7 Ways Visiting Your Local Library Will Save You $2,000 Every Year
Visiting your local public library can save you a ton of money. But most of us aren’t taking advantage of this free resource. What if we told you that you could be missing out on savings of $2,000 every year? Here are 7 great ways to make your local library work for you.
1. Books
These days it’s super easy and convenient to get books delivered from Amazon or to buy cheap e-books online. But, over time, the costs of these books add up. Instead, you can use an interlibrary loan program to reserve all kinds of books – even brand-new releases. Yes, you might have to wait a while to read best sellers, but your bank balance will thank you for it.
If for example, your family purchases two books a month for around $15 each, you’ll save $30 every month at the library. That’s a savings of $360 every year.
2. Movies and Television Shows
If you are serious about saving some cash ditching cable, satellite, and Netflix can save the average American family more than $600 per year. For example, Netflix is $7.99 per month for a basic package, and Dish network’s lowest price is $49.99 per month. To cut out these costs, you can rent free-to-borrow DVDs from your local library instead. There will be family favorites to choose from, including tons of films and TV box sets. Lots of families aren’t willing to sacrifice TV, but if you really need to save money, this is a good place to start.
3. Internet and Computer Access
Willing to make another sacrifice in exchange for a huge saving? Your local library has lots of computers and free internet available for you to use. So why pay for your own? Internet bills are at an all-time high, after all. To access this service, you’ll need to be a library member and book an allotted time to use the internet.
Library computers usually come fully equipped with expensive programs, like Microsoft Word and Excel, too. Average prices for Spectrum internet cost around $44.99 per month, which will save you about $240 per year if you use the library instead.
4. Meeting Rooms
If you need a space for business meetings, a writer’s meet up, or book club for example, you can hire meeting rooms at the library for free. All you need to do is reserve the space, and sometimes, put down a fully refundable deposit. To see if your local library has meeting room space available, check the library’s website.
5. Free Storytime and Games
This is a great resource if you’re a family with small children. Instead of going to the local pizza play place (at $12 a visit), go to your library’s story time session instead. Libraries also have lots of games, puzzles and board books for children to play with. You could even make a whole free day out, with sandwiches and games at the park, then head to the library. For ditching pizza and joining the library you could save $144 per year.
6. Events for the Whole Family
As well as story time, there are usually lots of free events that take place at libraries – especially in summer and Christmas holidays. Some libraries offer summer reading programs for children and adults and will reward free books and coupons for fast-food restaurants and theme parks at the end of the program.
There’s also lots of information and presentations for a variety of subjects, including finance, gardening, parenting and retirement planning.
7. Used Book Sales
Throughout the year, libraries hold used books sales to raise money and make room for brand-new books. These sales can be great for buying books at $1 or $2 a piece. This is a great way to get new books for your children and to treat yourself to a few discounted novels.
