Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread - Page 316

DrNefario · 08-08-2018, 09:01 AM

I've just noticed I missed a minor milestone a couple of weeks ago: £1000 spent on Kindle books.

It's almost 8 years since I got my first Kindle, so that's really not a huge amount. A little over £10 a month, which is less than I spend on my train fare every single day.

On the other hand, I have only read just over half of that value, so there's about £460 that could have stayed in my pocket.

(My total for all other ebook vendors added together is roughly £175.)

Tarana · 08-08-2018, 02:33 PM

Congratulations.!!

I got my first ereader in 2009. My $$ totals are embarrassing and I'm not even counting books I bought for others, so I won't describe that at this point. It was an eye opener when I did a spreadsheet following Paul's comments a while back. I was not surprised by the totals for the audiobooks, but the ebooks - well, that was painfully high. Thus, I have another method to limit my spending. Just look at the total $$ for unread ebooks!

PurpleStar · 08-08-2018, 02:55 PM

I'm doing much better this month so far. Only 4 books purchased and even resisting sales and new releases. I just feel I gotta read more before I buy more. They'll still be there for me to buy another time. My bank account is relieved too I'm sure.

pdurrant · 08-16-2018, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I've just noticed I missed a minor milestone a couple of weeks ago: £1000 spent on Kindle books.

It's almost 8 years since I got my first Kindle, so that's really not a huge amount. A little over £10 a month, which is less than I spend on my train fare every single day.

On the other hand, I have only read just over half of that value, so there's about £460 that could have stayed in my pocket.

(My total for all other ebook vendors added together is roughly £175.)

My Amazon total is around £1180 on 878 books. I'm not sure of the exact total, since some books I'd bought elsewhere and then also at Amazon. Only 319 of them left to read...

And I've done well this month. Six books read so far, and only three bought.

I'm still twelve up on the year, but I have to admit that I'm pleased with pretty much all my purchases this year. So I'm doing better on quality of purchase, even if the quantity still needs work.

pdurrant · 08-16-2018, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

I'm doing much better this month so far. Only 4 books purchased and even resisting sales and new releases. I just feel I gotta read more before I buy more. They'll still be there for me to buy another time. My bank account is relieved too I'm sure.

Remembering that special offers are likely to come around again helps.

But even with my still excess purchasing, I've only spent £200.05 on books this year. Thats' less than £7 per week. So it's not the money that's the problem for me, it's the feeling that I shouldn't be increasing my pile of unread books.

I do like the fact that I'm now only buying ebooks I really want to read.

PurpleStar · 08-16-2018, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Remembering that special offers are likely to come around again helps.

But even with my still excess purchasing, I've only spent £200.05 on books this year. Thats' less than £7 per week. So it's not the money that's the problem for me, it's the feeling that I shouldn't be increasing my pile of unread books.

I do like the fact that I'm now only buying ebooks I really want to read.

Yeah, I hear you about the not increasing the unread books. I have over 300 ebooks I purchased from Kobo (and that's not counting the books I got from other stores like Baen) so...I don't really need to add many more, no matter how cheap they are. I'm gonna try real hard to not buy anything until Dec 31st. That book I'll read right away.

OregonJim · 08-18-2018, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So it's not the money that's the problem for me, it's the feeling that I shouldn't be increasing my pile of unread books.

I got over that feeling years ago when I realized that I already have more books than I could possibly read in my lifetime.

Now I look at it more like building a library. If I see something I want, I only buy it if the price is reasonable, and I expect to read it in the near future. Otherwise, I pass, and am content that I can go to my personal library at any time and find something good to read.

-Jim

pdurrant · 08-19-2018, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OregonJim

I can go to my personal library at any time and find something good to read.

I think this is what hasn't really sunk in for me yet. I've spent so many years when the problem was finding more books to read.

That I now have enough books on hand that I won't run out hasn't yet affected my buying habits as it should.

Apache · 08-19-2018, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I think this is what hasn't really sunk in for me yet. I've spent so many years when the problem was finding more books to read.

That I now have enough books on hand that I won't run out hasn't yet affected my buying habits as it should.

I tend to be like this too. Years ago the nearest town with a book store was 90 miles away. Anytime I traveled to a book store I could spend over $200.00 easy on books. They had to hold me over until I could get to another book store.
Apache

Tarana · 08-19-2018, 05:37 PM

It always helps to identify the problem. You can't control it unless you understand why you are 'overimbibing.' Before ebooks and audiobooks, I just bought the day I was going to start to read something, so I never really had a TBR. In my case, more of my income is being allotted to other unavoidable costs (medical/taxes) so buying will be strangled.

OregonJim · 08-19-2018, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

That I now have enough books on hand that I won't run out hasn't yet affected my buying habits as it should.

Well, I have more than enough pencils, pens, paper and paints to outlast me, yet I still can't pass up an art store or a stationery store. Sadly, there are no more B&M bookstores in my area. The last one closed in 2010.

We *do* have one used bookstore left. They are so inundated with donations on a daily basis, that most of their new arrivals end up in a row of dumpsters out back due to insufficient storage space. I'm not sure what to make of that.

pdurrant · 08-20-2018, 01:12 AM

The bottom certainly does seem to have dropped out of the second-hand book market. Perhaps a topic for a new thread.

Tarana · 08-20-2018, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OregonJim

Well, I have more than enough pencils, pens, paper and paints to outlast me, yet I still can't pass up an art store or a stationery store. Sadly, there are no more B&M bookstores in my area. The last one closed in 2010.

I had to practice only buying what was on my list when I go into the fabric store. Eventually, it worked, but better, not going into the fabric store in the first place really helped a lot (I'm a quilter). I currently only have EQ to let me know about price drops on series that I'm reading. I cancelled all the other email stuff. Helped a lot.

issybird · 08-23-2018, 11:30 AM

FWIW: I ran across two titles that were the kind of thing I like and nicely priced at Amazon (less so at Kobo). I considered my options on and off, Amazon, maybe price-matching at Kobo, using some Google Play credit, likelihood of the price going up and when.... And after a couple of days I was able to back off. I don't need them, don't want them enough, I've got other books to read.

This has been the big lesson learned for me. Slow down! Most wants go away or at least become more manageable after that first jolt of lust.

The other lesson that I'm still working on is that looking is a bad idea. What got me started were those bonus gift points from Kobo. I knew it wasn't worth the time as the odds of my finding something I wanted were slim and indeed I didn't. (Free books aren't free.) Worse, the search turned up the lustibles that I referred to above. But at least I managed to resist in the long run, although I can't get the time I wasted back.

issybird · 08-24-2018, 11:40 AM

^^I really, really should know better than to post in order to pat myself on the back. It's as if I'm begging the universe to trip me up; the universe obliged. Within 12 hours of the above I got an email from ereaderiq to tell me of four wishlist books that had dropped in price. Well, one must, in that instance. Right? But August is shaping up to be my worst month yet this year and by a long shot - I've spent nearly as much in August alone as in the first seven months of the year.

08-08-2018, 02:33 PM	#4727
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,980 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Congratulations.!! I got my first ereader in 2009. My $$ totals are embarrassing and I'm not even counting books I bought for others, so I won't describe that at this point. It was an eye opener when I did a spreadsheet following Paul's comments a while back. I was not surprised by the totals for the audiobooks, but the ebooks - well, that was painfully high. Thus, I have another method to limit my spending. Just look at the total $$ for unread ebooks! Last edited by Tarana; 08-08-2018 at 04:47 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
[Old Thread] Support for Elonex 511EB	RobPope	Devices	4	04-15-2011 04:31 PM
November Announcements & Support Thread	jenifer.ezread	Astak EZReader	0	11-01-2010 05:06 PM
Hello fellow eBook addicts...	apriluofa	Introduce Yourself	14	09-26-2010 12:37 PM
NEWBIE 1st Thread PSP SUPPORT	bigike	Calibre	2	04-15-2010 10:30 AM
Hello eBook-addicts! I'm from Morocco ;-)	mimochal	Introduce Yourself	10	03-05-2010 08:49 PM

08-08-2018, 09:01 AM	#4726
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,100 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I've just noticed I missed a minor milestone a couple of weeks ago: £1000 spent on Kindle books. It's almost 8 years since I got my first Kindle, so that's really not a huge amount. A little over £10 a month, which is less than I spend on my train fare every single day. On the other hand, I have only read just over half of that value, so there's about £460 that could have stayed in my pocket. (My total for all other ebook vendors added together is roughly £175.)

08-08-2018, 02:55 PM	#4728
PurpleStar Wizard Posts: 1,620 Karma: 11387182 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Clara 2E	I'm doing much better this month so far. Only 4 books purchased and even resisting sales and new releases. I just feel I gotta read more before I buy more. They'll still be there for me to buy another time. My bank account is relieved too I'm sure.

08-19-2018, 05:37 PM	#4735
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,980 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	It always helps to identify the problem. You can't control it unless you understand why you are 'overimbibing.' Before ebooks and audiobooks, I just bought the day I was going to start to read something, so I never really had a TBR. In my case, more of my income is being allotted to other unavoidable costs (medical/taxes) so buying will be strangled.

08-20-2018, 01:12 AM	#4737
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,507 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	The bottom certainly does seem to have dropped out of the second-hand book market. Perhaps a topic for a new thread.

08-23-2018, 11:30 AM	#4739
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,229 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	FWIW: I ran across two titles that were the kind of thing I like and nicely priced at Amazon (less so at Kobo). I considered my options on and off, Amazon, maybe price-matching at Kobo, using some Google Play credit, likelihood of the price going up and when.... And after a couple of days I was able to back off. I don't need them, don't want them enough, I've got other books to read. This has been the big lesson learned for me. Slow down! Most wants go away or at least become more manageable after that first jolt of lust. The other lesson that I'm still working on is that looking is a bad idea. What got me started were those bonus gift points from Kobo. I knew it wasn't worth the time as the odds of my finding something I wanted were slim and indeed I didn't. (Free books aren't free.) Worse, the search turned up the lustibles that I referred to above. But at least I managed to resist in the long run, although I can't get the time I wasted back.

08-24-2018, 11:40 AM	#4740
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,229 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	^^I really, really should know better than to post in order to pat myself on the back. It's as if I'm begging the universe to trip me up; the universe obliged. Within 12 hours of the above I got an email from ereaderiq to tell me of four wishlist books that had dropped in price. Well, one must, in that instance. Right? But August is shaping up to be my worst month yet this year and by a long shot - I've spent nearly as much in August alone as in the first seven months of the year.