One of my favorite things about living in our new house has definitely become living .02 seconds away from a public library. Though, I have to confess — I haven’t set foot in a library since 2010, when I graduated from college. But now, since I pass our little, itsy bitsy Southwest DC Library nearly every single day, I have no excuse. Over the summer, I walked in, signed up for a library card, and have been in and out on a weekly basis. So, basically my second home.
And because of this, I have been flying through my 2016 Goodreads Challenge. I’ve already met my (updated) goal of 45 books, and currently sitting pretty at 51 books under my belt. Or under my bookshelf? Wait, no. 51 books stacked on my shelf? Whatever, you get the point.
Here is my before and after for what I’ve been spending on books:
PRE-LIBRARY DAYS
- Audible subscription: $15 (comes with one free audiobook per month)
- Average (additional) audiobooks purchased per month: $25++
- Amazon books, average spent per month: $35++
$75++ spent on per month, on average, on books
CURRENTLY
- Audible subscription: $15 (comes with one free audiobook per month)
- Average (additional) audiobooks purchased per month: $0
- Amazon books, average spent per month: $0
- Library subscription: $0 (as long as no late-fees occur!)
$15 spent on per month, on average, on books
Yes, I still have my audible subscription, because I love it oh so much. But did you know, the library not only has books, but they also offer eBooks and audiobooks too?
Also, I think it helps tremendously that you only have 3 weeks to finish and return a book to the library once you check it out. It sort of gives you a deadline, which prevents books from piling up, half-read on my nightstand. Which brings me to my next point…
Another huge reason I love the library has to do with overrated books. I seriously think there is nothing worse than finally sitting down to read a book that you’ve heard about everywhere, and hating it. I guess it feels less annoying when it’s a book borrowed from the library. You didn’t spend $17 on Amazon. And you can simply return it. I’ve decided that if I’m not enjoying a book by the time I get halfway through, I’ll walk it directly to the library’s drop-bin. No harm, no foul, I suppose. (Cough, looking at you Don’t You Cry, cough).
Have you been to your local library?