Taking advantage of your local library is one of life’s simple pleasures that also helps you with affordable living. National trends indicate increased library use during economic crisis. Even before our family got serious about affordable living, we made weekly visits to the public library. Now, our visits are just as frequent and even more productive.

Here’s how I saved $125/month by tapping into my local library to replace or minimize use of budget-breaking alternatives. If your spending’s similar to mine and your interest is piqued, consider these tips:

• Cancel subscriptions. Save $10/month. Ditch your favorite home magazine subscriptions. I gave up five subscriptions, which would have cost $120 to renew (thus the $10/month figure). Use your renewal card as a bookmark, and let your subscriptions lapse. Read it at the library FREE. My librarian takes requests for periodicals I’m interested in that they didn’t previously subscribe to, or they can request them from other branches. If I’m willing to wait until the new issue’s out, I can even take past issues home and read them at my leisure.
• Cancel (or downgrade) Netflix. Save $15 per month. I reduced my Netflix account from $20/month to $5/month (keeping that one rental for brand new releases that may be hard to get). Your local library offers DVDs that cost you nothing to borrow.
• Nix the bookstore. Save $32/month. I checked my book purchase tally from last year. I spent nearly $400 on books at Barnes & Noble in one year! My tally was roughly $32/month. Now, instead of taking my wallet to the bookstore, I take a notebook and write down titles I can request from my public library. I’ve found that in many cases, I have the book I want within a week or two. And instead of it collecting dust on my bookshelf when I’m done reading, it gets returned and enjoyed by someone else.
• Minimize iTunes use, and never buy CDs again. Save $15/month. Instead, check out the latest music CDs from the public library. You can upload songs to your iTunes account from CDs you borrow for free from the library. My iTunes purchases have shrunk dramatically since discovering this affordable living tip.
• Cancel Audible.com. Save $18/month. I love my audio books, especially since I have a daily commute to and from work. But now I wait until I can get the same audio books from the local library. Their website also offers downloadable audiobooks and music available for free checkout.
• Reduce entertainment budget. Save $25/month. Our family reduced our monthly entertainment budget this year. So we make every effort to take advantage of free public services like the local public library for summer reading programs, story time, free guest speakers and other free family programs like activity and craft days.

Want to save another $50/month?
Cancel Internet service. Save $50/month. Okay, seriously? I haven’t gone there. Yet. But it’s an option to consider. My monthly bill for high-speed Internet access is about $50. If times are particularly tight for you, the public library offers free Internet access.

As much as I’ve fallen in love with our local public library, I may get there yet.

Tags: Affordable living, affordable living tip, budget-breaking, economic crisis, free family programs, free public services, local library, netflix, never buy CDs again, simple pleasures