instead of buying your next book at a bookstore, use the library. you’ll save clutter and money.
currently, i’m reading winning
About Joshua Becker
Writer. Inspiring others to live more by owning less.
WSJ Bestselling author of The More of Less.
Becoming Minimalist
Own less. Live more. Finding minimalism in a world of consumerism.
I recently borrowed Runaway: Stories by Alice Munro from the library and it was delicious!
i LOVE the library! i just read the library’s copy of ‘voluntary simplicity’ by duane elgin…seemed fitting.
Just remember to return them before the due date. Unfortunately, my husband took the kids to the library and no one told me. Well, I was cleaning one day and found books in my daughter’s room. When I went to return them they advised there were more books and a dvd overdue. $8.25 later, the new rule in the house is that mom must be informed of any library visits! Though handing over the money to the library is much better than a bookstore. Oh well.
More and more libraries now offer email notifications a few days before an item is due. Saved my family lots of money!
@rochelle – i can relate. when cleaning under my bed two weeks ago, i found a library book several months overdue (kinda telling on how often i clean under my bed). this overdue book was also the result of the husband’s negligence.
I practically live at our library. I get all my books, CD’s, and DVD’s from there. I love to read and there’s no way I can afford my habit, so the library is the next best choice.
Last year, I pulled 12 paper grocery bags full of old, stripped paperbacks (I used to work in a book store) and recycled them. Turns out, I’d been saving them for 17 years hoping to read them, but found I’d only opened about 20 of them. So, out they went.
My plan this year is to cull all the old college text books. That should open up about 3 4′ shelves in my office! I haven’t decided whether to donate them to Goodwill or to try selling them. Most are so out of date I can’t imagine them doing anyone any good…
I put all the books I want to read on my amazon wishlist. I then check my local library’s online catalog for the items. I make a list of the ones from my wishlist that the library has. They have about 2/3 of the books I want to read, therefore saving me 2/3 the cost over amazon. The remaining 1/3, I try to buy used from amazon. I do get a few kindle books sometimes, they are convenient, but you can’t resale them.
I do use the library, but I often forget to return the books so it is not free. I prefer to buy cheap secondhand books from charity shops and jumble sales. Because I haven’t spent much money, I can happily return them to the charity shop after I’ve read them. I am pleased that the money I do spend goes to a good cause.