After reading the forum today...

[andrea-stache]

I called our library to reserve Jennifer Wiener's new book "All Fall Down" instead of just ordering on Amazon and having it sent to me.   A nice win...saved about $20.   I am also learning a lesson about patience.   I am #285 on the wait list for the book.   The good news is they have 55 copies.  So much for summer reading!

I also spent only $1.85 on some school supplies today.  I had $18.40 in Staples Rewards that were about to expire.  So I googled the 5th grade school supply list and pre-ordered the majority of my son's supplies to use up those Reward dollars.  He will not be happy when that box arrives given that he has not even been out a week yet!!

A day of savings for me!

[pac_NW]

Way to go. love the library. I get most of my content there now.

[ch12]

Love the library. As soon as I graduated college, I spent any free time during the first month of employment basically reading. I told everyone that I read about 60 books during that time, and I guiltily thought that I overestimated by a bit (Ariely's fudge factor). When I went back to my reading history on my library website, it turned out that it had surpassed 70 during that month. :) Since amping my working hours up to 70/week, though, my reading time seriously declined.

I was reading prosaic's (author) journal recently(again, for inspiration), and it sent me again to Joe Konrath's blog. I read a guest post by another author. http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2014/06/guest-post-by-michael-j-sullivan.html

I can only read 12 - 15 books a year and I don't mind paying $6.99 - $12.99 for those books.

I was astonished. I would seriously be bankrupt if I bought every book that I read, and saving money would be a distant dream.
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/04/15/getting-started-3-eliminate-short-termitis-the-bankruptcy-disease/

tl;dr Love your badassity.

[retirein5yrs]

Nicely done - Its the small things that can make all the difference! That book is just another example on how you can save by postponing gratification!

[SJS]

I agree - it's the small things that start to add up.  And once you realize you're saving $20 - WOW!  It just starts to trickle into other parts of your daily living.   You are ON YOUR WAY!!!   :-)   

[caseyzee]

I'm thinking you wont have to wait too long, even at #285.  I was #888 for Dan Brown's last, and I waited for a month or so.  My theory is that folks on the waitlist really want to read the book so they don't keep it out for the full 2 or 3 weeks.  Anyway, I didn't know Jennifer Weiner had a new book out - I'm getting on that waitlist!

[ivyhedge]

Many folks just don't pick up the book. Most libraries will call you once, or email you if you've chosen that option, and if you don't pick it up that day (and the list is excessive), they'll pass it to the next person.

[Nords]

Many folks just don't pick up the book. Most libraries will call you once, or email you if you've chosen that option, and if you don't pick it up that day (and the list is excessive), they'll pass it to the next person.

Hah!  Our state library system gives 10 library business days from the robocall (or e-mail).  If you don't pick it up then they charge you a $1 fine, and then they pass it to the next person.  I've often wondered what part of their budget comes from fines.

The library's new releases are called "Hot Picks" and are only loaned for seven calendar days, no renewals.  Everything else is still three weeks with online renewals if there's no request for it.

[HattyT]

One way I've hacked the library system is to have library cards from more than one system.
Sometimes the waitlists are different lengths in different systems for the same book.
It does take some managing, I've returned books to the wrong system accidentally. 
So now I mostly go with the library system which is walkable, and only use other systems when there is a wait (or some other) issue.
Do they have the book in electronic format?  Is that waiting list long?
If you live near a state or city line, that may work for you.
YMMV

[1967mama]

I ordered "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" by Jennifer Reese about 2 days ago, when I read about it on a forum here. There were no holds on it and my husband picked it up for me today when he took the kids to the library to enter the prize draw for their weekly summer reading club.  The cover price of the book was $24.00 US or $27.99 in Canada. Then, this afternoon, I got a call that I'd won the weekly prize draw for the adult summer reading club and can go choose a free book! Yep, we love the library around here too!

[Spartana]

I get all my books, CD's, and DVDs free from the library - and even used their free computers when I didn't have a computer or internet access at home (have both now). I haven't spent one cent on any of those things in over 10 years. Just borrow. Never figured out the cost savings but I imagine it's pretty huge. I have a great HUGE library near my home so it's easy to use.