It is possible to be thrifty without feeling deprived and I'm sharing ideas in this summer series. If you have an money-saving idea on any topic, consider sharing it on your blog and leaving your link at the bottom of this post. The only rule? Share what you know. If I've never personally tried an idea, I won't write about it. The same goes for you, but don't assume an idea is too simplistic. It could be new to someone or it could re-inspire someone else!
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My tip for this week is also inspired by our return to formal schooling for the year: Fully utilize your library. Though we practice this tip year-round, I am especially reminded of it during the school year. We use the library to find books for history reading, books for read-aloud time, books for early readers to phone their skills, CDs for music/composition study, and books of paintings for artist study. We use the library to preview books before we buy. (Before I committed to using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for Maddie, I first checked it out from the library.) We read magazines from the library. We borrow movies from the library. As long as we remember to return our materials on time, the library is a totally free source of much of our entertainment and many of our school needs!
Hooray for libraries! I'm a children's librarian, and I agree-- the library is an AWESOME free resource! Our library offers book club kits (sets of ten books plus a discussion guide) and discovery packs (backpacks full of thematic items, such as a geography kit filled with books about geography, a small globe, maps, and a geography game). We also offer tons of free programming. For school-age, we have after-school programs and homeschool programs, all of which tie in with national education standards. Here's the thing, though: we never would have offered book club kits or homeschool programs if patrons hadn't specifically requested them. A lot of times people don't realize that they can make specific requests for materials and/or programming- most libraries are thrilled to oblige!
ReplyDeleteWe love our Library too. Great reminder for this time of year!
ReplyDeleteWe just love the library! It is so wonderful to have access to so many wonderful things that are free. Aaron and I both enjoy our library trips and look forward to the treasures we will bring home this time!
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