# How much do you spend for books?



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

I got my American Express bill yesterday and was surprised to see that I’d spent $179.00 for books during a month where I didn’t think I’d bought very many.  

You don’t want to know what I spent the previous month.

I think Whispernet may bankrupt me.


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## Anita (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm sure I will have to get a gift card for my books.... all those little charges showing showing up on my card make me crazy, and buying a book here and there will add up quickly.

So I will budget the amount of a gift card and when it is gone I will decide if I can budget more....well, that's the plan for now anyway.....


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

That is exactly why I got a gift card - thank you Vampy for the idea - my next month may be more as the gift card is more but no more gift card balance, no more books    besides I have lots and lots freebies left to read  

BTW Jeff - can your Treasure be read as two separate books or do they need to be read together?


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I probably average about $75/month in spending, but not on credit card - all e-certificates from Coinstar (check out the now ll-oooo-nnnnn-ggg thread on the Let's Talk Kindle forum).  Plus, several people have commented on their credit cards refusing the less than $1.00 one-clicks so having a GC balance is easier.


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## mumsicalwhimsy (Dec 4, 2008)

Jeff, I certainly understand how your charges could reach that level.   There are just so many books and so little money.   I use the CoinStar ecertificates.  It is amazing how they can disappear in the blink of an eye.
Not to worry.... your books are on my Kindle.   Looking forward to them.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Anju said:


> BTW Jeff - can your Treasure be read as two separate books or do they need to be read together?


The two volumes of _The Treasure of La Malinche_ are one very big book. I had to split it in half because of the page limit for trade paperbacks and then, stupidly, I published the Kindle edition as two books as well.

If Amazon's Digital Text Platform support was half as reliable as the Kindle support I would now combine the two volumes as one - but I dare not even try it. After three months of my begging, they finally removed three bogus $9.99 versions of my books from their web site but they also removed all the reviews.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Jeff - The Treasure sounds great - just downloaded the samples and will buy as soon as I have a new GC balance (after hubby's K2 charges out rather than eating up new GC balance).  Thanks!


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

crebel said:


> Jeff - The Treasure sounds great - just downloaded the samples and will buy as soon as I have a new GC balance (after hubby's K2 charges out rather than eating up new GC balance). Thanks!


There's no point in all of us going bankrupt. I'll send you a link by PM where you download them free.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Links received, thanks Jeff!  However, the Amazon prices are already a bargain.  I don't mind supporting an author I like (especially one I have actually "talked" with)!


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

I spend about $200 a month on books. (About half of that is one-click and the other half cash.) It used to be much more but I don't have as much time to read anymore and Kindle new releases are much cheaper than brand new hardcovers. (I buy a lot of books the day they are released). 

That's almost exactly what I used to spend on cigarettes each month


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

ScottBooks said:


> That's almost exactly what I used to spend on cigarettes each month


Congratulations! More money for Kindle books will now go to the top of my list of incentives for quitting.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

crebel said:


> Congratulations! More money for Kindle books will now go to the top of my list of incentives for quitting.


Maybe I should start again so I can quit again and use the money I'll be saving for books.  On payday (every two weeks), I used to go to the Hess station and buy two cartons. That added up to $100 every four weeks and by the time I quit, it was well over $100 a month. That would have bought a lot of books!


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

ScottBooks said:


> I spend about $200 a month on books.


You forgot to vote, Scott. Big Brother is watching you. 

EDIT: Thank you, Crebel. You answered so fast that I missed your post.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

My average so far is about 165 per month.  I don't believe my bill will stay that high, although, my wish list is pretty long.  
deb


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

drenee said:


> My average so far is about 165 per month. I don't believe my bill will stay that high, although, my wish list is pretty long.
> deb


I think I spent the most in the first few months. Now I have so much to read, I'm able to slow down my buying. I know I'm missing out on some bargains, but at least I'm staying in budget, now.


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## meljackson (Nov 19, 2008)

I'm afraid to go look. The first couple of months I had the kindle I really overspent on books then I calmed down a little but I know it's still higher than I should. Now I'm seriously thinking about letting the cable go since I haven't watched tv at all since I got the kindle. 

Melissa


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## sharyn (Oct 30, 2008)

Jeff said:


> I got my American Express bill yesterday and was surprised to see that I'd spent $179.00 for books during a month where I didn't think I'd bought very many.
> 
> You don't want to know what I spent the previous month.
> 
> I think Whispernet may bankrupt me.


Yep. I spent $227.00 -- JUST on Kindle books!

Sharyn


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The CC I use for books is an Amazon card so when I spend on it I get points which translates to Gift Certificates every so often. Woo Hoo. . .another one due this month. <sorry> Anyway, I just looked at my most recent statement and came up with something around $40 to $45 in books this past month. I think that's on the low side; I know I spend more when I'm not working and have more time to read.

The other good thing about having an Amazon logo card is that they don't care about the many small charges because, well, they're all Amazon charges! Though I am still considering buying GC's. But they bill the magazines anyway which is probably near half of my 'book' purchases. So I am undecided.

Ann


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

I generally allow myself a $200 gift card every month, but it doesn't always get spent (and sometimes it gets spent really fast LOL). I still have just over $100 left on this month's balance with a week to go, although I think I may have carried over $30 or so from January too.  How much gets spent partly depends on how many good bargains and freebies come up during a month, not including the ever-present "classics" freebies. Then again, I've bought/downloaded a whole bunch of bargains and freebies the last few months that I still haven't even gotten around to reading yet, like several of the Random House books; they sound interesting enough at the price (or lack thereof) for "some day" but more-interesting stuff comes along in the meantime, even if I'm buying it...


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## Sweety18 (Feb 14, 2009)

I haven't spent much in January/February, I'm saving up for all the books I'm going to buy for my K2.  I'd say in March I'd probably spend around $200, and then after that maybe around $50-$75 per month would be my budget.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

$100 and $200 a month in books? Wow! 

It has taken me two months to get through a $50 gift card and I'm still not quite through. I read *a lot* too, but I'm very thrifty about what I buy.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I still have $1.27 left on this month's gift card.  It's so great to realize that can actually buy me another book with something left over.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Drat. I wish nobody had mentioned Amazon Gift cards. I gotta revise my dang vote now.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Drat. I wish nobody had mentioned Amazon Gift cards. I gotta revise my dang vote now.


Why? Just vote the equivalent that you spend with your gift card each month. That's what I did.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

CS said:


> Why? Just vote the equivalent that you spend with your gift card each month. That's what I did.


When I first voted I was only counting the books on my Amex bill. I forgot the gift cards. I get paid by Amazon in gift cards which is sort of like owing my soul to the company store.


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## Sparkplug (Feb 13, 2009)

The first month I spent a little under $100 on kindle books (mostly because I raced through the Southern Vampire Series). This month, the total is just barely under $30, mostly because I discovered the beauty of public domain kindle books. 

I never really tracked the cost of my book habit before, but by the sheer quantity I bough last month, I definitely went on a spree my first month.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

There are so many free books it is easy to keep the costs down.  And the free ones are generally quite good    I just don't like to spend more than $5 per book, but Amazon does not have that many any longer - hrumph


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## sharyn (Oct 30, 2008)

Anju said:


> There are so many free books it is easy to keep the costs down. And the free ones are generally quite good  I just don't like to spend more than $5 per book, but Amazon does not have that many any longer - hrumph


Heck, my $227 didn't count the freebies! I just read SNOWBOUND (look in the free books thread) in one sitting. It was very good.

Sharyn


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## VMars (Feb 8, 2009)

Well, I won't be able to give a realistic estimate until I get my K2 but I'm guessing it won't be more than 50 a month. 

I hope.


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## chobitz (Nov 25, 2008)

I use amazon gift cards to keep me on budget. I buy one the beginning of each month and do not go over it. If I use up my card by the middle of the month then I get no more books that month.

I too would be bankrupt if I didn't do that.


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

Jeff said:


> You forgot to vote, Scott. Big Brother is watching you.


Can't vote: the question asks how much I spend, the answers all involve credit cards. Only half my spending is credit card, DTB's I usually pay cash for.


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

crebel said:


> Congratulations! More money for Kindle books will now go to the top of my list of incentives for quitting.


I recommend Chantix. (I even kinda miss the "Vivid" dreams  ).


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## KindleKay (aka #1652) (Jan 20, 2009)

I am doing Vampy's sugestion as well....I bought a $100 gift card with Amazon and am seeing how long I can make it last!

(FYI: less than 30 days and the balance is $45.29...not too shabby!)

PS: The way that I blew through $55 and a bit more prior to getting the gift card in one month, is thanks to The Southern Vampire Series!


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

ScottBooks said:


> Can't vote: the question asks how much I spend, the answers all involve credit cards. Only half my spending is credit card, DTB's I usually pay cash for.


Sorry, Scott. I fixed it.


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Sorry, Scott. I fixed it.


I voted. March is probably gonna be more though...lot's of books coming out next month that I will buy the day of release.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

ScottBooks said:


> I recommend Chantix. (I even kinda miss the "Vivid" dreams  ).


Did that and actually quit for 6 months before finding an excuse to start again. However, to try and make a Kindle reference to stay somewhat on topic, trying Chantix again (to make money more available for k-books) might make the screen appear to be in color. "Vivid" is an accurate if not mild description while taking Chantix.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Less than 25 bucks. I've been careful. lol


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

$48.75 in the last 30 days (32 books).  Used to spend double that in one day at B&N or Borders.

Betsy


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

If you had asked how much since receiving your kindle, my answer would be $246.46 (since October 28, 200.

For this month, it is less than $25.00, actually less than $6.00 as I am grounded from 1-clicking and haven't been to Coinstar since December!!


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## Toby (Nov 25, 2008)

This month, less than $25.00.  I need to save money to order Kindle 2. I think,within the last few months I got both Kindle books & DTB's. When I used to go in a bookstore, pre-Kindle, I used to buy so many books, that I needed help at times to carry them out of the store to the car. LOL!!


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I'm back to my pre-K spending level, but I'm getting a lot more bang for my buck.  The mobi compilations are making a big difference, and so are the freebies.


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