Okay, so perhaps the title of this post is a little misleading, but I really do have a great and FREE way to shop for books online and get them without paying a cent.
First of all, I love to read. Absolutely LOVE it. Now, my hobby would have cost us a ton of money if it wasn't for one, amazing place where I can read all the books I want and never have to pay a cent: the library. I remember when I was young, I was completely baffled by the idea that I could go into this building, pick out as many books as my little heart desired, and the people that owned them trusted me enough to bring them back. Even in my youth, I recognized a good deal!
Here's one problem with the library, though - new releases are rarely available, and many excellent books are already checked out. So what do you do? Give up, and make a trip down to the bookstore to buy a book you might not even like? No way!
Instead, spend some time shopping for the books you want online. Maybe check out one of your favorite bookstore's websites (I love Barnes and Noble.com), where everything is presented nicely and it's easy to find books you might like. Add all of the ones you like or might like to your cart.
Next, don't check out! (I know it's tempting.) Instead, in a separate browser, bring up your library's website. Almost all libraries I know of have a request system, where you can place a hold on a book that has already been checked out, or has not been acquired by the library yet. Using the list of books in your cart, go through and request all of them from your library. (Some might even be on the shelf waiting for you!) Sure, you don't get the instant gratification you would if you went to the bookstore, but your books would probably be ready for you at the library by the time they would have been delivered by the bookstore's online site. Plus, it will be completely free!
I love "shopping" for books this way! Often, I'll bring up the bestseller list, and request many of them from the library. In a couple of weeks, when the previous reader is done with them, I'll have my turn! Plus, it really feels like shopping. I just got an e-mail saying a book I had requested, Jamie's Food Revolution, was ready to be picked up. It just came out recently, and its retail price is $35 - but it'll be free for me! This is also a great way to try out books you might think you'll like. Why buy a $30 cookbook if you haven't even tried any of the recipes? I'm not against buying books in general, and have a pretty good sized collection, but this is a great way to try new finds and read some excellent, popular books without spending a dime!
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Tip of the Day: Make the Most of Your Commute
Good morning! Well, it's quite a dreary day here, and my plan for staying dry (wearing flip flops instead of sneakers) was a total failure. Ah well...
So, I'm an avid bus rider, and am very lucky to live on the campus bus route. It picks me up at the end of my apartment complex and brings me right to my office. We live about 2 1/2 miles from campus, and our car gets about 30 mpg. By taking the bus, we save at least 25 miles per week, or almost a gallon of gas once you add in searching for parking (which often takes as long as the commute) or being stuck in traffic. This might not sound like a lot, but a gallon a week adds up. We only really drive on the weekends and rarely have to fill up our car.
Aside from the gas (and headache) savings, commuting to work using public transportation is a great way to make the most out of life - and that's what this blog is about. That 2 1/2 mile commute takes about 25 minutes (believe it or not. Traffic is a nightmare around here.) What could you do with an extra half hour? Read a book! Listen to music! Plan your day! Learn a new language - there are lots of free language-learning podcasts. You have so many options. One great tip I read was to use your commute to work to get ready for your day. Get motivated, get inspired, get ready to face the day. Then, use you commute back home to transition from work to your home life. Plan your meal for that evening, listen to some relaxing music, etc. Use your commute, regardless of whether you take the bus, to transition your mind to where you're heading.
Now of course, there are some downsides to being a bus rider. Often, the bus is late, and sometimes it's early and I miss it. Other times, I have to stay a little later than I want to catch the correct bus. However, I see all of these as much less stressful than worrying about traffic, fretting over parking, and spending a half hour in traffic when someone else could be driving for me.
Don't live or work as close as I do to a bus stop? Why not walk a bit further, and get your workout in! (I actually catch a longer bus sometimes for just this reason!) Does your work have a carpool program? If not, why not start one? Surely, there's someone you work with that lives fairly close to you. Perhaps you could trade off driving duties.
Whether you do it to save money, save yourself from stress, or save the environment, commuting to work using public transportation, carpools, or even your own man/woman power is a great way to go!
So, I'm an avid bus rider, and am very lucky to live on the campus bus route. It picks me up at the end of my apartment complex and brings me right to my office. We live about 2 1/2 miles from campus, and our car gets about 30 mpg. By taking the bus, we save at least 25 miles per week, or almost a gallon of gas once you add in searching for parking (which often takes as long as the commute) or being stuck in traffic. This might not sound like a lot, but a gallon a week adds up. We only really drive on the weekends and rarely have to fill up our car.
Aside from the gas (and headache) savings, commuting to work using public transportation is a great way to make the most out of life - and that's what this blog is about. That 2 1/2 mile commute takes about 25 minutes (believe it or not. Traffic is a nightmare around here.) What could you do with an extra half hour? Read a book! Listen to music! Plan your day! Learn a new language - there are lots of free language-learning podcasts. You have so many options. One great tip I read was to use your commute to work to get ready for your day. Get motivated, get inspired, get ready to face the day. Then, use you commute back home to transition from work to your home life. Plan your meal for that evening, listen to some relaxing music, etc. Use your commute, regardless of whether you take the bus, to transition your mind to where you're heading.
Now of course, there are some downsides to being a bus rider. Often, the bus is late, and sometimes it's early and I miss it. Other times, I have to stay a little later than I want to catch the correct bus. However, I see all of these as much less stressful than worrying about traffic, fretting over parking, and spending a half hour in traffic when someone else could be driving for me.
Don't live or work as close as I do to a bus stop? Why not walk a bit further, and get your workout in! (I actually catch a longer bus sometimes for just this reason!) Does your work have a carpool program? If not, why not start one? Surely, there's someone you work with that lives fairly close to you. Perhaps you could trade off driving duties.
Whether you do it to save money, save yourself from stress, or save the environment, commuting to work using public transportation, carpools, or even your own man/woman power is a great way to go!
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