Thursday, August 19, 2010

Book Buying Ban in September

I can do this. *deep breath* Hello. My name is Kendra, and I have a problem. I buy books. A lot of books.
Admitting it is the first step.

I am BANNING myself from buying books in the month of September, because my TBR pile (though not numbering thousands, like SOME people ;) adds to over two hundred, if not three.

And let's face it, I just really can't afford it! It's getting ridiculous!

Bella, at A Girl Reads is hosting this event, and I've signed up to make it official. I've tried to put myself on a ban or budget before (wow, that was a lot of B's), but I always slack off, or give up completely. Because I'm a WUSS and an ADDICT. This way? It's public, staring me in the face, and you guys have to promise to laugh at me for ALL ETERNITY if I fail, okay? ^_^

Here's my own, self-inflicted guidelines:
  • No purchasing any new books (not even if it's a REALLY GOOD DEAL and WHAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED FOR MY WHOLE LIFE). This does NOT include buying new books for other people, but it DOES include getting other people to buy a book FOR me, with the promise of paying them back in October ;) Yes, I know how my mind works. I would have found that loophole and abused it!
  • No getting books out of the library *sob*
  • No borrowing books from friends or family. Not even my sisters, who live in the same house. No borrowing even from a different BOOKSHELF in my own HOUSE.
  • I don't have a goal to get down to yet. I don't know my TBR pile intimately enough to make that call. So, my goal for now is just to read as many books as possible ^_^
Self-inflicted guidelines are the worst, since now I can't complain about them to anyone but ME.
This is going to be a really hard month...

6 comments:

  1. Wow, you go girl. I saw this challenge but wasn't sure if I could manage it. O.O Mostly cuz even if I ban myself from normal books, whenever I get coupons I want to use them for my manga collection. SIGH. But the GOOD news is, now that I've been jobless for a few months, eventually my finances will hopefully keep me from buying anyway.

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  2. Yay! You signed up! You can do it! Whenever you get the itch to buy, get on Twitter and talk with us. We're having more fun talking about the buying ban then I expected. I am so excited to get my list down. My shelves are literally loaded with books I haven't read so it's going to be a good opportunity to stop spending--Honestly, I am not a big spender, but when it comes to books I can rarely walk out of a store without a book or two. Then they just end up sitting on my shelves, packing in like sardines, neglected like a garden with weeds growing all over. It's time to make my unread books feel loved. :)

    I'm so excited you're in! We'll all appreciate going back to the bookstore in October (or for me November or December...sad).

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  3. What about free books? *stares*

    You free-book-magnet, you.

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  4. That is... HARD.... but I know you can do it :)

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  5. @Bahnree - Dude. I know. Joblessness sucks :P And this is why I have to stop buying books! At least until I get a job, eh? ;) But hey. It's easier for me because I don't get book coupons! (Though I cannot say I condemn you furthering your manga collection!)

    @Carin - Oh, I know. I can't think of anything else I've really spent money on for months now, but it's HARD when you live near incredible used book stores! I never go to town without going to at least two, and I rarely leave one without a book. So this is what I needed. And besides, it's going to be fun to find all those TBRs, and list them! I'll remember twitter, thanks :)

    @Snazel - Good point. Okay, I'll add a rule. I can't personally pick up any free books, and I'll try to avoid presents. But if I DO get any gift-books, I don't know that I can be tactful enough to reject them :P SO in the unlikely case that my grandmother or pastor's wife gives me something I "simply MUST read!" I will be accepting it :)

    @Erin - Yay! Thanks for the vote of confidence, Erin! It helps to have all sorts of people go, "You can do it!!" This will SHAME me into not letting them down! When all else fails, I will remember that if I buy a book, I'll have to tell YOU that your faith was misplaced ;)

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  6. Hey, you can do it. We are all in this together. It's great that you added the little loophole that you could have used otherwise. I must admit I'd never have thought of that.

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