I saved $244 by using my library card every day for a week. Here’s what happened.

I hate to say it, but prices are climbing everywhere. Whether it’s a dozen eggs or a new car, it’s easy to feel like your wallet is constantly under siege. But rather than reaching for the credit card, what if you grabbed your library card instead? Everyone knows the library has free books, but the money-saving power of your library card can afford you so much more. With a few simple swaps, you could save without sacrificing quality, convenience, or fun. And what better time than September’s Library Card Sign-Up Month?

I decided to test it out for a week and consciously swap my typical spends with free alternatives from the library. Here’s how it went:

📅 Monday: Catching up on reading

After checking in with the receptionist at my doctor's office, I take my seat and fight the urge to whip out my phone and start doomscrolling (I’m trying to be more conscious and intentional with my phone use). I eye the random pile of tattered magazines in the corner—none of which I’d normally pick up.

Instead, I check out the latest issue of HGTV Magazine on the Libby app and get some paint shade inspiration for my living room project. The doctor’s running behind, so I also whiz through a quick chapter of my current read: The God of the Woods (doomscrolling doesn’t stand a chance... I cannot put this book down). As much as I love to read, I don’t always lug a book around with me wherever I go, but I do always have my phone.

Money saved:
Hardcover book: $16
Magazine subscription: $12

📅 Tuesday: Support for my small business

To make a little side money, I have a small business selling gently used clothes online. Whenever I make a sale, I box up the item and print a shipping label. Instead of waiting in line at a print/shipping store, I pop over to my local library and print the pages for free—plus pick up my book on hold while I’m there.

Money saved:
Shipping label printing: $1
Gas and time saved from not going to the print shop: $3

📅 Wednesday: Skipping the paywall

I see a headline that catches my eye: a deep-dive feature in The New York Times about the scandalous life of America’s first female presidential candidate (way back in the Gilded Age). I click and hit the dreaded paywall. But instead of sighing and moving on or shelling out for a subscription, I remember my library card gives me free access to premium news outlets. A few clicks later, and I'm reading the full article.

Money saved:
Digital news subscription (monthly): $13

📅 Thursday: A night out

My friend and I usually grab dinner and a show on Thursdays, but this week we opt for something a little different: a free author talk in the library’s auditorium. A local author is doing a Q&A and signing. Now we both have a new book on our TBRs and another date to chat about it when we finish. With all the money we save, we treat ourselves to fancy cocktails.

Money saved:
Event ticket: $25
Parking: $10

📅 Friday: Movie night

After a long week at work, Friday is the night to order pizza, munch on popcorn, and... scroll endlessly for something to watch. It can be choice overload wading through all the paid subscriptions, so this time, I just open Kanopy for free movies from the library to stream on the big screen TV. I’ve been meaning to watch Anora, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2025. No ads, no fees, no regrets.

Money saved:
Movie rental: $5
Streaming subscription: $18/month

📅 Saturday: Cleaning day

Cleaning day. Not my favorite, but I make it better by streaming an audiobook from Libby. I finally start Fourth Wing, which everyone’s been raving about. I get through three chapters while scrubbing the bathroom and folding laundry. Dare I say that I actually look forward to cleaning now?

Money saved:
Audiobook subscription: $15

📅 Sunday: A family day out

We usually do something big on Sundays as a family—zoo, trampoline park—but this time we visit the library. Turns out, it's a special event for Library Card Sign-Up Month with face painting, a bounce house, crafts, and a scavenger hunt. My kid has a blast, and I didn’t spend a cent.

Money saved:
Zoo admission for 3: $96
Snacks and extras: $30

In one week, I saved big just by using my library card. And honestly, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. Check out your library for more ways to save and to sign up for a library card (if you don’t already have one). You can’t afford not to.

RELATED READ: How to ditch paid subscriptions & save money this summer at the library