Comments on: Trimming the Average Budget: Reading

By: Lenore

Lenore — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:00:24 +0000

I think many people subscribe to magazines or newspapers simply out of habit. Most of the information can be found online for free, saving trees and preventing clutter. I’m wary of any publication that entices me to buy things I’d never have know about otherwise. Women’s magazines are notorious for subtly attacking readers’ self-esteem to sell appearance-related products. Home magazines make people feel their domiciles are inadequate to promote unnecessary decor items and costly home improvements. I got an almost-free subscription to Metropolitan Home a few months ago, and it was full of ridiculously priced merchandise nobody needs. I just got notified the magazine is being discontinued, and they’re going to send me Woman’s Day instead. Is it possible the publisher, which probably has detailed demographics about me, is replacing one spending catalyst with another? I’d guess 80% of Metropolitan Home was advertising or product endorsements masquerading as articles. Wonder how Woman’s Day will stack up.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:50:36 +0000

I am addicted to my local library. Our county library system is the greatest! I can go online to search for books in any library in the system and put in a request for an interlibrary loan. If it is a new book then it may take a few weeks depending on how many copies are in the various libraries. For example my local library is one of the smaller ones so it may have only one copy of a new book but many of the other libraries will have multiple copies. In that case my request goes into a list and when my request comes up I will get the next available copy from any library in the system. Usually for my requests I get a phone call (or I can check online) and the book is available in a few days. I can also go to any of the libraries in our county system and borrow materials. I have become very picky about which books I buy. I ask myself Do I really want a copy of this book for a long time? Will I really ever read it again? I also swap books with friends. And I always check out my library’s sale cart where books are 10 cents. My favorite library book sale is near my friend’s home. It runs on the summer weekends and i s afabulous place to find great reading material. They have the best organized used book sale I have ever been to. Many of the libraries in the 2 county area have ongoing or periodic book sales run by volunteers. It serves 2 peuposes 1) a great place to get inexepensive books and 2) an income source for the library! Another great tool is in my personal library account which I can access online. I can check my reading history over the past years and see a list of what books I have borrowed and when. This is great because I take my 84 year old mother with me to the library and sometimes she can’t recall reading a paricular book. I just look up my reading history and see if I borrowed it for her.
By the way there are sources online that help you evaluate what you are getting for your taxpayer dollarsn at your library. And after using them I found out that I am definitely getting my money’s worth out of my library. Not only is my library a source for borrowing books, CDs & DVDs (think free overnight ‘rentals’) but they have internet access and computers for patron use, present a wealth of programs from concerts to plays to lectures to classes in everything from driver safety (small fee) to crafts to setting up a small business. And don’t forget meeting rooms for community groups. Go Libraries!!

By: CathyG

CathyG — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:23:04 +0000

If you live in Texas, check out http://texshare.org

It is a program where most of the public libraries and academic libraries participate to allow patrons to check books out of any library in the state. You do have to travel to each library to get it, but I live in between Dallas and Fort Worth – there are over 100 libraries within 20 miles of my house. I can get almost any book I want. Most of them have the catalog online, so I can find the exact book I need with very little effort.

If I can’t travel, or I can’t find a book, or if I can wait a while, then I use interlibrary loan via the website for my own city’s library.

By: divajean

divajean — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:47:34 +0000

We are currently reviewing our thoughts on magazines we have been subscribing to.

I get two quilting magazines- each has 6 issues annually. It is essentially “cloth porn” because all it does is make me want to buy the latest and greatest– not use up what I have, which is my goal. I am letting my subscription run out.

We get one political/news subscription- but are done with it. Recently, it changed formats and is nothing like what we signed up for. When it runs out, we are through.

My daughter gets a magazine she really loves and digs into– she loves to try the crafts, write short stories, and enter into contests, etc. I would not cancel this one since its really being used for its purpose.

We get gifted Family Crafts magazine from my mother in law. We like and use the ideas regularly.

So- basically, we are cutting down to no more subscribing except for my daughter’s magazine.

As for books, we buy very little- maybe 3 a year from bookstores and maybe 10 from yard sales- compared to others. That being said, I am working on deconstructing my collection and hopefully being an example to hubby- who has books that really gather dust (probably 3000 or more books- and I’ve yet to see her ever pick up a book a second time once read!).

By: Henry

Henry — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:08:57 +0000

Maybe so, Ripley, but the services are available no matter how much you paid in taxes. I have paid no taxes, and the services are still free to me. Some other bigshot that paid more taxes than anyone else in the county has access to the same services I do, and will be asked to ‘pay’ the same as me when he goes to use them. Compared to buying books, or paying postage on PaperBack Swap, the library is free.

By: Ripley

Ripley — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:50:19 +0000

As a public library director, I would like to point out that libraries aren’t precisely “free.” Most people pay to support them via tax levies either to a local government unit or to a state government. When I created a new pamphlet for my library, I called our collection, “The best bargain you’ve already paid for.”

By: RevBucky

RevBucky — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:07:38 +0000

Locally we have three different places where you can get free books. The way it works is on donations, and you don’t have to donate, just walk in and take free books. They are also great pplaces to get rid of excess clutter of books, and they will go to a good home, or to someone who needs them.

These places are not rich, so they don’t really advertise, you have to search them out.

Most of the time you will only find older books, but if you like to read, you should be able to find some fiction or nofiction that will interest you.

One of the things I find funny about people is when all they want is the brand new bestsellers. Wait a month or three, and they will often be half price at B@N or Borders. The great thing about books, especially fiction, is that six days, weeks or years later, the story is the same.

Oh, and always check the remainders tables at B@N, quite often you will find something that will interest you at up to 75% off.

By: Priscilla

Priscilla — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:37:13 +0000

We use thrift stores, yard sales and a local book store to buy books. Since we live outside of town, a library card from our town library costs $25/year. We cannot justify this, so we don’t have a card. However, the library does have an on-going book sale room with books and magazines that are free, $.25, or a dollar or two. They also have a once-a-year book sale.

We also have a book store that will take trade-in books and give you credit on buying books using your credits. We have saved hundreds of dollars by being frugal in this way. My problem is limiting myself from accumulating too many books.

When I weed out books, we donate them to a local charity or thrift store, take them to the book store that gives you credit for trade ins, or give them back to the library.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:26:24 +0000

1) I got turned onto paperbackswap.com by The Simple Dollar. I’ve sent out a number of books and gotten quite a few as well. I have about 150 books (including multiple editions) on my wishlist – I really like the auto-request feature. My wife recently went through her books and gave me about 20 that she was going to donate. I listed them on my bookshelf and immediately got hits on 6 or 7. Tip: Don’t assume that PBS correctly determines the cheapest mailing method. Sometimes 1st class is cheaper than media mail depending on the weight.

2) Sometime back I signed up for on-line surveys that pay in what I call “bogus bucks”. No real money, but credit towards various rewards – including magazine subscriptions. I’ve gotten 2 subscriptions so far, neither of which comes with an auto-renewal (good thing).

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:07:36 +0000

As someone who generally subscribes to at least half a dozen magazines I’d like to add one more thing: ASK! I’m loathe to try to foist anything on anyone but my mom’s office mates asked that I keep donating to their break room so they get a steady stream of magazines :D

I’d say unless it’s Cooks Illustrated or a super-fancy literary publication (or Martha Stewart, a lot of people seem to save those), definitely ask if you could have the magazine when your friend/coworker/etc is done.

By: Holly

Holly — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:53:24 +0000

Another plug for swaptree.com. Books, DVDs, CDs all can go media rate. I haven’t paid more than $2 for anything and have been able to reduce the number of books on my shelf that aren’t personally meaningful (doing the decluttering thing also) and also get media that I want and often in good enough condition to give as gifts.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:43:05 +0000

All the colleges and universities in my state, plus art schools, medical schools, seminaries, and two public libraries are in a giant interlibrary loan consortium. I drove 90 minutes to the closer of the two public libraries and bought an out of area library card for $25/yr. Now I can request anything from any of those libraries online and pick it up at the local college, for free. The funny thing is, I could get very limited privileges at the college because I’m a community member, but not access to the interlibrary loan. Now I get better access and longer loan periods as a member of the distant library!

By: Calif Frugalista

Calif Frugalista — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:28:11 +0000

I get so many magazines for $-0- by reading all of the frugal/coupon web-sites. They regularly let readers know about free mags, but you have to jump on the offers quickly because they reach their limit very soon after posting. Free mags have included Oprah, Weight Watchers, In Style. As you can see, these are major mags, and usually would cost about $20 or so for an annual subscription. Keep your eyes peeled and you too can score free magazines!

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:02:09 +0000

Another good choice is http://www.betterworldbooks.com. Some decent choices and good prices on used books.

In the “bargain bin, you can get 5 books for $15.

Also, free shipping via USPS, and expedited shipping is available if you just can’t wait.

By: Jenzer

Jenzer — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:33:14 +0000

David’s comment (#30) leads me to think that perhaps it’s more accurate to put “reading” in several budget categories rather than consider it a category unto itself. I didn’t hesitate to pay full price for a reference book on Excel 2007, which I consider a work/career-related expense. However, I would much rather borrow novels from the library than buy them at any price, because entertainment spending is a very low budget priority for me.

By: joan :)

joan :) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:51:42 +0000

I’d reorder the list and move PBS to the bottom. I’m sure it’s a worthwhile investment for some people. But do a little number crunching, factoring in the price of postage (even at media mail level), and its overall cost-effectiveness plummets.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:33:24 +0000

My public library has a used book room with titles for sale at all times. Recently, I realized there were magazines in that room, including recent issues, for only 10 cents each. When I’m done, I donate them back to the library to resell.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:27:13 +0000

Online isn’t just a way to find inexpensive books or blogs. Most magazines have good websites, and I read several daily newspapers online too. You don’t get ALL the content, but probably most of what you want. Even if they switch to requiring subscriptions for online access, it costs less than the hard version & is more immediately up to date. Added benefit – not having to recycle or find other uses for all that paper.

And, add another vote for interlibrary loan!

By: Bill in Houston

Bill in Houston — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:25:39 +0000

Reading is my one vice. I have a library of over 4,000 books at home, about half of them hardcover. I’d never dream of selling them. This gives me lots of reading material, but even so I’ll spend maybe 40 bucks every other month for a new hardcover and a few paperbacks.

I did luck out last weekend. Neighbors were having a decluttering garage sale (daughter going off to college). I picked up four paperbacks for two bucks. That, the giftcard purchases I made after Christmas, and my book gifts will keep me going for another two months or so.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:58:22 +0000

I’ve never used paperback swap, but we are big fans of swaptree.com…it’s almost the exact same service, but you can swap cd’s, dvd’s, and video games as well as books.

I’ve gotten lots of those pricey Disney DVD’s for my daughter for free, because everyone is upgrading to Blu-Ray and trading off their old stuff.