Thrifty Thursday - Try before you buy

Don't you just hate it when you spend a goodly amount of money on a DVD that seems so promising from the previews only to find that it is a dud?  Or, how about you hear about a great book but you aren't sure it's good enough to buy?  Luckily for us, there are ways to try out the latest DVD or video game without spending little more than a dollar.  I'm talking about Redbox.  And most communities have libraries that not only have books but other resources as well.

If you haven't tried Redbox and there is one close by, you will be surprised by the large selection and ease of use.  You can reserve movies from home and then just go pick them up.  Or stop by their kiosk and browse.  At only $1.20 + tax per day, there is no reason to ever buy another movie unless you really, really like it and want to have it in your collection.  Also, they have regular specials where you can rent movies free.  We have definitely saved money since discovering Redbox. 

A great way to spend a cold winter afternoon!

And the library...I have always loved libraries and probably always will.  Thousands of books just waiting for you to check out and take home.  And most also have audio books  and movies and games and classes and story hours and more.  I love finding a treasure of a book and then going home and looking it up on Amazon or some other online bookseller and buying it really cheap.  Again, this way I only have the books I really want and use in my collection.  Even with the popularity of ebooks and iPads, I can't imagine them replacing a good old hardcover book.

I hope your children are well acquainted with your local library!