Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread

[issybird]

Well, I wasn’t perfect, but given how I’d gone off the deep end in the last few months of 2021, I’m satisfied and encouraged. I bought only two books and using Kobo points and Kindle digital credit spent a total of only $2.

My goal is to buy nothing at all in February, but if a book of high interest goes on sale I’ll get it. Can’t wear too tight a hair shirt.

[DrNefario]

I was doing well, with only one purchase in January, but I just fell for another non-fiction bundle, so it's going to be an uphill struggle for a while.

It was only 8 new books this time (+1 new edition of a book I already had), but I'm going to be behind on my targets of reading twice as much as I buy and starting 75% of my new purchases for some time.

[issybird]

After a good January I stumbled in February. Buying four books was unfortunate; the outlay was far too high and even worse. However, I don’t regret any of the purchases and if the partners code at Kobo doesn’t rise again, zombie-like, I’ll be even happier I got them when I could.

I did cancel a prebuy at Amazon for a book that’s coming out tomorrow. It’s a book I want badly and once Amazon knocked $5 off its prepublication price I decided to go for it. But there’s a chance one of my OverDrive libraries will buy it and if not, I assume the price won’t go back up in the next few days. I’d be tempted to play chicken hoping the price wouldn’t go up before March 21 when presumably the monthly promotion will happen, but that’s not a given. In any case, putting on the brakes strikes me as a good exercise in (re)developing my powers of resistance!

[Uncle Robin]

11 books so far this year, 6 in February. I'm confident of a much slower next couple of months, should be able to get back to a more reasonable 2-3 books bought per month.

[CAFlanny]

February was not as good as January was. I bought 3 books, one of which I have already read. I read 5 books from the TBR pile, so at least it's still going in the right direction.

[pdurrant]

I've got to the 2nd of the month with no books bought! It seems that none of my wishlist items appeared in Amazon's monthly deals this month.

[DrNefario]

February wasn't a great month for me. Two bundles (ok, one was a comics bundle that only accidentally contained a regular book), a group sale and a monthly deal meant I bought 13 books, after just 1 in January.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I've got to the 2nd of the month with no books bought! It seems that none of my wishlist items appeared in Amazon's monthly deals this month.

But on the 3rd, Phoenix Pick's offer got me. One bought, one freebie.

[Fbone]

Two books purchased in February (1 in January) total $5. Read one of them so far.

However, I bought non-resident card from the Brooklyn Public library so add $50. I'm keeping track of money saved borrowing vs. buying and happy to report that I read six books from there saving me $40 and it's been less than two months.

[ReadingManiac]

So far this year I've only bought books for .99 when my ereaderiq alerted me, except Sons of Sol by Kevin McNally but that was only 2.17 on pre-order and I had to have it! It's going to be my next new read as soon as I finish Skyward.

[Tarana]

I'm almost embarrassed to post here after my complete fail with the recent Audible sale. What I did succeed at was sticking to my wishlist and series I already read with one series exception that had been recommended. Still, this is about 2 years of listening. On the positive side, I don't have much left in my wishlist - either because I bought stuff or zapped it off the list.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Tarana

or zapped it off the list.

This is a crucial element in maintaining a wishlist that is far too often eschewed, IMO. After a while, if a wishlist book hasn’t made it to a shopping cart, it’s because it’s never going to be cheap enough or you’ve lost interest. Or were never that interested in the first place, but added it to your list in a first rush of enthusiasm. Just as with TBRs, wishlists should be kept lean and lively; they require curation.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by issybird

This is a crucial element in maintaining a wishlist that is far too often eschewed, IMO. After a while, if a wishlist book hasn’t made it to a shopping cart, it’s because it’s never going to be cheap enough or you’ve lost interest. Or were never that interested in the first place, but added it to your list in a first rush of enthusiasm. Just as with TBRs, wishlists should be kept lean and lively; they require curation.

I usually have a 5 year limit. If I haven't bought it in 5 years, it usually comes off. I do have a few exceptions but it does force me to relook at the wishlist at least once a year.

[Tarana]

March was a complete bash. That sitewide special on audiobooks at Audible resulted in using up my budget for the year. Most were between $2 and $5. I finished off some series so that helped a lot. Bought only 1 ebook though. So some good there. Did make one goal this month - over 2,000 pages.

[LDB]

Well, I entered and won a drawing for a complete hardbound deluxe set of Scott Pratt's work. That saves some buying.