Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
I'm going to take an unpopular position here: I think freebies should count against you more than bucks for a buck or two. Freebies take no discrimination. You can download everything that comes down the pike and have hundreds of books on your devices, and not a one of them worth reading. Because, IMO, virtually all free books have been fairly priced. (The exception is when the first book in a series is free as a hook. But it still depends on the series.)
But at least you think about a book before you plunk down a buck or two. The odds are those will be read at some point and yet the hit to the wallet is insignificant. I know that after my first flush of enthusiasm as an ereader, I spent some time deleting/archiving the free stuff, and at that I hadn't gotten most of the titles I saw. I'll except freebies that are classics. Worth reading and if they're free, so much the better.
My rule of thumb is: If I wouldn't pay a buck for it, I don't need it as a freebie. Saves on a lot of eclutter and mental clutter. I don't want to have to be searching for the gems among the dross on my devices.
Disclaimer: I know this is contrary to the ethic of this group. Don't mind me. To me freebies are like nicotine patches and booze-free beer. They help to keep the taste alive. But! If that's what works for you, then go for it.
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Conceptually, I actually like this a lot. My wallet doesn't always agree, and I have to keep reminding myself that eBooks are
discretionary spending. I also see
pdurrant's point that any spending qualifies. But I think a closer answer is that
all eBooks acquisition qualifies. Even freebies.