail price of $8 for a paperback and up to $25 for a hardback, a fast reader can easily spend over $1000 a year on books.

Of course, you can join a library and make do with the limited selection they have available, troll through yard sales, used book stores and ebay auctions looking for bargains and this will save you money, but I found book swapping makes more sense.

Why? Well, first off, I get to declutter my crowded bookshelves, passing on books I wasn't too impressed by and those I will never read again (I'm not much of a re-reader) and in return receive fresh books ready to be devoured and passed on to the next reader. Basically, for the price of postage and an unwanted book, I get a book I do want and free up a slot on my bookshelves.

Secondly, it saves me time - a lot of time. I don't have to go browsing through pages of ebay auctions, have to get up early on a Sunday to go digging through garage sales or have to jump in my car and browse the local library which invariably doesn't have what I want anyway. Now, for example (and each site operates different, so this is just one scenario) I simply make a list of the books I want and when one becomes available and assuming I have enough trading points, the system sends it to me. Easy!

Thirdly, it saves me money. It cuts the cost of the buying a new book by a least half and it beats trading with my local used book store because the selection at an online book trading site is massive by comparison and can be done from the comfort of my own armchair and laptop.

Finally, it feels good to 'recycle' books throughout the reading community. Think how many trees are being saved through sites like these and this is also a great way to find out of print books and hard to find books or to provide such a book to someone who has been searching for it.

So, now you've got the bug, where are the book swapping sites? I'll list a few with brief reviews below. There are lots of sites like this now so this is just a selection of some of the better ones I have come across (mostly aimed at US residents although some allow for international swapping).

I like PaperBackSwap a lot. It feels a lot more professional than many of the other sites out there, has more books on offer and generally a larger community of book swappers. At the time of me writing this, there are 2.5 million books available for swappin according to the homepage stats and 1500 logged in users currently browsing the site...that's a busy community!

PBS currently allows you to swap paperbacks, hardback books, textbooks, audiobooks and cookbooks using a credit system which basically gives you a credit for each book you swap which can then be used to 'buy' another book for a credit. A one for one exchange (audio books cost 2 credits).

Credits can also be bought here, but at $3.45 a credit I've not yet been tempted to do so. Besides, it somewhat messes with the whole idea of swapping if you can just 'buy' the book.

PaperBackSwap.com has slightly stricter quality guidelines than some of the other book swapping sites out there which is great for receiving books but can make you a little nervous about listing your first books on the site. Utimately though, a common sense approach combined with the guidelines on the site works great. These are used books after all, no one is expecting perfection.

Join Here - It's Free and You Get 2 Book Swapping Credits When You Register Your First 10 Books For Swapping!

Bookmooch is a simple site to use, allowing you to swap your books with other readers around the world. You simply add your list of books to the site and when someone requests it, you mail it off to them and receive a book swapping credit which you can then use to request a book from someone else.

Bookmooch allows you to browse their list of books and tells you whether a copy of the book is currently available in the system for request. If not, you can add it to your wishlist and will be sent an email when it becomes available.

Join Bookmooch

This site allows you to swap Books, DVDs, CDs and Video Games through in a straight swap with other users. There are no credits in play here, you swap something you have with someone who wants it and get something from them in return. The nice thing about this site is you can swap a book for a DVD or a CD for a video game if you like, although from a personal standpoint, I'm not overly excited about the idea of swapping a $30 game for a $8 book in a one for one trade...but that's just me! Personally, I like the credit-based systems as this allows you to value items from a real value perspective and to save credits for items you want from whoever has it rather than having to trade one-for-one with just the one person...who invariably doesn't have anything you want or vice versa.

Join Swaptree

This site has a fair number of books you can browse through and offers used book swapping opportunities with other readers from around the globe...or you can set your account to only trade in your local country if you choose.

This site works on a 'credits system' which means you receive credits for swapping books which can then be used to 'buy' another book of the same points value. Books are given credit values based on their perceived value, so for example, you can typically swap one mass market paperback for another, but if you want a pricey law book, then you're gonna need more credits!

If swapping isn't something you want to do, or if you have seen a book you want but do not have enough credits in your account then you can also buy credits through the system which are $2 each. Most paperbacks seem to go for one credit so you'll be paying $2 for a bok if you choose to use this method.

I found WhatsOnMyBookShelf.com has fewer books than my personal favorite site, but occassionally you can find something you are looking for here so its worth checking out.

Join Here

This site allows you to trade books and DVDS. By sending off a book or DVD you own you get points which can then be used to order a book from someone else. If you want to, you can send out a book and use the credit you receive to buy a DVD and vice versa if you choose to.

Bookins keeps track of your orders and allows you to print the postage from your home computer which saves you a trip to the post office. However, in return for this more 'managed' approach to swapping, you pay $4.49 for shipping...which to me, seems a little expensive for a paperback when I can ship a book, packaging and all, for under $3 when trading through other sites.

With close to 500,000 books listed and over 20,000 DVDs, this is a site is still worth checking out.

Join Bookins

This is another option which works along the same lines as the other credit based systems. You send your books out, you get a credit which you can then use to request a book from someone else. 2Swap is a growing site worth checking out.

Join 2Swap Here

The following two sites are just for British book swappers...although you can use Bookmooch too if you are from the UK as they allow international swaps if you don't mind paying international shipping and waiting a little longer.

ReadItSwapIt.co.uk has over 200000 books available for trading with other UK book lovers.

WeSwapBooks.com is a smaller site which is again, open to UK book swappers.