Thrifty Little Tip... Library Rehab
>> 7.29.2009
Nope, this isn't your average "save money by going to the library" post. This post is for people who could use some serious retail help. I have some personal experience with shopping addictions (the not so serious kind). For some reason there's just something so satisfying about liking something in a store and bringing it home that same day. I've come up with many tricks to help myself save money on things, but I found that going to the library can be great way to prevent unnecessary spending.
The key to replacing retail shopping with "library shopping" is to just browse through those aisles. When I started browsing my library instead of creating lists, I got that same rush of excitement that only buying a new outfit used to give me. Now, when I need my fix, I just walk aimlessly through the aisles looking for things that might catch my interest. Usually, I create a nice pile for myself (something about the weight of it all makes it more fun) and walk out the door without spending a cent! The best part is that I don't get that same guilty feeling from not reading the books that I got when I would buy clothes or home decor items and leave them in their bags for a couple of weeks (don't act like you haven't been there).
Check out a few of the books I "scored" at the library yesterday:
"clean-enough" that'll be me!
My new life...
What do you do to replace your spending addictions?
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4 comments:
I 'window shop' online. But only on days that I am ABSOLUTLEY SURE my debit cards are at home. Fortunately I have a bad memory so I get the pleasure of looking/wanting/desiring...with the plus of forgetting about it all by the end of the day. :)
This is my first time on your blog. And I love it! I recently read "The Penny Pinchers Club" so I'm pretty obsessed with thriftiness these days!!
I love the library too! I never feel guilty if I check out a book, read a few pages and don't like it. I can just return it, no harm, no foul, but if I buy the book, I feel like I HAVE to read it even if I don't enjoy it. :)
I randomly fell across your blog and it's great! As a victim of the recession (my office is closing at the end of October), I've decided I need to STOP SHOPPING! For anything! So, I've also taken to using the library (Who knew it could be so much fun!) and posting about pretty things I covet on my blog. So, while I'm not necessarily buying items I don't need (but oh how I want them!) I can still look at them. Sigh...
I love the library! I used to go weekly when I was a kid and check out as many as they would let me.
But I admit - we do own one of the books you posted! The Do-It-Yourself Manual is awesome and something we will hold on to for the rest of our lives. But the other two books look awesome! I need to start visiting the library again I guess!
I try and replace my spending addictions (ie Starbucks) by making coffee at home, and making tasty muffins so I don't splurge on their cinnamon coffee cakes. It works most of the time, but some days I can't help but give in!
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