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Original poster

Do you see books as a treat?

69 replies

BennettonColours · 23/09/2018 18:23

I love reading, I really do. I have a library card but the library stock is crap- Maeve Binchy on one side and Lee Childs on the other. DC are getting a bit older and aren't impressed with the selection for their age either.

I buy about 3 books a month (but I rarely buy clothes, take away coffees etc). But taking the children to Waterstones etc can really add up.

OP posts:
FrankieStein · 23/09/2018 19:03

Kindle unlimited is a subscription service. It's not every book but they do have a huge selection.
One month free trial then £7.99 a month and can "borrow" up to ten books at once.

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 23/09/2018 19:09

Even going back 25 years or so ago books were not part of my budget. Our library was not well stocked. A book was a huge treat and often something I requested for Christmas.

I don't know when things changed - probably when charity shops became more popular - but certainly in the past 10 years I have bought books on a very regular basis. One charity shop nearby charges 40p each or three for a pound. There are lots of things we can no longer afford to do (before kids we would go out to dinner every week) but as long as we can buy books we don't care.

But now I have a Kindle and I download the free books all the time. I prefer to read from my Kindle than a book so if I am buying something newly published it is normally in that format.

I haven't looked into Kindle Unlimited though because that is more than I spend on books in the course of a month.

useyourimagination · 23/09/2018 19:13

No - I love books and will happily spend money on them. I don't spend much on anything else (no make up, clothes once in a blue moon etc) so most of my dispensable income goes on books.

I use the library a lot, 60p for a reservation from anywhere in the county, and I've just switched from Amazon to my local independent bookshop.I know I'll be paying full price but I'm keeping a local business going and the service is great - I emailed them late on friday with the title, author and ISBN number of a book I want and they replied first thing on Saturday. It's not in stock but they've ordered it and I can pick it up on Monday!

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Children's books
megletthesecond · 23/09/2018 19:16

Not a treat here.
I buy some from Waterstones then top up from charity shops and the library.
Usually dc's books mind you. I'm still trying to finish a book I got for Xmas 2016 Hmm.

daisypond · 23/09/2018 19:17

Do you have a book exchange anywhere near you? My local Tube station has one - books on shelves for you to take at will and restock at will. Otherwise, charity shops are very good. You can order what you want to your local library as well, I think.

SanFranBear · 23/09/2018 19:22

Definitely buy a kindle if you don't have one.. if you're not fussy, you can get them dirt cheap on Ebay (the one for £1 in my screen grab is a perfect example... and finishes in half an hour!!)

Do you see books as a treat?
Mrskeats · 23/09/2018 19:22

Oxfam book shops are good
You can have some of my books op I have far too many. Occupational hazard.

HRTpatch · 23/09/2018 19:25

Not a treat here. I buy 3 or 4 a month ...often hardback as I hate waiting for a book coming into paperback.

gamerwidow · 23/09/2018 19:25

Buying books is a treat for me. I always ask for book vouchers for my birthday and at Christmas but I’m also lucky that my local library allows access to the e book stock all 3 local boroughs so I can download from quite a large range whenever I run out of books.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 23/09/2018 19:28

Books are a standard household expense for us. I’d rather buy fewer clothes than stop buying books. I have kindle unlimited, and there are certain authors I always preorder books from. My daughter texts me the books and textbooks she needs for her studies and her sanity. My boys have an ever expanding collection of standard fiction and manga. It’s all good for now.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 23/09/2018 19:28

My local library has a system where you can order in books from libraries throughout the region, to be delivered to your home library. I use that a lot!

I have Kindle and buy some books for that if I can't wait for them at library (mainly book group books, which you have to read that month)

Scatteredthoughtss · 23/09/2018 19:30

I do kind of see books as a treat. I would never buy a hardback book for example, however much I love the author, I would always hang on. And I often buy books on line from second hand places. I don't have a limitless budget for books (or much else for that matter.)

JoyceDivision · 23/09/2018 19:45

I browse eBay for used books or sites like speedy hen, wordery, book depository. Not charity shop prices but good if looking for a specific recent title.

Standinguptononsense · 23/09/2018 19:49

Have a look for a charity book shop. They are fab.

MysteriousQuinn · 23/09/2018 19:50

I get children's books from Amazon or charity shops and I read on my kindle. E books are cheap plus you can read reviews and you can read free samples on Amazon.

strawberrypenguin · 23/09/2018 20:04

I do see buying myself books as a treat, I rarely buy a hardback and usually put books on my birthday/chistmas list. I do buy cheap e-books when I see ones I want though.
I do use the library a lot.

Same with the kids books, we have a bookcase well stocked with picture books and will buy chapter books occasionally but books are mostly gifts. DS1 uses the library audiobook app a lot as he prefers to listen rather than read.

strawberrypenguin · 23/09/2018 20:05

I find charity shop books so expensive where I live these days that I don't even bother looking. Can usually get them for the same price or cheaper on Amazon/ebay/ secondhand book sites

isseywithcats · 23/09/2018 20:17

Books are a part of my everyday life i go to bed half an hour earlier just so i can get some reading time in, buy mine from the cat rescue charity shop in town 49p each and when ive read them they go back to the shop so they make two lots of money for the charity

Ohyesiam · 23/09/2018 20:19

I love reading so books are an essential and a treat!

gamerwidow · 23/09/2018 21:10

Reading books is an essential buying books is only an essential part of a household budget if you have a disposal income. Essentials are food, heating, rent, bills and kids clothes everything else falls into the nice but not essential imo.

AdaColeman · 23/09/2018 21:26

Some books are a treat, perhaps a certain edition for example, but mainly they are a necessity.
Although I often donate books to charity shops, I don't buy from them.

I mainly use my Kindle these days, with top ups from book sellers. I love the vast range of books that are available instantaneously with just a click. So I suppose the instant gratification is a treat! Grin

delilahbucket · 23/09/2018 21:29

I used to always buy in charity shops. Now I have a Kindle with the unlimited membership for £7.99 a month. Both me and ds can read to our hearts content. I just get the books on my account and send them to his kindle.

Airaforce · 23/09/2018 21:30

I buy from Wordery and the Book people which are cheaper than Waterstones. Plus I buy a lot of books from charity shops in more affluent areas. The stock is better than the books in the average high street charity shop imo.

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 23/09/2018 21:34

Books are essential

But by Christ they are getting expensive

The new ones in waterstones are a tenner...and i can read one in a few hours

I might look at kindle unlimited...especially for the new releases

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 23/09/2018 21:36

Oh wait is it not all of them?