I used to spend about 40 dollars a month on audiobooks. Then a friend told me she had not bought a book in two years because of her library card, and I thought she was exaggerating. She was not. I signed up for my local library online, and it took five minutes.

That plastic card is worth hundreds of dollars a year, and most people never use half of what it offers.

Get the free apps

Your library card unlocks apps that most people have no idea about. The big three are Libby for ebooks and audiobooks, Kanopy for movies and documentaries, and Hoopla for music, comics, and movies. You log in with your library card number, and everything is free. I read about three books a month through Libby, all at no cost.

Check if your library has reciprocal cards

Here is a trick that changed everything for me: many libraries let you get a card at partner libraries in your state, sometimes for free. Each library has a different catalog and different wait times for popular books. I hold cards at three libraries now, and if one has a six-week wait for a book, another usually has it available today.

Borrow way more than books

Libraries lend movies, video games, board games, tools, and even museum passes. Mine lends cake pans, believe it or not. Before you buy anything that you will use once, check the library catalog. I borrowed a carpet cleaner instead of renting one, and the pass to the local science museum saved me a 60 dollar admission fee.

Use the free computers and classes

If you need a printer, a scanner, or a computer, the library has them free. Many libraries also run free classes: resume writing, computer basics, even tax help. I used the library’s scanner to digitize old family photos, which would have cost me a fortune at a print shop.

Read magazines and newspapers free

Most libraries give you free access to digital magazines and newspapers through apps like PressReader. I stopped paying for a magazine subscription I had for years and now read it through the library. It is the exact same content, delivered the same way, for free.

I have saved hundreds of dollars this year, and that is just from books and audiobooks. The card was free, the signup was online, and the only cost is remembering to return things on time. If you do not have a library card, get one this week.