I feel like I'm addicted to buying books. I used to only buy 5-8 books every year, but now I can't go a month, or even a couple weeks without finding new books I want to buy. I buy at least 4-5 books every month, sometimes a lot more.
I've tried to set a goal on not more than 50€ a month to buy new books, but I often surpass this. And I even work in a library. I have a STACK of library books at home to get through. I'm reading 4-5 different books at all times. It's like I can't get enough. I feel like I spend way too much money on it, but at the same time I don't feel like its a waste, because I love books so much.
I just love watching my home library grow. I have around 350 books now, many of them unread. Obviously I'm buying books quicker than I can get through them. I read between 50-60 books a year so it's going to take me some time to get through everything.
I'm dreaming of having this huge, cozy library in my own home with maybe over 1000 books. Sometimes I just go and stare at my bookshelf for a few minutes, just admiring it. My bf thinks I'm weird, lol (he's probably right).
What about you? Do you often buy new books?
by starrynightpapers
26 Comments
I love buying new books and have my personal library.
When I finish a book I then savor all of my unread books and pick it.
It feels like going to the library
Are you reading these books? I buy five to six in advance then buy more when they’re all read.
Unfortunately not often. I’ve been trying to read more and have been using the library/libby
I used to buy more books but I realized I’m just not reading the physical copies, it’s all audiobook for me.
I started donating my books to the used book store for credit, and then I buy new used books with the credit.
My wife is like that. It’s like any other collectible in my mind. I think she has something like a quarter of our 1000ish book library as her TBR. She’s gotten it down from 350 or so, so she’s reading faster than she’s buying now. Plus she reads on her kindle unlimited subscription. And also library books.
We can afford it, and it makes her happy so whatever.
So I read about 50-60 books a year. I would say one out of every 30 to 50 is new haha. Only if it’s a special book or something that I really want untouched but out of my 280 books currently owned I would say 10-15 are new. And probably five of those are because my wife bought them for me because she’s a shopper and it doesn’t bother her the way it bothers me 😂😂
I can’t set foot in a bookstore without buying something. I’m currently renovating my living room and dining room into a library and I feel that same urge to fill out my shelves. I only read one book at a time, and usually only around 40 a year, so at this point I’m just turning my house into a TBR I’ll never be able to get to.
And I think I’m okay with that.
I almost never buy new books. I’m lucky enough to live in a place with a lot of great Free Little Libraries, used book stores, and library book sales. I mostly just pick up random old books that look interesting to me.
It’s amazing in a lot of ways, but also much too easy to justify getting 15-20 books a month when they’re all like 0-2 dollars a piece.
Rarely these days. I went through a phase of buying new, then realised how much it was costing.
Now I go to charity shops and hunt out classics instead.
Far cheaper!
Books can also fall into overconsumption and I say that as someone with a library of 1,000+ books. Sounds like you are buying to buy and that is never good. If you are reading 4-5 at once are you really reading? Really retaining the information and understanding the story?
It took a decade for me to build my collect and the bulk of it is rare, first editions, signed copies, etc. I shop almost all second hand: thrift stores, estate sales, used book fairs, thriftbooks.com etc. I only buy new if it’s rare and I know I won’t find it again (anthologies fall into this bucket).
I love your love for books but slow down and take your time to really give each one the attention it deserves and to curate a library you will cherish for years to come.
I had this problem and I sat a goal for myself. I must read 4 books before buying more. I helped me read the book I purchased and now I have my buying under control.
I used to get new a few new books at least once a month BUT I have so many unread books in my personal library that I go every few months now and it has to be something I really want or read and loved if I’m getting it new. Or I go to the used bookstore to browse and will be a few things up.
I use the library a lot more now when there’s a new book I want to read.
I used to buy books like crazy. My library got so big I had to add more shelves. I’m obsessed with books, but ever since I discovered e-books, that’s all I read. At first I really missed holding a book in my hands, but I got used to it.
I am on a strict “no buying new books” thing this year. I’ve bought ONE and it was by accident because I preordered it like, 18 months ago and forgot 😂
I have about 650 books that I own right now and I am just completely out of space, so it’ll be a long while before I hit 700.
I do try to get more kindle/KU books now but I probably get 4-10 a month depending on releases. I have ~1500 physical books with only about 200 unread so I do try to read as fast as I buy. I read roughly 4-500 pages every 2 days
I’m 99.9% digital book, Kindle reader. That being said I use Kindle Unlimited and Libby. I buy probably under ten books a year as a result.
Brand new, never. Thrifted? Maybe once a week depending
I get all my books through the library, libby, kindle unlimited. If I really liked any of the books I read then I try to find them thrifting.
If I come across is cool if In don’t I don’t lol
Sometimes I thrift books that I think have nice covers or if I see something that I might want to read
But brand new books from the book store, never. I’m too cheap
“I have a problem ha ha ha!”
In the past year or so I’ve been leaning heavily on the library which has dramatically reduced my book buying. I’m currently buying one at full price every 3-4 months or one on discount every 1-2 months.
This week? 3 brand new and two second hand. Not usually quite that many but easily averaging 1 a week.
I prefer ebooks and usually use Libby. The convenience is huge for me. The packed bookshelves look is cool but it is so impractical. Not for me.
I buy a few books every few months, mostly used paperbacks from Amazon. Feeds my addiction! 😉
Very rarely since I started using Hoopla and Libby back in 2020. Honestly most times when I buy a book nowadays it’s required for one of my English classes.
About 2-5 eBooks a month, plus one or two physical books when travelling?
I only buy books I’m going to read imminently, so they definitely do not sit around unread. I think it’s pretty wasteful to buy books and not read them. If I don’t have capacity to read something right away, I hold off on buying it until I do have time.
i used to buy a ton of books then i had to move from different places and that was a nightmare packing up and lugging around. i have about 70 physical books rn but i’ll probably offload some and stick to borrowing books from the library
Identify what you are doing that leads to buying new books.
Like, I don’t go to a bookstore unless I need a new book to read. I don’t go online to a bookseller unless I need a new book to read.
I don’t go to the library unless I need a new book to read.
I don’t understand how you can acquire new books while you still have unread books? I generally buy in batches of 5 at a time but then I don’t buy any until I finish those 5.
How do accidentally buy new books?