MAKING ENDS MEET: Save money on summer activities at Chattanooga’s Public Library

Summer is right around the corner and for parents this means more opportunities for family fun activities.

But a day full of different places to go and things to do can hurt the wallet.

Local 3 News visited the Chattanooga Public Library to discover how families can save money while having fun.

At the library visitors and families can check out a variety of things. Obviously, you can check out loads of books, or rent a DVD for movie night. You can even rent some camping gear and take your family outside.

“Getting the supplies and accessories to participate in that is pretty expensive up front but you can borrow a tent from us, you can borrow lanterns, hiking poles, we even have some fancy binoculars if you wanted to go bird watching,” said Lyn Hunter, Youth Services Supervisor for the Public Library.

Lyn Hunter with the library says City of Chattanooga residents are eligible for a free library card which allows you to rent out 100 items at once.

Non-residents pay $50 a year for a card, but Hunter says people will earn that money back in no time. 

“If you were to check out all of the passes, take advantage of the recording studio, I think it’s possible that families could save hundreds of dollars,” said Hunter.

Card holders can get free admission to places like the Tennessee Aquarium, Lookouts games, or the Chattanooga Zoo, all through their family passes. 

“Usually four to six tickets for a pass, we say it’s a family pass but if it was you and four friends I’m sure it would be fine,” said Hunter.

When you crunch the numbers it’ll cost $140 for a family of four to have a fun day at the aquarium.

But with the family pass it’ll cost you nothing.

“Some people just didn’t know that was out there, that if you do have kids you can do the zoo passes, the lookouts, I think the Creative Discovery Museum as well, so we knew about it but I think it needs to be known more that you can do stuff like that,” said Chattanooga resident, Justin Ragsdale.

Justin Ragsdale takes his daughter Evie to the library two or three times a week.

“Yeah I like playing with other kids and making new friends,” said Evie Ragsdale.

He says he saves money just by taking advantage of classes and activities for kids offered throughout the week.

“When we first moved downtown, we wanted to do a movie night with Evie so we rented a projector, was able to set it up on the patio and was able to have a good family time,” said Ragsdale.

If Ragsdale rented the movie equipment elsewhere it would cost him around $200 a day. 

And he isn’t the only parent utilizing the library to save. 

“In the summer we’ll come here to check out books especially when it’s really hot, it’s a good indoor activity to do, they also provide lunch through the YMCA, we’ve done that a couple of times,” said Chattanooga resident, Emily Jordon.

If some how a family of four could go camping one day, which saves about $100 in rentals, then went to the aquarium the next day, another $140, and capped off the weekend with a movie night… that’s a whopping $440 saved in one week.

And that’s only scratching the surface of activities the library provides.

“We want you here we want to do cool stuff with you so come and see us,” said Hunter.

For more information on how to get a library card or to see all the other ways to save at the Chattanooga’s Public Library, visit their website.