Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread - Page 259

pdurrant · 06-03-2016, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

However, things aren't all rainbows and lollipops. My freebie pile is increasing alarmingly. To help mitigate the situation, I did read three of them this year.

Since my TBR pile of bought books is so large, I no longer bother with freebies unless I would have bought them if they were £0.99.

I've deleted the vast majority of freebies from my calibre library, and I'm working my way through my Amazon account getting rid of them.

They are just not worth the time and effort managing them when the chances that I'll actually get to read one is so small.

Let me say once again, that issybird was right.

ekbell · 06-03-2016, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And there was a Baen bundle that I bought because the three books in it I really wanted would have cost as much or more than the bundle. But perhaps I should have still only bought the three I really wanted. But with the lack of Kobo coupons nowadays, buying Baen books in the bundle really is the cheapest way to get them. They never go on sale afterwards.

Perhaps I'll do better in June... but the Baen bundle is calling me...

My rule of thumb in similar situations is to make my judgements as if the bundle consisted only of the books I'd otherwise consider buying.

After I've bought the bundle, all the other books are treated as freebies (i.e. added to my library but not my TBR list if I think someone in the family may want to read them and otherwise ignored/deleted)

CRussel · 06-03-2016, 11:35 AM

My TBR is nowhere near as large as yours, Paul, but I agree completely. I don't do freebies any more unless it's a book I would have bought and read anyway. issybird was right.

Fbone · 06-03-2016, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Since my TBR pile of bought books is so large, I no longer bother with freebies unless I would have bought them if they were £0.99.

I've deleted the vast majority of freebies from my calibre library, and I'm working my way through my Amazon account getting rid of them.

They are just not worth the time and effort managing them when the chances that I'll actually get to read one is so small.

Let me say once again, that issybird was right.

That's the difference between us. I only have 24 purchased titles on my TBR list going back four years. Everything else is free or via the library.

PurpleStar · 06-03-2016, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

17 books for £34.43 in May. Not a good month. There were two books, Crossing the Line by Karen Traviss and Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams, that I'm really not sure why I bought them - I certainly should not have done.

And there was a Baen bundle that I bought because the three books in it I really wanted would have cost as much or more than the bundle. But perhaps I should have still only bought the three I really wanted. But with the lack of Kobo coupons nowadays, buying Baen books in the bundle really is the cheapest way to get them. They never go on sale afterwards.

Perhaps I'll do better in June... but the Baen bundle is calling me...

I'm giving up on the bundles. It's cheaper than buying the books individually, but then I end up with a bunch of books I don't need and they just sit there. I'll just wait and buy the one I want (Black Tide Rising) when it comes out. The authors get more money that way too I think.

Tarana · 06-05-2016, 02:44 PM

Probably true PurpleStar. I only buy the bundles if there is 3 or more books I'm interested in. I have actually not read many of my Baen Bundles books because many are series books and I prefer to start a series at the beginning. At least give them a brief read to see if IS something you like before you ditch any. As soon as I'm done with the Murder She Wrote series, I'm on to David Drake!

Bought a few things in May and June mostly to get the audiobook for $1.99. All but one were part of series I'm already reading. One of the freebee science fiction my sister loved, so new author for her.

Tarana · 06-10-2016, 07:23 PM

I resisted buying several books this week. I created a TBR library with Calibre to take advantage of Calibre Companion. Holy cow! I have a LOT of unread books. So, looking at that number (and I paid for these), I can more easily resist purchasing others for awhile at least.

Katsunami · 06-12-2016, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Let me say once again, that issybird was right.

I knew issybird was right before she even registered on this forum.

That is, I never bothered with freebies, except if it's a (first) book in a series of a well known author (edit: which I already read, or intend to start reading)... but I only have two of those

Getting something only because it's free is just hoarding

LadyKate · 06-17-2016, 08:30 AM

Hoarding is fine when it's ebooks. They take up a few meg at worst. I have a couple of external usb drives I use for my library and backups. Freebies, while not in my TBR list, I pick up in case I ever want to start reading that author. Never know when I will discover a new to me author I want to read.

CRussel · 06-17-2016, 11:46 AM

BAD week. My DW was in the hospital, and I think I was over compensating. I ended up buying a bunch of books, including an eARC. Now, admittedly, the eARC is for a favourite author, and the other books bought will all actually get read. But still, I should have been waiting for a sale. (Though none of them were couponable, so not much hope of a good price that way.)

But now I need to buckle down and put this behind me. I have more than enough to read for the next month, at least! And that doesn't count the several hundred TBRs I had before this week.

pdurrant · 06-17-2016, 03:00 PM

I've just bought eight books in a new series. They came highly recommended by HarryT, and were only £0.99 each. It may break my budget, but I don't regret this purchase (yet!).

samosa · 06-18-2016, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyKate

Hoarding is fine when it's ebooks. They take up a few meg at worst. I have a couple of external usb drives I use for my library and backups. Freebies, while not in my TBR list, I pick up in case I ever want to start reading that author. Never know when I will discover a new to me author I want to read.

One day I discovered some freebies on Amazon. So I start downloading them. Then I realise they are of the type I will never read, so downloading them becomes a waste of time. Initially I can't resist freebies but then after a while I realise I have to draw a line somehow. Hard to decide where the line is though!

pdurrant · 06-18-2016, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samosa

Initially I can't resist freebies but then after a while I realise I have to draw a line somehow. Hard to decide where the line is though!

If they were on offer for £0.99/$0.99/€0.99, would you get them?

If they're not worth that much money to you, they aren't worth your time.

PurpleStar · 06-18-2016, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samosa

One day I discovered some freebies on Amazon. So I start downloading them. Then I realise they are of the type I will never read, so downloading them becomes a waste of time. Initially I can't resist freebies but then after a while I realise I have to draw a line somehow. Hard to decide where the line is though!

I have no problem with resisting freebies anymore. Haven't got one in months! I never read them anyways. It's those $1.99 sales that get me lately.

geekmaster · 06-21-2016, 01:11 PM

Hair of the dog, the REAL problem:

And ebooks just hide the enormity of the addiction.

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06-03-2016, 11:35 AM	#3873
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	My TBR is nowhere near as large as yours, Paul, but I agree completely. I don't do freebies any more unless it's a book I would have bought and read anyway. issybird was right.

06-05-2016, 02:44 PM	#3876
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,040 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Probably true PurpleStar. I only buy the bundles if there is 3 or more books I'm interested in. I have actually not read many of my Baen Bundles books because many are series books and I prefer to start a series at the beginning. At least give them a brief read to see if IS something you like before you ditch any. As soon as I'm done with the Murder She Wrote series, I'm on to David Drake! Bought a few things in May and June mostly to get the audiobook for $1.99. All but one were part of series I'm already reading. One of the freebee science fiction my sister loved, so new author for her.

06-10-2016, 07:23 PM	#3877
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,040 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I resisted buying several books this week. I created a TBR library with Calibre to take advantage of Calibre Companion. Holy cow! I have a LOT of unread books. So, looking at that number (and I paid for these), I can more easily resist purchasing others for awhile at least.

06-17-2016, 08:30 AM	#3879
LadyKate Fanatic Posts: 515 Karma: 1470724 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Quebec CA Device: android 4 (samsung tablet and asus tablet)	Hoarding is fine when it's ebooks. They take up a few meg at worst. I have a couple of external usb drives I use for my library and backups. Freebies, while not in my TBR list, I pick up in case I ever want to start reading that author. Never know when I will discover a new to me author I want to read.

06-17-2016, 11:46 AM	#3880
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	BAD week. My DW was in the hospital, and I think I was over compensating. I ended up buying a bunch of books, including an eARC. Now, admittedly, the eARC is for a favourite author, and the other books bought will all actually get read. But still, I should have been waiting for a sale. (Though none of them were couponable, so not much hope of a good price that way.) But now I need to buckle down and put this behind me. I have more than enough to read for the next month, at least! And that doesn't count the several hundred TBRs I had before this week.

06-17-2016, 03:00 PM	#3881
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 74,081 Karma: 315558332 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	I've just bought eight books in a new series. They came highly recommended by HarryT, and were only £0.99 each. It may break my budget, but I don't regret this purchase (yet!).

06-21-2016, 01:11 PM	#3885
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773670 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	Hair of the dog, the REAL problem: And ebooks just hide the enormity of the addiction.