Our Local Library = Family Bonding

One of the many Ways 2 Save and to be Frugal, is of course, to head to your local library. Our family has benefited greatly from our local library. Not only has it brought us closer together, my girls are starting to appreciate reading alot more.

At first, we didn't spend alot of time over there, we didn't really think there was much to do there. It wasn't until last year when i decided to become more serious about couponing and saving money that we started going there. One of the main reasons we would head over there was to use the computers. Mainly, we would use the internet because i had decided that the internet was one of the things that we should cut from our budget. After about a month of going, i took one of the free calenders in the kids section. After reviewing it, i noticed that they had alot of activities going on there that i never knew about.

They have alot of arts and crafts, reading time for certain age groups, movie nights, free pictures during the holiday seasons, the list goes on and on. One of the main things that i wanted to take advantage of was the arts and crafts activities. I knew that would be a great way for us to bond as a family. In the beginning, the girls were so not into it, they were so shy and i ended up doing all the crafts for them. But, I insisted that we keep going. They usually do the arts and crafts during certain days on the weekends and twice during the week. We were going for about a month, when the girls finally came out of their shell and started getting involved in the activities.

Halloween Arts & Crafts
One of the highlights was during National Library Week, they had adult and childrens bingo on certain nights. They won several prizes, books, electronic reading timers, water bottles, pencils, etc.

Prizes from National Library Week Bingo

We have taken free pictures during the holidays, during Christmas, they had a free picture with Santa, free picture with the Easter Bunny, they even had an Easter Egg Hunt, let me tell you, they got alot of eggs that day (i recycled their eggs for our own egg hunt at home, didn't have to buy any plastic eggs, just goodies to put in them).

Of course, to save on money for movies and music, we rent them from the library. Although, the selection could be a little bit better, they still enjoy the movie that they do find.

So, if you are looking to do something fun and free, check out your local libraries, check their website and download their calendar and see what they are offering. Sometimes the simply things can be the greatest experience.