Eleven Ways to Save Money by Going to the Library

When you think of the library, the first thing to come to mind may be the endless rows of books and memories of troublesome homework assignments, but the library offers so much more many are unaware of. The library is the perfect place to save money on your entertainment, education, travel, personal, as well as fitness needs.

But, I Have a Lot of Library Fees…

Already have a lot of fees? Be on the look out for Library Amnesty Day, which will eliminate all or most of your library card debt. In some parts of the United States, this amnesty period may last one day to one week and can be held at any time during the year. Amnesty periods are most commonly held during the month of April, which is also when National Library Week is usually observed. Go to your local library and find out the correct dates. Some libraries also hold specials like canned food drives, which takes $1 from your library debt for each canned good you bring in. Until you can settle your tab with the library, it doesn’t hurt to responsibly borrow a card from a friend or family member.

Let’s Get Down to the Savings

#1 Books: We’ll start with the obvious. Check out bestsellers and other reading material at the library. The average checkout time for a book is between 3-6 weeks. That is plenty of time to break the DaVinci Code or plow through the latest Danielle Steele novel. This is also a great way to find out whether or not you wish to spend your money on a particular book. Side Note: Looking for a new set of recipes or want to try something new? Use your handy library card to check out several different cookbooks to locate fresh and exciting dishes. Photocopy, scan or handwrite the details and start your own recipe binder. In this case, too many cooks won’t spoil the pot, but it will save you money.