Comments on: The Simple Dollar Morning Roundup: Local Library Edition

By: Shhted

Shhted — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:34:39 +0000

Another favorite is half dot com. If you’re looking for media but don’t want to pay full cover price, buy it used on half dot com. I do this for textbooks and all sorts of items.

By: Monica

Monica — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:23:02 +0000

Yay for libraries! Just a few reminders to anyone who isn’t a regular library user:

1) Most libraries will welcome book suggestions (often there is a form on their website for this). Mine has never turned down a single suggestion (and I make about 2 per month).

2) If your library doesn’t have it, they can probably get it for you through a magical process called Interlibrary Loan.

3) Many public libraries have DVD and music collections! Sometimes they only get documentary films, but mine buys a ton of feature films too. (Unfortunately they don’t buy TV series.) The CD collection is also great (my old library would only buy classical and jazz though).

4) If the book (or DVD) is out, you can reserve it and you will be notified when it’s your turn.

5) Some libraries lend non-current issues of magazines. Definitely you can go there to read magazines.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 19:02:18 +0000

The advice to college students not to get a credit card is bad advice. This will only leave them without a credit history when they graduate and are trying to begin their adult lives.

The better advice would be to get a credit card with a low limit and use it responsibly.

By: hibryd

hibryd — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:58:37 +0000

Having worked at a Borders, I take issues with the flipping through a magazine while enjoying coffee. Corporate encourages it (probably because they figure a browse-friendly atmosphere is the only weapon they have against amazon.com), but it enrages the staff because 1) it damages the books and magazines, meaning we have to go though all the work of taking them out of inventory, and 2) we have to clean up after customers who are too lazy to put their own items back. After a store closes all the loose stuff from around the store is centralized and then re-shelved; it took a staff of a dozen a full hour to do this every single night. When did people start confusing book stores with libraries?

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:32:31 +0000

I’ve actually argued with people that think pirating all their media is “frugal”. I try and point out the errors in logic, but most of the time it’s useless.

Lying, cheating, and stealing are only cheap if you don’t count the external costs of those actions that can include loosing your job, getting arrested, and the general suffering that you inflict from your actions.