I pulled out my calculator after reading comment left by a reader named Bobbi, who writes a frugal living blog called Bobbi’s Bargains.
She wrote this after I divulged I had broken my moratorium for a third time to pay an embarrassing $3.50 library fine with a credit card.
If you are going to break your moratorium, it might as well be for one of the best bargains in America – the public library system.
Recently, I did a little bit of math and realized that I had saved at least a QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS by using the public library system. And that is a conservative number.
So, really, you will be saving way more money than you just spent if you take advantage of this wonderful resource that we have at our fingertips (literally)… http://www.lapl.org (website for Los Angeles Public Library)
I was skeptical so I asked Bobbi to show me her math and she followed up with:
I figured that I have taken out an average of 20 books a week at an average cost of $15 a book for 17 years. That comes out to $265,200.00.
It’s true! 20 (books a week) x 15 (ave. cost of book) x 52 (weeks in a year) x 17 (years)- 256,200. I asked Bobbi how she possibly read 20 books in a week. Turns out she home schools her kids. Some weeks she had more than 100 books at home.
Aha! Now this makes sense. I’m going to talk to Bobbi more about the finances behind home schooling so stay tuned.
Incidentally, Bobbi is running a free swap meet at the Frugal Fe$tival this Sunday, July 26 from 1-4 p.m at Woodley Park in Van Nuys. Interested in giving away stuff? Read the guidelines here.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
I have found amazing deals on getting new or barely used books by going to Google and simply typing the name of the book. It will direct you to Amazon.com and other sources where many books are listed in the $2–$4 range! I purchase all my books that way! Harriet
Do you attend library programs, use their meeting rooms, read a newspaper there, use the library’s wireless, or take a class at the library? To calculate the value of the library think beyond just the books you take out of the building. Try the library use calculator on the New Hampshire Library Association site: http://www.nhlibrarians.org/calculator.html and see how valuable the public library is.
We found an interesting way to read best sellers without waiting for them at the library.
It’s a little bit of work – but we enjoy it.
We buy books from http://zooba.com (now a book of the month club site.
Books are almost all hardbacks and $9.95 which includes shipping.
After reading the book – we list on eBay, often selling it for more than we paid. Half of the books have sold for more than we paid.
When we factor in our eBay costs, it so far is a wash.
We focus on reading NY Times Best Sellers – and the more current ones.
May not be for everyone – but been a low cost way to keep up with our passion for reading.
I can’t stand not to own, look for used bookstores where at least you can trade in unwantables and usually get books for a quarter of the price. Best part is used bookstores are always family owned so you can feel good about it while getting the best deals.