Best Deal Around

The Library.

Netflix, On-Demand, even video rental stores, they're fantastic. How could you ever live without them? But, they can be expensive and even if you're on a really good plan, every little bit helps while you're unemployed.

I hear all the time that the idea of going to the library to rent DVDs is unheard of for most people. Granted, your library may not have the grandiose selection of Netflix, but it is the best deal in town. Each year you pay approximately ONE DOLLAR in taxes for your state or county library system. And it costs NOTHING to rent a film, unless you're overdue ($1per day usually).

Go check it out. Plus, while you're there you can sign up to volunteer in a literacy program.

The library is also very green. Let's imagine you buy 20 books a year. According to Cleantech Group, that's about 331 pounds of carbon. Now say you're willing to buy only five books a year, new releases that you just can't wait for, and get the other 15 from the library. The San Francisco library bought 78,445 books in 2008. Let's assume each of the library's 2,265,209 visitors borrowed two books; the carbon burden of the new books thus divides out to about 0.3 pounds of CO2 per patron. You've reduced your reading emissions to 42 pounds of CO2, nearly an eighth of what they would be if you bought all your books new.

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