My Biggest Tip

14 years ago

My biggest money saving tip is this: Check your Public Library. I visit mine about once a week. I sit in a comfy chair and read the latest newspapers and magazines. Also books according to my interests/problems at the time. My Library also sponsors classes (Using Ebay, Computers, Yoga,etc) as well as bus trips to local gambling casinos, Christmas shopping in New York City, museum and garden tours. Events are free or reasonable (Yoga is $6 for a one hour class, bus tour is $24).They have events for everyone from pre-schoolers to Seniors. A great money-saver. There's NO WAY I would drive to New York City on my own. I'm afraid of traffic and would have no idea where to park, etc.

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Comments (14)

Lab399
14 years ago
I whole-heartedly agree. Our local lib has free DVD rentals - books on tape/CD too. Also great place for my 9-month old to play, crawl, and watch other kids in the children's library not to mention the programs for kids. I hope yours is as great as ours!
grainlady_ks
14 years ago
The library is also a great place to volunteer. -Grainlady
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Car with standard transmission uses about 5 - possibly 10% less fuel. Skilfully done, car drivers can save even more. When you see a traffic signal turn yellow ahead - there's no law that says that you have to keep your foot continuing to push on the throttle! Then hit the brake, about a hundred feet from the intersection. Foot off of the throttle: coast toward the light. If you know it fairly well, you may be able to arrange to arrive close to the last car in the line just as it starts to move forward, and it takes less fuel to increase the speed while rolling that to start rolling from a standing stop. I often push in the clutch and turn off the ignition when I see a light go yellow ahead ... and can often manage to keep the car rolling as I approach a red light when it turns to green. Some say that coasting with the engine off is illegal in their jurisdiction, so best check with the legal people before you try that: the police here say that I am to be in charge of my vehicle at all times. No jack-rabbit starts when the light turns green, either. Try to arrange to travel with a friend driving a car that tells immediate fuel economy levels, get him to make a jack-rabbit start from a light that just turned green - and see your jaw drop as you see what mileage per gallon is being obtained at that point. Try to drive as closely as possible to the same speed, and a few miles/kms. per hour under the speed limit ... but not so far under as to be a hazard to the free flow of traffic. That's made easier by leaving a cushion of space between you and the car ahead ... and try not to get too incensed when other drivers pull into that hole in your lane, stealing your cushion. ole joyful
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kirkhall
14 years ago
Library is a GREAT resource, but I don't think I would include trips to local gambling casinos as a money saving tip... :-/
LuAnn_in_PA
14 years ago
Agreed!
neesie
14 years ago
A few years ago our county library started offering passes to local museums. There is a limit to two passes per museum with about a dozen museums participating. Some of the museums charge in the neighborhood of $15 for one adult so this is a significant savings.
miscindy
14 years ago
I do love the library! However, since I live in a very small community I only have 2 small libraries to choose from and they do not have very long hours. The large libraries in town charge an annual fee if you don't live in their tax-paying area. Anyway, my husband suprised me with an Android Tablet a few months ago (used a $100 rewards card from our debit card to get a good price), so now I use the digital library whenever I like! I can "browse" at 11 pm in my pj's and download available books instantly for free! I love books, but I only purchase reference books since I rarely read novels more than once!
joyfulguy
14 years ago
Stuck my finger into a (rare) pay phone the other day ...

... pulled out a Loonie ($1.00 coin - and that's Canadian)!

o j
katlan
14 years ago
When I was growing up, and there was no such thing as cell phones, computers, etc., I didn't pass a pay phone without checking it for left behind change!

Thanks OJ, nice memory.
ilene_in_neok
14 years ago
You can also use the computers in your local library. If you want to print something, that can be expensive. Some things, though, you can copy the text and paste into an e-mail and send it to yourself at home, if you have an e-mail address that can be accessed online. Genealogy is one of my hobbies and I can access Ancestry.com through my library, saving the expense of buying membership for my home computer. My library also has a website where I can enter my library card number and access their card catalog and certain other databases from my home computer.
joyfulguy
14 years ago
Some local libraries charge 10 cents per page ...

... but in my municipal system, one can print up to ten pages from computer/internet per visit free ... then it costs 10 cents per page.

Photocopying is 10 cents per page.

ole joyful
tripletmom83
13 years ago
My library has a magazine exchange, I never purchase new mags anymore because they show up there sooner or later. I just bring them back when I'm done. Also, they have an ongoing used book sale. I only purchase reference or cookbooks but they are often like new and about 1 or 2 bucks.
ChrisMarry
13 years ago
Library is a great place.
jannie
Original Author
13 years ago
I still stand by my suggestion of visiting your library for great free or low-cost lectures and programs. My library does run casino trips, but I'm not much of a gambler. I bring one roll of quarters (ten bucks), play the slots till my money is gone, then quit. I go walking and sight-seeing, enjoy the food buffets, etc. No need to lose a lot of money to have fun.
ChristopherMarry
13 years ago
If you want to print something, that can be expensive. Some things, though, you can copy the text and paste into an e-mail and send it to yourself at home, if you have an e-mail address that can be accessed online.

My Biggest Tip

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Lab399

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