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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think there’s no hope anymore financially after seeing the price of this…?!

165 replies

Suteleynot · 21/12/2025 21:40

I’ve just been browsing the new books due to be released next year. Hardbacks are now 22 pounds????!!!

I know hardbacks have always been pricey especially when new but I am almost certain they were around 14-15 pounds only recently.

I have quite a bit of disposable income and I love reading but I cannot for a moment get my head around how expensive this is? It won’t be long before a new hardback will cost the best part of 30 quid!

I am paid close to six figures and hand on heart if I lost my job, I know I’d be worse off for sure, but not so worse off that I’d be devastated. In a way it’s quite liberating… I care less about keeping my job than I once did! What’s the point!!!!

I have only just seen this on Amazon so this is my very reactionary post to it 😅

OP posts:
ElleintheWoods · 21/12/2025 23:02

That's how much things really should cost though. It's not a race to the bottom of how companies can cut corners and produce worse quality things to make them even cheaper. Cheap chocolate means someone down the chain isn't getting paid. Cheap clothes means poor labour conditions and loss of craftsmanship. Cheap journalism/writing/art means truly good writers drop out of that field as they have bills to pay. Cheap food means... Need I go on?

If you look at the price of things in countries like Switzerland or Sweden, this is really how much things should be costing to pay poorer workers lower down the chain a decent wage, and the customer expects a decent product for that price, whether it's a cup of coffee, cinnamon bun, chocolate bar. Enshittification is much less accepted.

Have absolutely no issue personally paying 20-30 quid for a book. If I buy a book, I want to sponsor the author and others involved in making that book happen to continue to make more. This is what buying a book is, patronage of the creative industries.

This is the cost of a couple of days' food and will keep you going for much longer than that, stay with you. Can you say the same about a Pret sandwich and a coffee?

Of course, not everybody wants to do that or can do that, or doesn't need to buy everything in print to own, which is why very cheap or free second hand books are widely available, as are libraries.

Lecture over.

Personally I refuse to buy anything cheap, as I choose to vote with my money what kind of economic practices should prevail, what's worth paying for and what isn't. I rarely buy anything cmpared to most, but when I do, it won't be the cheapest thing I can track down, but the thing that deserves to exist on merit.

Appreciate not everybody can do that, but hopefully me paying more and also selling things I no longer need 2nd hand will allow someone else to access art more affordably, and keep good things like books alive.

GreyBeeplus3 · 21/12/2025 23:04

Final bits for under the Christmas tree shop I did recently
Bought everyone their favourite choccy bars plus few tins of biscuits
The meat joints were cheaper when their prices were deducted from receipt than the sweeties themselves were!

Moortown · 21/12/2025 23:12

I’m a book dealer and new hardback books have often been £20 since the 90s. Although when actually released, there’s often half price deals in a lot of the major retailers, on the mainstream books anyway.

Happyjoe · 21/12/2025 23:14

They are expensive, kinda glad my menopause brain can't cope with books at the moment. But, so is music these days. My other half wanted 2 vinyl LP's and one CD from Gary Numan's web shop. Cost me over £90. I guess artists/authors get ripped off so badly with stuff going online to download that the price has had to go up too.

Joanie17 · 21/12/2025 23:15

I’ve read about 70 books this year. All of these have either been kindle deals (99p) or library books. I wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise! However, I do think there’s an issue here where seriously talented writers don’t make much money at all and I do feel guilty about this.

AInightingale · 21/12/2025 23:16

How can you have both 'quite a lot of disposable income' yet 'not have much spending money in reality'?
And why wouldn't you care if you lost a six-figure job? Have you been reading threads on here about how everyone on UC is coining it in?

Follydoldy · 21/12/2025 23:19

I don't have a mental idea of what new hardback books should cost, because I almost never buy them at new RRP. Either I borrow from a library, buy secondhand or heavily discounted from Amazon or a discount bookseller. Even on a good income it seems a waste to spend money to spend money on new hardbacks. I only really buy new books as gifts, or at an author signing. I buy quite a lot of used children's books from Vinted, which can work out very cheap for bundles.

I have just got a Kobo which is better than a kindle for me, as I can borrow books for free rather than paying kindle prices.

GalaxyJam · 21/12/2025 23:20

What would you live off if you lost your job? I have a fairly high income but if I lost my job I’d have much bigger concerns than my inability to buy a hardback book!

nomdegrrr1 · 21/12/2025 23:26

I've self-published a couple of books on Amazon (you won't have heard of me, they did nothing). I charge the absolute minimum for paperbacks that Amazon allows and I have to charge £7.99 for my short to mid length novel. Amazon won't let me sell it much cheaper (I think I rounded it up to £7.99 but it would have only been pennies). I have a little more control over ebook prices, but they're still controlled, which means that it's cheaper to read on a Kindle. Or, in my case, the kindle app on my phone and my laptop. It's not always the author's fault. When I've gone onto alternative sites, the price isn't much lower as the costs for print on demand paperbacks aren't cheap.

For reading, if you can get into reading on a kindle or kindle app, it's worthwhile looking at Kindle Unlimited. It's just under a tenner a month and there's a decent selection, though you won't be able to get all of the books that you want. You can also sign up for ARC reading, that's Advance Reader Copies, where you can get a free copy of an ebook, often in advance of publication, in return for an honest review. The quality can be hit and miss but you can find some free hidden gems. There's also places like Wattpad and Royal Road which have nonconventional stories and story structure but that are free to read.

If you make a thing of reviewing books on places like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or blogs, once you are established, authors will be throwing free copies at you and begging for reviews, just saying.

Tadpolesinponds · 21/12/2025 23:32

The OP can obviously afford to buy books. She's deliberately chosen by far the most expensive way of buying books, and is complaining about it. If she was genuinely struggling, she'd at least buy e-books, or second hand books from charity shops or Ebay. There are cheap books everywhere. Or just join your local library where they're completely free.

nomdegrrr1 · 21/12/2025 23:33

It isn't really about book prices. We have gone through years of stable prices and now, when costs go up, it's a shock. When I was a kid in the 1970s, I remember my mother sending me to buy a loaf of bread and giving me the money that she thought it would be that day. She didn't always get it right. Prices were unstable and climbing.

We're once again in a time of unstable and rising prices. If, like me, you got used to the contants of some goods, the rise is hard to accept. Up to Covid, I used to wait for Heinz soups to go on sale at 50p each before stocking up. These days, a can of Heinz soup for 50p seems like winning the lottery.

Book prices are only one sign of the instability when it comes to prices. All we can do is make each penny count and spend with intention.

Hallywally · 21/12/2025 23:34

I use Kindle Unlimited - £9.99 a month. Get access to lots of titles- not everything but many.

Efrogwraig · 21/12/2025 23:35

Please please please use your local library. You can reserve books on line or over the phone. Then go & collect them when you get notified.

Bjorkdidit · 21/12/2025 23:44

Tadpolesinponds · 21/12/2025 23:32

The OP can obviously afford to buy books. She's deliberately chosen by far the most expensive way of buying books, and is complaining about it. If she was genuinely struggling, she'd at least buy e-books, or second hand books from charity shops or Ebay. There are cheap books everywhere. Or just join your local library where they're completely free.

Exactly, it's like quoting the price of a Ferrari and claiming that the entire population has been priced out of owing a car.

I know prices have risen but when people try to base their argument on such ridiculous examples they lose all credibility.

Hardback books have always been expensive and there's always been free or very cheap ways of accessing books and that's not changed despite the CoL crisis.

RedToothBrush · 21/12/2025 23:44

Why don't you wait for an offer or get second hand?

Honestly you rarely have to pay the silly money price if you are patient/ savvy.

Blump2783 · 21/12/2025 23:46

Suteleynot · 21/12/2025 21:56

@Pavementworrier I suppose it’s difficult to give an educated opinion on how much a hardback should be as I don’t work in that industry.

I do think on almost 100k it shouldn’t be a big decision to buy a hardback book, though.

You have said you have plenty of disposable income so your 100k earnings isn't impacting whether you can buy a book or not, your personal opinion on whether it is overpriced is.
I am not that far off 100k either and know for a fact I would be a lot worse off if I lost my job, even if I chose not to buy everything because I didn't like the price.

Blump2783 · 21/12/2025 23:46

Suteleynot · 21/12/2025 21:56

@Pavementworrier I suppose it’s difficult to give an educated opinion on how much a hardback should be as I don’t work in that industry.

I do think on almost 100k it shouldn’t be a big decision to buy a hardback book, though.

You have said you have plenty of disposable income so your 100k earnings isn't impacting whether you can buy a book or not, your personal opinion on whether it is overpriced is.
I am not that far off 100k either and know for a fact I would be a lot worse off if I lost my job, even if I chose not to buy everything because I didn't like the price.

LevBee13 · 21/12/2025 23:47

Get a decent Kindle for £150 and even new release books will be around a £5.
I'm a book lover and resisted for years but an e-reader is well worth it.
Now I only buy big series that I want to keep in actual paper format.

Blump2783 · 21/12/2025 23:48

Suteleynot · 21/12/2025 21:56

@Pavementworrier I suppose it’s difficult to give an educated opinion on how much a hardback should be as I don’t work in that industry.

I do think on almost 100k it shouldn’t be a big decision to buy a hardback book, though.

You have said you have plenty of disposable income so your 100k earnings isn't impacting whether you can buy a book or not, your personal opinion on whether it is overpriced is.
I am not that far off 100k either and know for a fact I would be a lot worse off if I lost my job, even if I chose not to buy everything because I didn't like the price.

GalaxyJam · 21/12/2025 23:48

I have what sounds like a lower income than you (although still healthy) and can afford to buy hard back books when I want to, so you most prioritise your money differently to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

MrsBroccolini · 21/12/2025 23:49

I sympathise but how many hours of (potential) enjoyment does a book give you vs cinema or even a meal out? Why is the hardback book (the more expensive format, in any case) the truly shocking price point against everything else that costs considerable money (and vs a paperback)?

OonaStubbs · 21/12/2025 23:58

I don't see the point of buying hardback books, they are still the same book when they come out in paperback a few months later at a lower price, or on kindle. And hardback books are heavy and take up so much space, they are a nightmare when you are moving house.

CaptainMyCaptain · 21/12/2025 23:59

Zov · 21/12/2025 21:53

Gosh, how extremely helpful. 🙄

I've never earned 'a six figure income' so I wait until books come out in paperback or I use the library. You absolutely don't have to buy £22 books if you feel they're too expensive they are not life's essentials.

Wowsersbrowsers · 22/12/2025 00:00

My local library lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks. It has done wonders for my reading.

SixtySomething · 22/12/2025 00:06

I'm a bit unsure about the point of this post. So far as I'm concerned, hardback books have always been a luxury.
I much prefer them to paperbacks. This is what I do:
When there's a newly released novel I want to read, I go onto Amazon and look for a secondhand hardback. They're often a similar price to the paperback. They're perhaps got rid of by people who have been sent them to review or similar. I usually find they seem scarcely touched and still in lovely condition.
I'm not exactly hard up, but wouldn't dream of regularly buying new hardbacks, but this is my way round it.
So, no need to despair!