Factor in the gas cost, Kristen!
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I post a picture and just a few words.
That's what I have to remind myself of when I have a book or two overdue.
My gut reaction to seeing that a book is nearly overdue: "Oh, I really have to get that book back before I get a fine!".
But then I remind myself that I'm gonna spend a lot more than $0.25 cents in gas by making a special trip to the library.
It's easy to forget about the hidden costs of driving when the fine is right there in black and white. At least, it is for me!
(Now, that time when I had 88 books overdue because of headlice? That was worth a trip to the library right then and there.)
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P.S. I do renew my books online all the time, but sometimes I can't because I've renewed them too many times, or because someone else has a hold on the book.
P.P.S. Lisey and I posted a recipe for Skillet Apple Crisp over on her blog. Easy, and it makes just the right amount for our family!
Along similar lines, I have to remind myself that, no matter how much I want that little errand done, sometimes it makes more sense to batch them. Even if it means a bit more clutter on my drop space in the short term.
That's one of my struggles as well - that one thing sitting there...staring at me...whispering, "But it would only take a few minutes and a quick trip to town."
You hear the voice, too! That's why I find being at someone else's house so relaxing, even if I'm doing work for them - my voices are left at home and I can't hear their voices.
I have been choosing to pay fines instead of running out to return a book over the last year also. My "must not have fines!" instinct has been tempered by the cost of the gas to get there and the time required to get small children out of the house. Plus it's usually children's books that are overdue for me, and our library only charges 10 cents a day. I actually remember going to a library growing up where they didn't charge for overdue children's books because they wanted to encourage families to read to their children!
That's what I tell myself when I miss a cheaper price somewhere and have to run to Publix instead and pay a slightly higher price... it would cost me more in gas to drive to the cheaper store than what I would be saving. (thankfully it doesn't happen very often!).
This week I forced myself to walk to the library to return my books and pick up new DVDs. We only live about a mile away so I should be walking there more often, but as it is I only go when I'm already out and about on errands and until very recently it was still too darn hot for me (Central Florida dweller, here). My library emails me 3 days in advance to warn me that materials are due and I love that reminder. Like you, I can renew an item online up to 2 times if no one has it on hold. Knowing that someone is waiting on an item would definitely make drive there to return it. I'm just imagining myself in their shoes and thinking back of when I was a homeschooling parent and putting books on hold for lesson plans that I had scheduled for specific days or around specific field trips and anxiously checking the library's website every day to see if the item(s) in question were on their way to my branch. For all I know, though, the person who put the item on hold isn't dancing hot coals waiting for it, so I'm not criticizing you, Kristin! It's just that I'm not a social person at all so this is my small way of trying to be a better citizen 🙂
Your blog post just reminded me that I was supposed to return a library book yesterday! But instead of driving all the way there over my lunch hour, I will drop it off after picking up my school at daycare which is closer.
Our library is pretty close, but it's still a few dollars in gas when we drive.
Funny enough, in our city there was an issue this year with the library that made the news: it didn't get enough revenue because of the e-mail reminders people are getting, and because you can renew (most, like you said not all) online! You'd think they'd like us returning our books on time!
Our library just went "fine free" but if you don't return it eventually, they charge you for the ENTIRE cost of the book, but in the meantime, there is grace. 😉
Our library does the same thing. There is an honesty jar on the desk if you want to donate money for late fines. I try to drop in a couple dollars every now and then.
I never feel guilty about paying library late fines. It's revenue for the library and despite the late fines I may accrue, it is much cheaper than actually buying all the books and movies I check out.
I'm glad someone else considers the cost of gas for special trips; I don't feel so econo-geeky then! I try to put everything together each week for a trip in each direction. Really makes me cringe to travel "up the hill" or "downtown" for just one thing! And, yes, love renewing things online; but a bummer that we can only renew one time ..........
I've gotten to the point where i consider my fines a donation to the library fund lol I know i need to stop that 🙂
Thank You for the reminder! I had books due tomorrow but I hopped online and renewed them all!
OTOH, any excuse to visit the library is a good excuse!
Shameless plug alert: If you love your library, you could remember them in your charitable giving. Or you could join their Friends Group and volunteer your time instead.
I used to have a terrible time with OD books. Now I volunteer at the quarterly book sales, where I can BUY more books than I can ever read for pennies. When I'm done, I donate them back to the library where they can be sold again.
All the money goes to pay for programs and materials at the library. Win-Win, and nary a fine.
This is why I gladly pay for Amazon Prime, and eat the higher costs on some of the items. It costs gas to go to a big box store, and more importantly, it costs time.
I've been factoring in the time cost lately, too. Sometimes it really is worth the fine!
Our main library is downtown, and except on Sunday you have to pay for parking. So I often get books there on Sunday and return them to another branch (which is OK) with free parking. They are about equidistant from my house in opposite directions, but the free parking branch is smaller with less selection (I like to browse in fiction).
I set up a smart phone calendar reminder starting 5 days before the book is due. That helps.
Nice reminder to all. There are hidden costs in almost everything we do that we all often do not account for. To save gas these days, we always try to run more than one errand at once.
Just thankful that oil prices have finally seem to have retreated...they are below $3.00/gal here in California for the first time in a VERY long time. 🙂
Whenever I run out of online renewals and I can't get to the library, I just give them a call and they renew it via phone! It is helpful! 🙂
Can't you renew them online?
Yup! But like I said in the post, sometimes things on are on hold, or I've renewed them the maximum number of times. So then I'm out of luck.
And it's not just gas costs that factors into cost per mile. There's also the eventual maintenance required by driving, as well as devaluation of your car. It's why the IRS cost per mile estimate for reimbursement of driving as a business expense is set at 56 cents per mile - even if you only got a terrible 10 mpg on your car with gasoline at $3 a gallon, it would still only cost 30 cents a mile.