Libraries your Frugal Friend
Given I am an unpublished author (well, not an author, but a writer), here is an excellent tip for you folks who want to read and learn about Financial things:
Pretty simple. Here in Ottawa, the one thing that amalgamation did do is create an extensive, very well-stocked Library (click on Go To Your Library to see their website).
I take out Music CDs, DVDs, Streaming Videos, and, most importantly, books. Pretty much any book I might mention here in this blog, I have taken out of the library (I can’t afford to BUY books, but I can afford to take them out, read them, and maybe jot down in a notebook the parts which I agree with, or think are a good idea).
Is it Free ?
Usually, your local library membership is FREE (in Ottawa, it is), and most are relatively cheap, and you get your money’s worth very quickly. DONATE to your library to keep them up and run (heck, even Volunteer, they are usually looking for those too). Libraries are great resources for the CHEAP and FRUGAL!
Homer J. Simpson
Absolutely, the amount of information and books on CD I get from the Ottawa Public Library is significant compared to the pittance it costs to run this system.
Why don’t more people use it?
Most Canadians don’t realize that their local taxes have already paid for library usage. If you have paid for it you should put it to use.
Amen to that. I can’t believe the amount of good money that is wasted simply because people don’t use the library!
Very sound advice Big Cajun Man! If you head over to a book store, your wallet gets drained like a gas-tank in a bad neighborhood.
Then you have to store the books, take care of them – and how many do you actually read more than once, other than some of the classics? They will end up in yard-sales sold for 1/10th the original price, if you’re lucky!
Cheers,
Ottawa libraries are a great resource. I really like to get DVDs from them. A lot of old movies you can’t even get at the local BlockBuster.