Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread

[CRussel]

Well, that worked. NOT.

See what you did, ATDrake? Now I just bought and downloaded 13 short stories by Dana Stabenow. See, they were only $.99 (except the one that was free.) So that hardly counts. But now that $5 savings has completely disintegrated. Sigh. And I have no idea how to count them on my Reading List challenge. All are short, with the longest one only about 50 pages.

<goes to hide head in >

[ATDrake]

Hey, I only said "another book or four". From the 5th one and up, you are responsible for your own life-decisions without any draconic (or alexandrian) prodding on my part*.

Myself, since they seem like a linked bunch all by the same author, I say count all the ones using the same characters as a themed virtual "collection" equivalent to a single book. If they're really up-to-50-pages, then 13 of them equals ~ 650 pages, which is like 2 decent-sized paperbacks anyway.

* Embrace your inner big lizard-y hoarder who weeps because there are no more worlds to conquer reasonably priced interesting-looking e-books to acquire. It's more fun that way.

[MoodRing]

My library in currently 1´000 as spent a large proportion of my Christmas money on on new ebooks. I purchased most of them from Amazon, ebooks, and surprisingly group on.

Its nice to know others are purchasing just as many as me! I keep having arguments with my mum about spending too much money! I say I'm educating myself!!

[mikaelalind]

That Harlequin code is really tempting me.. On the other hand, I have 280 unread books. But at least 40 is short stories and novellas, so I should be able to blow through them fast. Then there is the fact that my CC card expires in Feb 2012, so I better take the chance since I am not sure if I'll get a new one. At least not immediately.

[xg4bx]

got about a dozen ebooks with an amazon gift card after christmas and bought 2 more this past week.

(on top of the 15 or so paperbacks i ordered after christmas...).

i'm seriously trying to put a halt to buying until i knock some of these down.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i'm seriously trying to put a halt to buying until i knock some of these down.

That is what this thread is all about.

Here's how I try to cope:

• I put books I want on a wish list rather than buying it
• I try to only buy books when they are both on my wish list (or a favourite author) AND at a good discount.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

That is what this thread is all about.

Here's how I try to cope:

• I put books I want on a wish list rather than buying it
• I try to only buy books when they are both on my wish list (or a favourite author) AND at a good discount.

Yes, I'm using the wish list the same way. It has helped. And I don't berate myself for buying Heyer's Sprig Muslin yesterday, since she is a favourite author, AND it was a big discount ($1.99 v. $6.99).

[dreams]

Originally Posted by dreams

<snip>

Day 2 of my "don't purchase any books for 6 months" challenge and I haven't purchased any yet.

**I think I have downloaded about 25 freebies, though.**

I am about 2 weeks into my "don't purchase any books for 6 months" and I don't know if I am going to make it through even the first month!

I will resist, I will resist, I will resist!

It is soooo hard, even with all the freebies being offered!

I almost gave in with the deal on the Ed McBain backlist books. I loved those, when I read them years ago.

I almost gave in and still trying to resist the New Fictionwise coupon deal.

I'll just keep telling myself to "read the freebies and cull the backlog", "read the freebies and cull the backlog", "read the freebies and cull the backlog."

Is anyone else having a hard time not purchasing? I'm using the Wish List option, but still so hard to not click the buy button.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by dreams

Is anyone else having a hard time not purchasing?

Well, no, because I've never made any such commitment to not-purchasing myself, because I know my acquisitional-hoarding instincts will always override. The reptilian hind-brain strikes again!

But it may help to consider temptations in perspective. Those Ed McBain books, you say you've already read and enjoyed.

Sure, they were offered cheaply, but you've already pleasantly experienced and have fond memories of them, so likelihood that you'll actually want to get around to reading them again and actually do so? Probably low, unless you're a 200+ books-per-year binge reader like some of us. And IIRC, the author's dead, so it's not like your money would be giving him royalties to help sustain him in a decrepit and poverty-stricken old age.

That Fictionwise coupon? They'll offer it again (unless they go out of business thanks to B&N's repeated attempts to kill them off, Rasputin-style).

And if you do the math, even if you're tempted by a new release with the extra 15% off, generally speaking if you can hold out for the rare 60% off FW coupon, then it comes out to very nearly the same money with only a few dozen cents difference when discounting from the regular full price.

For now, better to save your money and use the promo freebies to discover new authors you can spend it on and both send the message to the promo-givers that hey, freebie promo books to introduce a new author are appreciated and welcome and yield positive sales results, and said new authors are helped out by your spending your money on their books which yields them royalties which if invested wisely will help sustain them in their decrepit and poverty-stricken old age.

Win-win! :

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by dreams

I am about 2 weeks into my "don't purchase any books for 6 months" and I don't know if I am going to make it through even the first month!

I will resist, I will resist, I will resist!

It is soooo hard, even with all the freebies being offered!

I almost gave in with the deal on the Ed McBain backlist books. I loved those, when I read them years ago.

I almost gave in and still trying to resist the New Fictionwise coupon deal.

I'll just keep telling myself to "read the freebies and cull the backlog", "read the freebies and cull the backlog", "read the freebies and cull the backlog."

Is anyone else having a hard time not purchasing? I'm using the Wish List option, but still so hard to not click the buy button.

Well, I think the Ed McBain deal was one you should have taken up. I doubt that we'll see them at $0.99 each again for years. I would have bought them all, except for the regional restriction. (I'm very pleased I got all the Agatha Christies when Fictionwise did something similar a couple of years ago.)

The Fictionwise 50% off? Meh. There will likely be a 55% or even 60% off at some point this year. Just add the books you want to your wishlist.

Freebies? I don't count freebies. I get them, but I don't add them to my unread total or purchase count. I only get them because it's silly not to, even if there's only a 1% chance I'll want to read it in the future.

[mikaelalind]

Originally Posted by dreams

Is anyone else having a hard time not purchasing? I'm using the Wish List option, but still so hard to not click the buy button.

Yes. I have no problem when it comes to Fictionwise, but the Harlequin coupon? I have already decided to use it, since I have several Harlequin authors on my wishlist. And you cannot beat a 0.05 price.

[dreams]

@ ATDrake - Good point about the Ed McBain books. I probably wouldn't have reread those again for a while anyway. I'm even sure that the used bookstore has a few copies on the shelves - probably the ones I sold back to them when I cleaned out my bookshelves. The Fictionwise coupons I will have to resist each time they come up. I just reorganized the book shelves and realize I have quiet a pile of TBR books. I did a full back-up of all my photos and books and noticed that I have a lot of interesting little freebies, so that will hold me off for a while.

@ Pdurrant - Paul, you are not helping me with my 2012 challenge at all! Tempting me by saying I should have picked up all those Ed McBain books. For Shame!
Now, the Agatha Christies... those would have really been hard to justify passing up, if that deal came again.

@ mikaelalind - the Harlequin one is easy to pass up, as I have 2 sis-in-laws (and their mothers) plus my own mother that are totally into the subscription pbooks from there. And three of them have ereaders, too.

[xg4bx]

bought 5 yesterday *sigh*

only intended to buy 4 but an indie book came across my recommendations list so i checked out the author site and he had a very forward thinking sales gimmick: subscribe to his newsletter/follow on facebook/buy his first book and he'll send you a permanent smashwords 25% off coupon for the other/upcoming books in his series as well as giving you any associated short stories for free for life. i had to support the guy and the first book in his series was only 99 cents.

[wyndslash]

The Kindle Daily Deal = love

'nuff said ;p

[mikaelalind]

I have only bought one book since Dec 26th. And that one cost 0.99 . I have been too busy reading library books, and downloading free ebooks from Amazon to purchase any. My wallet is grateful.