How much do you spend on books?

[Nik]

Having so many readers and writers, who are usually also readers, it'll be a waste not to check our habits and expenditure about those paper or electronic media of a written word.
So, do you spend 0 on books, taking them from libraries and giveaways, have a monthly budget, look for discounted stuff or under a certain price or spend freely whenever you see something that grabs your fancy?

[M.L.]

Great question, Nik! Writing impacts my reading a lot, so I went from thirty-four books in 2015 to fourteen in 2016. Of those the majority are purchases with a few library and some free. I do group reads with the GR groups and if I like the read of the month then buy the book. I'll also buy books, generally nonfiction, that are useful for research, or just plain old interest! :)

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

Short answer: TOO MUCH. Longer answer: AT LEAST 50 bucks a month. Yes, I am broke. --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Nik]

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "Short answer: TOO MUCH. Longer answer: AT LEAST 50 bucks a month. Yes, I am broke. --Jen from Quebec :0)"

I guess you are a big book spender. Maybe a diet, based on free titles, can improve the financial situ a bit? -:) Do you buy them paper or e-?

[Graeme]

If I really want the book I will buy it.

My buying has increased lately due to participating in Goodreads group reads.

I'm buying mostly indie authors. Mainstream authors I'm buying are King, Gammon and Barker.

[Graeme]

BTW. All purchases are on Kindle. I read my books on a laptop.

[Jen Pattison]

I have a low budget at the mo, so I look for anything interesting secondhand at the local charity shop. I did buy 2 indie paperbacks recently, and will also buy ebooks if they're reasonably priced. Being on GR has made me far more aware of indie writers and I've bought quite a few that I have really enjoyed. Once back in Britain for good, I'll use the library a lot more.

[[deleted user]]

Since I like to keep current on many things (mostly history, military affairs, technology, space, etc), I actually tend to use a lot the Internet, plus buys tons of specialized magazines rather than spend a lot on books. I do buy books from time to time to go in-depth in a specific subject but find specialized magazines and Internet articles more timely to follow the latest developments. I maybe spend an average of $200.00 a year on books (mostly bought via Amazon), while I burn over $600.00 a year on specialized magazines (no, not the Playboy!).

[Leonie]

My book spending varies from month to month. I've signed up to Audible, so I have at least one audiobook each month, but I tend to buy audiobooks of things I've already read.

But then there's the ones I buy on my Kindle - which can be anything from free, to premium if it's something I've been waiting for. (Cannot resist Brandon Sanderson books...)

Probably at least $20 per month.

[Ian]

I mainly buy ebooks, about 1 a week, and I choose these because they store better. I mainly buy indie ones and i review them, mainly to help other indies, in the hope that others will do the same and include me. Yep, I'm a dreamer.

[Nik]

Anyone else maybe wants to share how much of his/her budget is routed into literary acquisition? -:)

[Carmen]

Book buying varies for me - there are some months where I only end up buying one or two - then there are some months where I end up buying 5 or 6 books. I would say I buy more ebooks than anything else (I read a lot on my kindle); even though I prefer paperbacks. Since I read a lot of indie/self-published authors, it saves me a lot of money buying ebooks. I only buy paperbacks if I have the cash to do so - so I only end up doing this every three to four months. Audiobooks I only get once in a while, since I unfortunately don't get the opportunity to do a lot of audiobook listening - though I have started building up a very tiny collection of audiobooks.

[Holly]

I have a regular line item in my household budget for books/art supplies/films, etc.

Since my reading has focused on the fantasy classics of the 19th and 20th centuries, I've been buying most of my stuff from used book sellers on Amazon. You just can't find much Lord Dunsany or Michael Moorcock on the shelves of B&N, the only book retailer within a hundred mile radius.

While I prefer to have an actual copy of the book, I will also use audio or e-books if they are the only format available.

[Justin]

I'm not much of a reader and when I do read I usually buy books from my fellow indie authors. I spend well under 20 a year and it goes a long way.

[Marie]

I am on a budget, so I mostly get the free books for my kindle when they become available through amazon. I have spent money on books, but I don't go all out. Maybe the most I have spent is $5.99 for a kindle book. I also have bought physical books from an online thrift store that sells mainstream books cheap.

I use to go to bookstores and spend over $100 a year on physical books, but since I bought my kindle three years ago, I no longer spend that kind of money.

[Lizzie]

I spend a lot on books. It varies from month to month. I buy new and used books for my now 3 year old granddaughter. Toddler books are expensive and I am the everything from those with noise and lift a flap to old-fashioned Golden Books.

I buy my daughter several hardcovers a year for her birthday and Christmas. I send my son an equal number each year.

Certain series, I buy new hardcover books - such as some of Weber, Moon, Bujold.

I buy used and new paperbacks - STOS, Voyager and Enterprise - along with various others that I come across in bookstores. Used bookstores like Bookmans, I go 2x a year and spend $75 easily.

Then there are the ebooks. I get a lot for free from Amazon and some other places. Then I find ones I like and the next thing I know I have bought a whole series. I have paid up to $8.99 for a Scalzi ebook, but I really resent paying that much. I prefer not to spend more than $5 and that any ebook less than 200 pages be $2.99 or less. I really get angry when I see an ebook costing the same or more than a printed book, which does happen. I admit I do not know anything about the publishing industry so there may be good reason for the prices but as an uninformed consumer, it bugs me. Part of my frustration is I would really prefer to have printed books, but my eyesight makes a kindle paperwhite a better option.

If I run a a search of the word "book" for 2018 in my Amazon account, the results are over 110. (That doesn't include books bought elsewhere, but does include paper and ebooks.) Part of it being so high is the number of free ones and the offer Amazon had for prime members to get 3 months of kindle unlimited for a total of $3.99. I read a lot of books during those 3 months.