Here is a list of my previous articles:
In discussion with my wife one night, I started doing the back of the envelope calculation and I was shocked to realize it was getting over $500. All it cost me was a few minutes one day getting a library card, and a few minutes here and there on the computer. It takes me about a minute more to take out an Ebook from the library then to buy it on my Kobo. Also, there is getting up early on Saturday morning occasionally to get MAP passes; but I don't regret because we end up getting a lot more done from being up early. Finding something on Hoopla is no different than using NetFlix, you just have a lot less selection. As for the physical copies of magazines, going digital was cheaper and saving clutter around the house. Same with books, as my shelves are already cramped and I seldom read a book twice.
The Math:
This is what it would have cost us if we paid for these services today. Admissions are for two adults.
$56 - Zoo Passes
$48 - Casa Loma
$30 - Black Creek Pioneer Village
$30 - Textile Museum
$147 - The Economist Digital Magazine Subscription
$45 - The Hockey News Digital Annual Subscription
$38 - Mental_Floss Magazine Subscription
$45 - Annual On-Line Subscription to Consumers Reports
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$439 Total Savings
+ now I read Rolling Stone, Men's Health, Maxim and Esquire magazine regularly for free
+ now I watch 2 or 3 movies/TV shows a month for free from Hoopla
+ now I read an ebook every quarter from the Library rather than buy one from Indigo.
Rough math for each:
$136 = $9.99 per month for basic subscription to NextIssue * 12 + HST (They don't have Economist, THN or Mental_Floss available like the Toronto Public Library)
$50 = From Itunes movies and shows can be watched starting from $2.99 an episode. Netflix is a far better service for Movies/TV and Hoopla does not replace that. I think an arbitrary value for this service is $50 to me.
$80 = Hard to value, but I typically read non fiction best sellers and would buy them hardcover on sale. Roughly, $20 a book * 4 books = $80.00
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$266 in further savings.
This is for an approximate grand total of $705.00.
That is a fair amount and again unlike giving up your daily latte or brown bagging your lunch, this is a saving that does not take the little joys out of life. In fact with more breadth from magazines and the ability to not worry about reading majority of articles is priceless. The Economist magazine for the cost always made me feel guilty that I was not getting my money's worth and this created needless stress for me.
I have done my own math and I'm practicing it. I feel no guilt as we pay Toronto Property Taxes of about $3K a year, so why should you? Tell me if going digital from the Library worked for you?
$80 = Hard to value, but I typically read non fiction best sellers and would buy them hardcover on sale. Roughly, $20 a book * 4 books = $80.00
---
$266 in further savings.
This is for an approximate grand total of $705.00.
That is a fair amount and again unlike giving up your daily latte or brown bagging your lunch, this is a saving that does not take the little joys out of life. In fact with more breadth from magazines and the ability to not worry about reading majority of articles is priceless. The Economist magazine for the cost always made me feel guilty that I was not getting my money's worth and this created needless stress for me.
Accept the Library Challenge:
I have done my own math and I'm practicing it. I feel no guilt as we pay Toronto Property Taxes of about $3K a year, so why should you? Tell me if going digital from the Library worked for you?
