A Book is a Great Bargain and an Even Better Getaway

These are hard times, no doubt about it. People are laid off and staying laid off for a long time.
But when the cash flow is compromised there are some good ways to save money.
My favorite entertainment is a book. A few hundred pages take you away for a few hours, to learn, to dream, to ponder. All in the comfort of your own home. It's a great way to be richly entertained on a dime. Go to the library and they're yours for free for two or three weeks. Or if you must buy, you have many options, and you really hardly ever have to pay full price. Buy or exchange them at used book stores, or you can shop the sales and remainder aisles. One bookstore in my area, New Horizons in Roseville, MI, has a lot of books on remainder, on sale (a lot of hardcovers are 30 percent off, and you can swap some books for credit.) Plus if you shop at such a place you're buying locally, so it's a feel-good thing to help the area economy and small-business owners.
Libraries also have good book sales. Sometimes you can walk away with a huge sack of books for under $10. Your pickings won't be as extensive as, say, Borders, but you'll get a bargain, and won't it feel good to support your local library?
Big chains such as Borders and Barnes & Noble have discounts for members. Borders Rewards are free to join, and you get good coupons, sometimes up to 40 percent off.
Barnes & Noble charges an annual fee of $25, but if you have to buy books, CDs and DVDs, it can be a good investment. Very helpful for gift shopping and if the B&N has a Starbucks, you can use the card to get a discount on that latte.
Otherwise, there are other big chains such as Target and Meijer who offer discounts. For the stuff that is harder to find, Amazon.com is a great place to shop as well, and they have good prices and free shipping on orders $25 and up.
A few hundred pages of a good history book, a biography or a novel provides hours of entertainment for little to no money. And, they're great sources of conversation, if you have friends with whom you can discuss what you're reading. Libraries and bookstores also often have book groups, so you get a chance to socialize for the price of getting to the discussion and perhaps a cup of coffee.
With a good book you have the ultimate getaway, for free, or for pennies on the page.