Libraries Offer Surprising Perks
There has been talk these days about the resurgence of community libraries. Everyone knows that the library is a great place to start when you are looking for a book or DVD, but now they offer services beyond traditional book-borrowing. You can find video games, iPods, computer equipment, free Internet access and a variety of costly items that you might not expect, like decorative cake pans. Our first reader tip offers one more way to put your library to use:
LIBRARY LOGIC. Look in the "For Sale" section of your local library for inexpensive books. We find books for adults and kids for $2 or less. I look there for a book I am interested in before spending a lot at a bookstore, and sometimes I get lucky. Sommer G., Colorado
Swap books and CDs.
Websites make it easy to trade used books and records for titles you want. Lala.com charges a dollar per swap for CDs; bookmooch.com arranges book swaps for free.
Join a ticket club.
In big cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and New York, online ticket distributor Goldstar helps theaters and clubs get rid of unsold seats by offering last-minute discounts to members; tickets are sometimes offered free when a theater needs to generate word-of-mouth for a little-known show. You can also find good deals through stubhub.com, where people resell tickets they can't use.
TICKETS [theatre, concerts, sports events, etc.]
Here's something that is almost free for kids: Summer Movie Camp at AMC Theatres. At participating theaters, a different kids' movie starting at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday is just $1 from June 25 through August 6. And not just the kids get in for a buck; families and organizations alike are invited to participate. For just a buck! Go to www.amctheatres.com/smc to find the participating AMC theater closest to you.