I second that: library for the first-time read, and half.com to buy the few I deem worthy of living on my shelves.
Occasionally I go by Half-Priced Books with friends, and I usually bee-line for the old, hard-cover classics, and I keep a running list of what I'm keeping an eye out for.
I typically go to Amazon to learn about the book and read reviews. Then I will look for a good used copy online (Amazon, eBay, book exchange) or at the library. If those fail, I will buy it new at Amazon. Occasionally, I will go to B&N to look at the book before I order it online if it is cheaper than B&N (considering taxes and shipping costs.).
I have largely stopped buying books as I simply began to run out of room to keep them. I have found that it most cases my local library has been able to provide the books that I want to read. While I have begun to download free books from Amazon, I still prefer to feel of a actual book.
I cut t-shirts into yarn to make into wonderful squishy rugs. They are very easy to make into grocery sacks by sewing the bottom shut and cutting handles from the shoulders.
People seem to think that their hard-luck stories are needed to win blog prizes. Such a turn-off. What do bloggers or companies particularly look for from contestants or have people won on a totally random basis? I've had success at winning a few times on one particular blog giveaway that I've entered so I'm wondering if it was based on what I wrote or not. Thanks for your tips!
I try to avoid buying books whenever possible. I have access to a huge university library, which makes that very easy. I do, however, like browsing through thrift store book collections. You never know what you'll find! I recently found a like-new copy of Jonathan Franzen's Freedom (which I've been dying to read) for $1 at a local thrift store. The jacket says $28. Score!
I pick up a book at the library and if I love it I buy it on Amazon. I also go to my local indie used book store when I do not have a book set in my mind.
I get books in many ways: university and public libraries, paperbackswap.com, bookmooch.com, librarything.com giveaways, public domain sites, giveaways from blogs, amazon.com, some from independent publishers like aqueductpress.com, & science fiction conventions!
Phillip, I'm not sure you understand how gold fundamentally works. The price we pay on gold is not based on the value of the gold itself, but on the purchasing power of the currency you're using. Gold does not go up or down in value, it simply stays the same. Your worry about the price of gold going up into infinity is only because fiat money's value is falling to obscurity.
Now true, over time new gold does enter the market. But gold mines are expensive and takes years to even get to productive capacity. The idea that some day we're going to realize that the Rocky Mountains are made of gold which will devalue the gold on the market is not a legitimate enough to base your critique of the gold standard on. In fact, I would challenge you to find such a time in history when this has happened to the extent that you speak of.
Gold is not an investment, as investments are meant to generate value. Gold holds value. Unlike our fiat currency, which can simply be generated at will by the Treasury through the Fed, gold cannot be forged. Governments hate it for this reason. They would much rather have a currency that they can duplicate with ease.
Back to the example of the house. You mentioned that 100 oz of gold would have bought you a $27,100 house in 2001. You said that such a house was hardly even squat-able. What might surprise you is that the average price of a home in New York in 1940 was $4,389. Imagine now, if instead of buying that home in New York, that person decided to put their money in the bank and not take it out until 2011. The currency that at one time could have bought a house, might now cover granite countertops.
But on the other hand, had that person bought gold instead of the house and kept the gold in a safety deposit box at the bank, and wanted to buy a house now they would have $204,547 to do so, not $4,389.
The depreciation of the dollar is tantamount to theft. Anyone keeping money in a standard savings account is slowly being robbed, even in a decent money market account. Eventually our debt and inflation will come home to roost. I can only hope that you and the other contributors to Wise Bread will be wise enough to see the true cause for the chaos.
I'm a big used book fan...and I have an Amazon.com credit card. Bonus points buy books, baby!! I do really love our local bookstore though and shop there as often as I can and not break the budget, but it is not as often as I would wish.
Great piece Philip. I'm a bigger fan of longer thought-pieces - they don't get enough exposure in my opinion. I just finished one on Commodities called "Steak or Sizzle?". Like Gold, they are very misunderstood: http://www.rossasset.com/weblog/
For normal reading, we use the library and buy books at the thrift store. The thrift store is great for kids' books (including cartoon books), thrillers, mysteries, etc. Garage sales often have books read only once for 10 cents.
If we need something specific, we first check Amazon marketplace (used books) - many times we've found the book we need for just a few dollars.
A few times I've bought field guides on Ebay for very low prices - much better than I could find on Amazon marketplace.
If we buy new, it's almost always from Amazon. If we had a really good coupon (40 or 50%-off) we might buy at a local bookstore chain.
We used to be big customers of the local bookstores but their prices crept up and up and now they're almost all gone. As we've grown more price conscious, we've gone where our money buys the most.
-Phone charger for sure. and yes, get a case for that toothbrush or you'll have to pull purse lint out of it before you use it very time o.O
-Travel pack of kleenex is a must! (spills, napkin, makeshift fem pad, or if you end up wandering at night and there are no restrooms open/nearby, and you're not a fan of leaves...and when you're exploring the sewers and run into a nest of spiders, they make much better torches stuffers than tampons!)
-Socks! nothing makes you feel fresh like a change of socks. Also, if you've been walking and gt super cold, changing your socks works wonders - this keeps your feet dry, a huge factor in your overall body temperature - can make as much difference as an extra coat, no jokes. This comes from someone with circulation problems and extreme cold intolerance. (*unfortunately, most socks do NOT make good torches, as they are often treated to be fire resistant)
-notecard or two or small notebook to go with that pen
-A lighter! Smoker or not, they come in handy - reading a quick sign or the directions to your next bus stop, even instead of scissors for cutting threads or opening those annoyingly impenetrable plastic containers they use to keep electronics safe from shoplifters and legitimate purchasers alike
I check out books from the library and also buy the older books they are selling for a dollar. I donate books to them too to do my part in keeping the library strong. I get classics from my kindle where it's free. And then after that I get books from Borders and Barnes and Noble to keep people employed (didn't work for Borders).
I to try buy used as often as possible. I usually try Betterworldbooks.com first because of their donations to literacy projects. They are easy to browse, free shipping and their 4 for $12 sales are great. Plus you can donate your books back that aren't keepers.
If they don't have it, it's off to Amazon especially if it's a new book I can't wait to read or a book Betterworldbooks.com doesn't carry.
I prefer books...the weight, smell, turning pages. As a kid, I was the dork walking 2 miles home from the library carrying almost her own weight in books. It's a life long love affair.
When I lived near a Borders I would love to browse and have a coffee. Now they are going out of business. I live 12 miles from the Mexican border, it's a very small town. We do have a small library.
Where can I find these wines?
I second that: library for the first-time read, and half.com to buy the few I deem worthy of living on my shelves.
Occasionally I go by Half-Priced Books with friends, and I usually bee-line for the old, hard-cover classics, and I keep a running list of what I'm keeping an eye out for.
I typically go to Amazon to learn about the book and read reviews. Then I will look for a good used copy online (Amazon, eBay, book exchange) or at the library. If those fail, I will buy it new at Amazon. Occasionally, I will go to B&N to look at the book before I order it online if it is cheaper than B&N (considering taxes and shipping costs.).
I have largely stopped buying books as I simply began to run out of room to keep them. I have found that it most cases my local library has been able to provide the books that I want to read. While I have begun to download free books from Amazon, I still prefer to feel of a actual book.
I cut t-shirts into yarn to make into wonderful squishy rugs. They are very easy to make into grocery sacks by sewing the bottom shut and cutting handles from the shoulders.
People seem to think that their hard-luck stories are needed to win blog prizes. Such a turn-off. What do bloggers or companies particularly look for from contestants or have people won on a totally random basis? I've had success at winning a few times on one particular blog giveaway that I've entered so I'm wondering if it was based on what I wrote or not. Thanks for your tips!
Between the library and free eBook offers, I hardly ever buy books. When I do, I usually turn to amazon.
I try to avoid buying books whenever possible. I have access to a huge university library, which makes that very easy. I do, however, like browsing through thrift store book collections. You never know what you'll find! I recently found a like-new copy of Jonathan Franzen's Freedom (which I've been dying to read) for $1 at a local thrift store. The jacket says $28. Score!
I pick up a book at the library and if I love it I buy it on Amazon. I also go to my local indie used book store when I do not have a book set in my mind.
If there's a specific title I want, I look for it via the public library first.
Then I look on Amazon.com for used copies and, if that fails, new copies.
I generally stay away from ebooks, preferring hard copies.
If I'm not searching for anything in particular, then library used book sales, thrift stores, used book stores, etc. are great :-)
I do both....I really prefer printed books, but sometimes read on my iPad is better.
I get books in many ways: university and public libraries, paperbackswap.com, bookmooch.com, librarything.com giveaways, public domain sites, giveaways from blogs, amazon.com, some from independent publishers like aqueductpress.com, & science fiction conventions!
PS I liked you on FB before it was cool :)
Phillip, I'm not sure you understand how gold fundamentally works. The price we pay on gold is not based on the value of the gold itself, but on the purchasing power of the currency you're using. Gold does not go up or down in value, it simply stays the same. Your worry about the price of gold going up into infinity is only because fiat money's value is falling to obscurity.
Now true, over time new gold does enter the market. But gold mines are expensive and takes years to even get to productive capacity. The idea that some day we're going to realize that the Rocky Mountains are made of gold which will devalue the gold on the market is not a legitimate enough to base your critique of the gold standard on. In fact, I would challenge you to find such a time in history when this has happened to the extent that you speak of.
Gold is not an investment, as investments are meant to generate value. Gold holds value. Unlike our fiat currency, which can simply be generated at will by the Treasury through the Fed, gold cannot be forged. Governments hate it for this reason. They would much rather have a currency that they can duplicate with ease.
Back to the example of the house. You mentioned that 100 oz of gold would have bought you a $27,100 house in 2001. You said that such a house was hardly even squat-able. What might surprise you is that the average price of a home in New York in 1940 was $4,389. Imagine now, if instead of buying that home in New York, that person decided to put their money in the bank and not take it out until 2011. The currency that at one time could have bought a house, might now cover granite countertops.
But on the other hand, had that person bought gold instead of the house and kept the gold in a safety deposit box at the bank, and wanted to buy a house now they would have $204,547 to do so, not $4,389.
The depreciation of the dollar is tantamount to theft. Anyone keeping money in a standard savings account is slowly being robbed, even in a decent money market account. Eventually our debt and inflation will come home to roost. I can only hope that you and the other contributors to Wise Bread will be wise enough to see the true cause for the chaos.
I'm a big used book fan...and I have an Amazon.com credit card. Bonus points buy books, baby!! I do really love our local bookstore though and shop there as often as I can and not break the budget, but it is not as often as I would wish.
Great piece Philip. I'm a bigger fan of longer thought-pieces - they don't get enough exposure in my opinion. I just finished one on Commodities called "Steak or Sizzle?". Like Gold, they are very misunderstood: http://www.rossasset.com/weblog/
For normal reading, we use the library and buy books at the thrift store. The thrift store is great for kids' books (including cartoon books), thrillers, mysteries, etc. Garage sales often have books read only once for 10 cents.
If we need something specific, we first check Amazon marketplace (used books) - many times we've found the book we need for just a few dollars.
A few times I've bought field guides on Ebay for very low prices - much better than I could find on Amazon marketplace.
If we buy new, it's almost always from Amazon. If we had a really good coupon (40 or 50%-off) we might buy at a local bookstore chain.
We used to be big customers of the local bookstores but their prices crept up and up and now they're almost all gone. As we've grown more price conscious, we've gone where our money buys the most.
Really enjoyed this topic. Keep up the good work!
Darn. I wish it were something I could do since it's my neighbor's dog that keeps making our lawn brown.
-Phone charger for sure. and yes, get a case for that toothbrush or you'll have to pull purse lint out of it before you use it very time o.O
-Travel pack of kleenex is a must! (spills, napkin, makeshift fem pad, or if you end up wandering at night and there are no restrooms open/nearby, and you're not a fan of leaves...and when you're exploring the sewers and run into a nest of spiders, they make much better torches stuffers than tampons!)
-Socks! nothing makes you feel fresh like a change of socks. Also, if you've been walking and gt super cold, changing your socks works wonders - this keeps your feet dry, a huge factor in your overall body temperature - can make as much difference as an extra coat, no jokes. This comes from someone with circulation problems and extreme cold intolerance. (*unfortunately, most socks do NOT make good torches, as they are often treated to be fire resistant)
-notecard or two or small notebook to go with that pen
-A lighter! Smoker or not, they come in handy - reading a quick sign or the directions to your next bus stop, even instead of scissors for cutting threads or opening those annoyingly impenetrable plastic containers they use to keep electronics safe from shoplifters and legitimate purchasers alike
I check out books from the library and also buy the older books they are selling for a dollar. I donate books to them too to do my part in keeping the library strong. I get classics from my kindle where it's free. And then after that I get books from Borders and Barnes and Noble to keep people employed (didn't work for Borders).
I to try buy used as often as possible. I usually try Betterworldbooks.com first because of their donations to literacy projects. They are easy to browse, free shipping and their 4 for $12 sales are great. Plus you can donate your books back that aren't keepers.
If they don't have it, it's off to Amazon especially if it's a new book I can't wait to read or a book Betterworldbooks.com doesn't carry.
I prefer books...the weight, smell, turning pages. As a kid, I was the dork walking 2 miles home from the library carrying almost her own weight in books. It's a life long love affair.
When I lived near a Borders I would love to browse and have a coffee. Now they are going out of business. I live 12 miles from the Mexican border, it's a very small town. We do have a small library.
Until last month, I bought regular paper books. But now I have a Kindle.
I Like Wise Bread on Facebook as Selene Montgomery
I *like* Wisebread on Facebook!
I get my books from the library.