In this economy, let’s face it, we are all trying to save a buck any way we can. Personally, I purchase quite a few things online – I find that many times, the online venues have a more competitive price that the “brick and mortar” stores in the area, and that includes the shipping costs.

One website I use every day is dealnews which tells you the best deals of the day, not only online but in your neighborhood as well.  This wondrous website leads you to coupon codes and even something similar to a GROUPON, where you can get services in your area for much discounted pricing.  

My favorite thing to get from dealnews? My free Kindle books, which have different titles released each day!

Oh, My Aching Back!

Have you ever wondered if there was another way to obtain a textbook other than lugging around a 400 page, 20 lb. wealth of knowledge? Well thanks to Barnes and Noble, they have made the Nook THE reader for students. B&N have done this by bundling $100 worth of texts like A Tale of Two Cities, and The Great Gatsby, just to name a few – the kind of books we all need in our literature courses, into each new Nook.

More good news is that Amazon, owner of the Kindle, a competitor reader to the Nook, will rent eBook textbooks to students for discounts.

So with textbooks catching up to technology, perhaps you won’t have to visit your chiropractor this year because of the weight of your backpack.

Summer Reading...Driftin' Away

When was the last time you read a book? No, not a text book for class, but a book, just for fun? I hope you said recently, because, I, personally, love to read.

Getting lost in a book is one of life’s purest joys. Where else can you start reading on your porch and suddenly be transported to a different place and time? Only in a book. And what a better time to enjoy a book than the lazy, hazy days of summer…

This leads me to the technological side of reading. Sure, you can go to the library and take a book out for a period of time. Or you can go to a store and purchase one and own it forever. But, in the year 2011 there is no need to actually carry a book around with you.

Owning a digital reader, like a Kindle or a Nook allows you to have many different books, magazines or newspapers loaded on your device, which you can take anywhere. Not only can you download a digital book to your reader, but smartphones and iPads also have the same capability. You normally can purchase these books from Amazon.com for the Kindle or Barnes and Noble.com for the Nook. This is great for those that normally purchase their books.

But for the library user, Barnes and Noble is already allowing books to be downloaded from library sites free of charge. Following close behind is the Kindle, owned by Amazon. Keep an eye out at your local library website for this to come to fruition.

And, however you choose to enjoy your book - digitally or book-in-hand, hope you have some great summer time adventures!