"Borrowing instead of buying" - how you can save hundreds of euros with a special library
Created: 11/30/2022, 07:00
By: Anna Heyers
Consumption continues to rise worldwide.
At the same time, numerous products end up in the garbage.
Certain libraries could change that.
Did you know that a library doesn't always mean a library?
In Germany there are more and more "libraries of things".
Kitchen appliances, sleds or tools of all kinds can be borrowed here.
And that for only a fraction of the purchase price, which has risen significantly in recent years.
A concept that is becoming increasingly popular today.
Savings potential: borrow instead of buy in the "Bib der Dinge"
A library of things, such as the "Bib" in Bochum, is particularly interesting when it comes to unusual objects.
Now that Christmas and New Year's are getting closer, a particularly large number of fondue or raclette sets are being bought.
But apart from maybe one or two winter months, most people have them unused on their shelves.
A fondue together, whether with cheese (see photo), broth or oil, is a tradition for many families.
Just whether the fondue set really always has to be your own?
© Dream79/Imago
Even the new hobby may not be as much fun as you think it is from the start.
But you have to find that out first: If you want to learn to sew, for example, you need a sewing machine.
It can certainly cost money – even used.
So why not just borrow it, try it out and then give it back again?
This not only saves the purchase price, but also space in cupboards or the basement.
How does a library of things work?
The principle of these special libraries is very similar nationwide and hardly differs from the usual libraries.
For a monthly fee you get a membership card and with this you can borrow various things from the library of things.
The monthly fee differs at the different locations.
In the Bochum "Bib der Dinge", for example, there are various subscription options, of which the monthly subscription is the cheapest at 15 euros.
This means that all items in the inventory can be borrowed, home deliveries are possible and you can extend the loan once online.
Most items have a maximum loan period of seven days.
However, if something longer is needed, such as camping equipment, this can be discussed and adjusted before the rental.
Against perpetual consumption: trend towards borrowing instead of buying
The managing director of the Bib der Dinge in Bochum, Dr.
Najine Ameli told
RTL
: "There are sources that claim that a device like a cordless screwdriver rotates for eleven minutes in its entire lifespan.
No more and no less.
And that is actually absurd.”
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Borrow tools from the hardware store
It doesn't always have to be a library of things.
Various tools and large equipment can also be hired from the hardware store for a fee.
Not according to the library principle, but still many times cheaper than buying it yourself.
"Borrowing and repairing has always been there, but there are now new technological possibilities", the consumer sociologist Kai-Uwe Hellmann from the Technical University of Berlin also sees the trend towards borrowing instead of buying, according to the
German Press Agency (dpa).
A movement towards more sustainability, which was also evident in a survey by the opinion research
institute Yougov
in 2018 .
Every second person surveyed stated that they repaired things.
One in five people could imagine renting clothes.
39 percent said they generally buy less for the sake of sustainability.
What is sustainable consumption?
Valuable environmental resources are used in the production of toys, clothing, technology or other consumer goods.
These are not infinite and the population of the earth is constantly growing.
As part of sustainable consumption, more and more people are therefore paying attention to alternative materials, new consumption models and, overall, more environmentally friendly raw materials.
Consuming like in the 20th century will no longer work.
We need to change our lifestyles.
The question is: How can this be done without giving up the usual standard of living?
dr
Najine Ameli, managing director of the Bib der Dinge in Bochum, told RTL
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The topic of repairs is also taken up in the Bochum Bib, among other things.
Events in the form of repair cafés or workshops (e.g. screen printing, wood workshop) take place regularly.
This also includes open workshops where volunteers help visitors with problems.
Offers such as repair cafés are represented nationwide and are particularly interesting for younger generations.
The Network Repair Initiatives
page, for example, provides an overview of the various offers
.