Q: I'm a little nervous about asking for teacher's discounts. What if they say no?

A: It can be a little unnerving at first, but I usually ask if they offer a discount for teachers. If they do, they usually have a form you fill out. I take the form, fill it out, and give it back. Where it asks for the name and address of the school, I put "Home School" and my home address. Many times, the clerk will pick up on the home school posting and gush all over about how great it is. But if there was a problem, I'd just say, "okay" and we'd move on. It may be easier to ask about the discount when you're not buying something, rather than when you have a stack of books on the counter!

Q: I don't have much time to read magazines! How many would you subscribe to?

A: Me neither! I have chosen just one that I actually subscribe to and that's enough for me to review on a monthly basis. You may even find that you prefer to pick one up in the book store when the cover looks interesting or see if your local library carries a subscription you can borrow.