I buy a lot of books, mostly new, many hardback, but all at deeply discounted prices, remainder table prices and some used prices, 25 cents at a local library. I've learned to be patient - a new hardback sometimes arrives at a local HalfPrice Books outlet, as a $7 remainder, before even the $12 paperback is out. Reviewer copies if you reside in one of, uhm, cultural capitals, can be good early deals. Then there's HALF.COM, MYSIMON.COM. And, of course, there is always the library.
Don't feed the multinational publishing/recording industries rackets!
... a new hardback sometimes arrives at a local HalfPrice Books outlet, as a $7 remainderYou're right, the Half Price Books outlets are great. I just got some brand new Williams Sonoma cookbooks there the other day for Christmas presents. I think they were less than half price actually. I love those stores!