To think this a huge sum to spend on books?!

[KeiraKnightley2]

My boyfriend is moving into a new place soon (it's early days, so not living together yet). He loves books and so do I.

Anyway he said he's getting a big bookcase and has given himself a max budget of 1k to spend on books of his choice!

I said I thought this was a huge budget (great if he can do it) but he reacted with surprise, as though this is normal spending money. It isn't, is it?

Then again, you might spend thousands on a laptop, so maybe I'm wrong.

But it doesn't take everyone ages to read that many books, and not everyone's tastes are going to change in the time it takes to read them.

As I said in my previous post, I would get through about £1,000-worth of paperback novels in 18 months. I don't feel like that's 'ages' and certainly not long enough for me to have completely changed my taste in reading. I wouldn't say my taste in books has changed at all in the last 30 years, to be honest.

It depends. Is he a student?

I went to uni in 1981 and my first year economics book, then, was £98.50. Just for one book.

40 years later, I can imagine, some courses, £1k wouldn't touch the sides.

Please come back and tell us what he has bought I am so envious. Hope it's not one big Amazon order imagine that.
I could easily spend that and probably do over a year. It's just a thing for some.

A lot of my favourite books I've never even held a copy of, because I use a kindle.

If I had the money and the space, I would definitely buy a mini library in one go of all my favourite books and books that I have read multiple times but never owned a physical copy of.

I prefer non fiction books and these do generally tend to be a bit pricer than fiction.

I could easy spend 1k in one go.

I wish I had space.

This is what I was thinking. I remember spending well over £600 on books in uni.

I’ve never understood the concept of owning fiction books which you’re most likely not going to read again. I do like the look of a big book shelf with books in them as suppose to meaningless objects. I only get my books from the library or sometimes eBay-books are so expensive

People spend that kind of money on hobbies all the time. The really good thing about spending that amount on books vs a TV or computer is that the books will likely hold more value and can be passed on. TVs, phones, computers will last a few years and that's it.

I think it’s a bit weird to spend so much in one go rather than over time unless he has a list of boobs he’s always wanted.

Is it a few series of graphic novels? Some of the series can have up to 30 books in them and people buy large numbers of them when they see them as they go out of stock easily!

Now that would be a red flag

And as others have said people would spend it on a tv/ holiday (some people would even spend it on fashion!!)

I had no idea books helped you get a date 😜

Is it new books that he wants? What about books that he already has?

I would love to spend that amount on books.

Bloody hell! Why is my iPhone correcting books to boobs!!

Indeed. I've spent more on books in my adult life than I could possibly count but the notion of "I'm getting a big bookcase so I'm going to buy £1000 worth of books all at once" is weird.

It's like he's doing it for an aesthetic rather than a love of reading which is a bit cringe. If he's such a big reader he will have heaps of books already not filling a massive bookcase from a standing start.

The most I ever spent on a book was £120. Rare signed limited first edition. It is a hobby of mine, and that one shelf is worth about £1K.

Over time, I think I have easily spent that on books.

Good for him if he can afford it, but I urge him to use a small independent bookshop rather than an online giant!

If it is his money do not see the issue as he could have a hobby that costs a lot more and it is his passion so do not see an issue unless you are struggling for money. I would not tell a partner it is too much if their own personal cash.

In my academic field, 1000 pounds of the latest books from OUP would barely fill half a shelf!

I dream of having a huge bookcase filled with books. Usually they are collected over a lifetime rather than bought outright but I guess lots of people are living in small places and cannot easily store books and take them from place to place when they move.

I agree with you that it is a bit decadent, but not mega decadent. It's easy enough to spend many £1000s on a bathroom or kitchen Reno or restoring a fireplace and I can see how this would give a lot more joy and would be a lifetime investment.

I would just add that if he does buy them new would be good to support independent bookstores.

It’s an unusual thing to do, in that most people collect books over time rather than buy a huge amount in one go, but it is unusual in a nice way! I’d love to do it. People spend thousands on designer gear, holidays, beauty treatments etc, so there’s no reason someone can’t spend the same on books if they’ve got it spare.

Is he good with money otherwise? Pays his way on the boring stuff? Saves? Happy to have joint saving goals? Isn’t going to sit in reading all the time ignoring you? Might let you help pick a couple? Then ok by me .

If I brought all the books I wanted I would have to open a large library! I read all of my mates bookshelf then added till it was overflowing. I prefer digital now but it's even more expensive. Literature is the best!