Like books? a money saving tip often forgotten

Li0nhead

<not 100% sure if this is the correct forum to post this so feel free to move it mods>

This is the most simple money saving tip for those who buy books.

Why buy when we pay for this resource in our council taxes? Use the local libary! Simple, its free.

I was just thinking about it the other day after i bought a book, why the hell am i not a member of the local labary? Will save me about £50 per year. Something ive never thought about and i bet millions of others have not either.

Check your local authorities website for details.

One of the first on my google was Manchesters for example:

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/Libraries/usingthelibrary/live.htm

studentphil

It is worth putting in a request even the library does have the book on its catalogue yet as they may well buy it in if they have the funds in the book buying budget.

tranquil_2

For those who have little ones, libraries are brilliant. Our local library does a weekly storytime for under 5's. Children are taken into a different room, read a story, do some colouring and I get half hour child free time surrounded by books! Well worth it.

They also run initatives for children to take books out. At the moment there is a book crawl on. Everytime they take a book out, they are given a sticker and get on a stamp on their collector's card. After so many they are awarded a certificate. Does nothing for my decluttering but they love it.

They enjoy taking books out, and chosing their own. Any we don't like get taken back very quickly. Favorites and up being renewed often before finally being brought! It means I get variation in bedtime stories to read (I am word prefect on many of their favourites).

I end up taking recipe books out. Because I have to take them back, it encourages me to get on and try the recipes (otherwise I just look at the pictures and dream about the taste!). Now I just have to find the time to read novels! :rotfl:

Gingham_Ribbon

Lionhead, I decided to put this in the green board because I think it's worth reminding people about libraries from an environmental point of view too.

I love the library. We visit a couple of different ones and they're particularly useful for our toddler, who reads a lot. And I borrow cookery books often which has saved me a fortune and done away with the shelf of cookery books that never got used!

Our local libraries will order in books if they don't have them for a 50p fee.

Penelope_Penguin

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

Our local libraries will order in books if they don't have them for a 50p fee.

Some local authorities (ours included) offer a service to order books online (you need to register and have a password). This service is free :T :T I love it, as both the Small Penguins are avid readers, but the library in our town is tiny. This way, they have all the East Yorkshire library stock open to them.

Penny. x

luxor4t

Our tiny local branch also manages to fit in a DVD service @ £1.50 for a week and a computer that can be reserved for an hour at a time.

Older books, DVDs and videos are sold off regularly starting at 20p. There are useful information leaflets and free bookmarks.

Pictures to colour are always available and during school holidays there are story and craft sessions.

It is a local treasure!

Gingham_Ribbon

Ours also do some great clubs for parents and children including a lovely one where we made books for our children. My eldest was almost a year old so I made one with all the words he knew (could sign, say or had his own versions of) and included pictures of them and a little story about each one. I bound it and gave it to his grandparents and kept one here for us to play with. It got a bit out of hand though because he kept learning new words!

Ken68

Often order new books after getting the ISBN number from the newspaper review pages, and our Friends of the Library local branch, offer 6 free media loans, (C.D's and D.V.D's normally costing £2 each to borrow) for the price of the p.a. sub of £5.

hollydays

If I am going to make a purchase I go there and check out the "Which " magazines which the libraries subscribe to.They are reference only,but well worth a read.You cant get this info with "which" online unless you pay.I love my library.I also try out cookery book at the library before buying- 9 out of 10 of them are not my cup of tea ,so it saves me wasting money.

exlibris

Thanks OP for this post. As an ex-librarian I am grateful to anyone who publicizes their local library. I mostly buy books which I know I will read again.


However Shh! - charity shops are good too. Oxfam book shops are expensive IMHO but small local charities have some crackers.

Noble_Scarlet

I now have this rule before I purchase any books: I only buy books that I really, really love and want to keep which is not many . It also stops me from cluttering up the house with stuff. If possible I buy my books second-hand or in nearly-new condition to save me some money too.

If I want to check out a new title I either borrow from the library or someone else's copy. I don't see the point in buying something especially like a novel if I don't know I'll like or only likely to read once.

My borough are quite good when it comes to running recycling projects like book swapping events. I've picked up some very good books and the ones I didn't want to keep I donate to the local charity shops.