For the Love of Lists

Engineering life one step at a time

10 Places to Find Discount Books

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10 Places to Find Discount Books

I’m not going to lie: I’m technically in no need of new books.  But even with a collection of over 1,600 already I can’t help but get excited browsing all the titles on the shelves.  My husband both laughs and cries a little as I walk out of the stores with my arms spilling over with aerospace textbooks, Stephen King novels, and Titanic references.  If you, too, are an avid reader, I’d bet you’re also constantly on the lookout for good deals on your favorite interests.  Here are 10 of my favorite places to find discount books!

  1. Goodwill/Salvation Army – our old Goodwill used to have an entire wall of the store dedicated to used books at only $1-2 apiece
  2. Used Book Stores – while some are higher priced than others, they usually have a great selection of books in decent shape
  3. Antique/Consignment Shops – great for older or vintage books
  4. Flea Markets – these may take some searching, but flea and trader markets typically have small collections here and there
  5. Yard Sales – many people purge their books for yard sales so be sure to make a stop when you drive by one
  6. Book Fairs – book fairs or dollar book swaps are popular in cities so look around for news of upcoming events
  7. Library Sales – from time to time libraries will host book fairs to get rid of excess copies
  8. Book Swaps – public book swaps are popping up more frequently, or you can always trade with friends
  9. Used Book Sites – I frequently use the used option on Amazon to get textbooks and hardcovers for a good price
  10. Free E-books – when all else fails, look online for free e-books (ex. Project Gutenberg)

Do you have any other suggestions on where to find discount or free books?  Please leave them in the comments below!

10 Free Ways to Boost Your Disney Vacation

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Disney Celebration ButtonsIn honor of Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration and its 24-hour kickoff (which starts tomorrow at 0600), here are 10 free ways to boost your Disney vacation:

  1. Scavenger Hunt – enhance your transit/queue time with a fun scavenger adventure (like this one for the Disneyland’s 60th anniversary!)
  2. Hidden Mickeys – Mickey ears are hidden all throughout the parks and resorts, so compete to see who can find the most
  3. Celebration Buttons – go to City Hall (or equivalent) to pick up free buttons for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduation, or just to celebrate
  4. Imagineering Field Guides – while you can buy park field guides at bookstores/Amazon, you can also browse Wikipedia while waiting in lines to learn fun facts about the development of the rides (could be a fun trivia game)
  5. Photo Ops – if you ask, the professional photographers will take photos of you and your family using your personal phone/camera for no cost
  6. Ride Times App – search for a simple app that will keep you updated on estimated queue lengths (so you’ll know if it’s worth it to trek across the park)
  7. Autograph Book – decorate a notebook with your child to bring when they meet all the characters in the park
  8. Ride Souvenirs – supposedly if you ask a skipper on the Jungle Cruise they will give you a free map, but otherwise you can always make your own ride tokens to give to your kids if they brave some of the larger rides (like a printable death certificate for surviving the Haunted Mansion)
  9. “Broadway” Shows – At several parks you can see a 45 min Broadway quality show (included with admission): Aladdin at California Adventures and Beauty and the Beast at Hollywood Studios
  10. “DisneyBound” – Create an outfit based on your favorite Disney themes/characters using suggestions from DisneyBound (great for kids’ outfits that are more functional than princess dresses)

For an automatic enhancement, visit Disney during one of the holiday seasons, particularly around Halloween (Sep – Nov) or Christmas (Nov – Jan).  These times include special edible treats, holiday overlays of several rides, and added shows.

Free Printables: A Week of Daily Planners

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As much as I have tried, I’ve never found a planner I could stick with.  Some didn’t offer enough detail, and some overwhelmed with too much.  I could never find the right “fit”.  So, inspired by yet another Pinterest binge, I realized that it was time to make my own.  Now I’d like to share my planner with you.

Daily Planner

I had a couple of requirements before I started to develop my planner.  I started off focusing on a daily sheet for the following reasons:

  • It keeps me focused on a specific to-do list
  • I can vary the sheet for work days and weekends
  • I have room for all my scribbles and notes
  • Every day feels like a fresh start

One of my biggest productivity problems is the never-ending to-do list (are you with me on this one?).  Using the daily sheet, I limit my task list to only 3-5 slots per type (i.e. work, business, personal) plus separate items for chores and errands.  I also automatically prioritize (yay color-coding!) and schedule my tasks on the adjacent calendar.

My planner seems complex at first, but it works for me because I can categorize all of my tasks and activities at a glance.  It is also important for me to include information on meal planning, fitness, budget, and daily inspiration (typically Walt Disney or Henry Ford quotes).  Even when I’ve had a rough day previously I can turn over a fresh page and start off new.

Here’s a breakdown of my planner:

  • Date/Weekday – Each sheet has different task slots and chores, including “fun” categories for weekends
  • Daily Activities – The “Pray/Read/Journal/Plan” section is for motivating activities I try to do every day
  • Inspiration – I love inspiring quotes, and I try to find a new one each day
  • Book – A reminder of which book I’m reading that day
  • Challenge/Reward – I set a specific challenge each day tied to a reward (ex. completing 3 tasks = an episode of Gilmore Girls)
  • Schedule – The shaded areas represent my non-work hours, and I block schedule tasks and activities throughout the day
  • Tasks – I try to accomplish these in priority order (red-orange-yellow) and check them off when they’ve been completed
    • Work – I’m a full-time engineer so this is where I track my assignments
    • Business – I use this for blogging and organization (AIAA) tasks
    • Personal – This one’s for everything else in my life
  • 10 Minute Tasks – I like to write down a few mini tasks I can get done even if I don’t feel like I have time to check anything off my list (ex. shredding papers, clearing the dresser)
  • Contacts – A list of people I need to contact (email/call/etc) for work and home
  • Errands – A list of places to go and things to buy
  • Chores – We have different chores assigned to each day, with room for items that need extra attention
  • Nutrition – Here I track my meal plan for the day, preps I need to take care of for the next night’s dinner, and check box reminders for vitamins, health monitoring, and my food log.  I also have 10 bullets at the bottom to track water intake.
  • Fitness – I’m usually working with a 30-day challenge, and I like to write down options for physical activity I can do throughout the day.  The total records the amount of time I spend exercising in a day.  I also keep a reminder box for nightly stretches.
  • Budget – I use this to try to stay accountable for any spending decisions throughout the day
  • Notes – For any reminder or thought that doesn’t fit the sheet, I keep this open.

Here is the link to my daily planner.  It includes all 7 days of the week in one file, so you can print a week at a time and get prepared each Sunday.  Let me know if you like it!

Free Printable Daily Planner