Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread

[issybird]

I know we each make our own rules, but my inclination would be not to count free shipping credit (I'm looking at some, too) as part of one's spending total. It's not an actual outlay and it might as well be used. I won't use a couple of free bucks to justify a $20 purchase, but on the other hand, it's a chance to get a discount on an otherwise undiscountable purchase and it does expire. Obviously any overage would count which seems to me enough of a control, but again, YMMV.

[pdurrant]

I could see myself choosing £X+1 purchases that gave me a credit instead of £X purchases that didn't, just to get 'free' book buying money. (So far, my credits have all been 'legitimate' - only when I would have bought that same offer even without the credit.)

Much better (for me) to count it as actual money spent, even if it really is 'free'.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I could see myself choosing £X+1 purchases that gave me a credit instead of £X purchases that didn't, just to get 'free' book buying money. (So far, my credits have all been 'legitimate' - only when I would have bought that same offer even without the credit.).

Heh. I'll admit that the other night I had the choice between two items at the same price; I slightly preferred one, but the other qualified for the credit. I took the credit.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by issybird

Heh. I'll admit that the other night I had the choice between two items at the same price; I slightly preferred one, but the other qualified for the credit. I took the credit.

It's insidious, isn't it?

[pdurrant]

I must remember, when buying bundles, to only count the books in the bundle that I really want. In the Humble Bundle there were at most four, probably two or three that I really wanted. Yet I counted seven in my TBR pile, which distorts both my TBR and price per book.

(I've just read Jacaranda from the bundle, which is a pedestrian horror story which really isn't my thing. I just didn't read the blurb closely enough.)

[DrNefario]

I count everything. If I own it and haven't read it, it's TBR. That's why I resisted the new Humble Bundle*, and why bundles and Hugo packets tend to be my downfall.


*Pending new additions.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I count everything. If I own it and haven't read it, it's TBR.

I feel that it's OK to count some items in a bundle as being free (& so not added to my TBR), if they're items that I would only have picked up if they were available for free, or that I wouldn't have got at all except for being in a bundle.

But it depends on the bundle. When I bought Baen monthly bundles I always counted all the books in the bundle.

[CRussel]

Even with Baen Monthly Bundles, I don't count books I know I'll never read. (And goodness knows there are some of those.) But that also means I don't count them towards the average cost, either, raising my average cost per book.

[Tarana]

I'm still accumulating books/audiobooks faster than I read or listen, and I don't think my spending is really much less than last year when I actually tabulate everything including the cost of Kindle Unlimited, Baen Bundle and even my Audible credits. Granted, I'm getting 3 audiobooks free in addition to the books I'm reading, but it is distracting me from reading books I already own and haven't read.

I've bought 24 ebooks/audiobooks this year and read 1 (Starship Grifters...it's Bob's fault), so I'm +23 for new purchases 2015 TBR. This year I'm counting craft and cookbooks - Once I make at least one thing from it, I can tick it off as 'read'. I just tend to accumulate them to look at. Gotta stop doing that.

On the plus side, I sold some cookbooks and have those Amazon Gift Cards so have more money for ebooks without tucking into budget.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by Tarana

I've bought 24 ebooks/audiobooks this year and read 1 (Starship Grifters...it's Bob's fault)

Right, blame the Bob...

At least you did read it, so it's not on the pile!

[missimpossible]

Just totalled my purchases so far. Doing really well - I've spent just over £11 out of the £20 that I'd set myself over the first two months of the year. I've bought one paper book per month, but I've read one of those, so I'm feeling pretty good.

Still don't feel like I'm doing particularly well on the reading front though. Struggled to get through more than a couple of books this month. I'm reading on my commute and a little on my lunch break, but seem to be struggling to read in the evenings when I ordinarily would. I've not been particularly busy so I can't really work out what's going on. Hopefully will pick up a bit over the next month or so! Really need to work on getting through my paper back catalogue as well. It's just so much less convenient than reading on my Kindle though.

[Tarana]

Another addiction I seem to have is the acquisition of audiobook players and ebook readers. I just bought a Kindle Keyboard from a lady for $30 (includes light and leather cover). My original KK no longer works with wifi so is entirely side-loaded. Yet, it still works. The keyboard kindle I inherited from bro doesn't hold a charge as long as mine, yet it still works. Something SHOULD fail so that I can justify my excessive number of ereaders, right?

Or maybe I will just sell my old one stating its problems. I might get $10-15 for it. I hate to put it into the recycle bin at Best Buy when it still works.

[Fbone]

I purchased my second book of 2015. It was a wishlist book that went on sale and was discountable at Kobo. Final price 90 cents.

[Tarana]

Wow, a book a month. I'd have to be comatose to manage that, I think. Congrats

[Rev. Bob]

I've got a purchase coming up soon: the fourth novel in Seanan McGuire's "InCryptid" series drops today. Now to see which store makes it available (rather than preorderable) first at the best price. Plus, I'll probably pick up some more stuff at Viggle, now that I've got another 100K points from the past week. Too bad they don't carry Penguin or Macmillan!