No Book Buying Challenge 2015 – February Update
As you know, we are co-hosting the Show Your Shelves Some Love: A No Book Buying Challenge. You can also review the details of the post on the “No Book Buying Challenge“ page from the menu above. Let’s talk about finances this month. Tell us about your book buying budgets and your plans for the money you save. How many books have you read for this challenge so far?
Rose:
I have read 0 books for this challenge so far. I know, I know, I am bad. But I have a really good reason. I am literally working over 80 hours until April. YIKES! So I will be mostly playing catch up here before summer starts. I also had to buy a book for school, which made me mad and I am NOT counting this textbook. I would have gotten it way cheaper, too except that I was told about the book way too late to purchase it online for less. Sad face.
However, happy face, my book buying budget has a grand total of $0.30!!!! haha
My book buying budget is this:
Book Budget
Walking Maddox $0.10
Riding Kissy $0.25
Writing a blog post $0.05
Writing a book review $0.50
Reading a book I already own $0.75
Writing 500 words count $0.15
Julie:
Well I’ve read two of my previously purchased books. One I read in a format I don’t own but a book I do own on my shelf, so I’m counting it. I haven’t bought with money a single book all month, so yay. I have, however, bought a crap ton of Kindle freebies. But they don’t really count, right, cause no moneys are being spent? I figure I took plenty of walks with the baby in the stroller this month so that more than makes up for any free books I hoarded (er, collected). In fact, with my original budget plans, I can buy quite a few actual daily deal books for a buck or two, but I haven’t felt the need (or found a book that I needed to have right then <– that’s the kind of restraint this challenge is for). As for what I plan to do with the money saved – well my budget is heavily impacted by this tiny human that always needs something so maybe I’ll do the responsible thing…
Just for funsies I have embedded my Goodreads shelf so that I can share the books I read as I go.
Julie’s 2015-shelf-love-challenge book montage
Lynn: .
I have read two books off my Shelf Love list. Both have been not good. Which does lead me to wonder if most of the books will be just as bad. And that I probably never read them because I knew, subconsciously, that they wouldn’t be good. But I do have hope for some of the books on my list. I’ve only “purchased” one free book so far this month. And I’ve been seriously tempted by numerous new releases. The daily emails reminding me of all the books I could be buying are alluring. But I am staying strong. And getting all of my new release books from the library. Good tip – check your library for books about to be released and get yourself on the list as soon as possible. So you are not 63rd in line for one copy. Trust me on this.
Are you participating in this challenge? Link up your February update posts below:
After linking up, don’t forget to grab your entry in the Rafflecopter for the giveaway.
I am definitely not counting freebies since it’s kind of like picking up a book from the library – you’re not paying. I really like the idea of earning money by doing things, e.g. writing a blog post, so I might incorporate that for next month if I review my book budget 🙂
Zareena recently posted…Stacking the Shelves #58 & Weekly Review: Swooning + Half Term
Exactly, you’re not paying! Though.. you are adding to your TBR so that’s why I just only a slight bit felt guilty.
Happy, the book fair was yesterday and I was actually $18 under my book buying budget, however, did buy 2 kindle books and ordered a book that wasn’t allowed for the challenge. Been wondering if I should continue with the challenge been really struggling with it and it’s just the beginning.
It is OK to break the rules sometimes. You can always try for a clean slate next month.
I think I’ll do that. Hate to give up so soon. I’ve learned I’m more addicted to books than I thought I was. Hi, my names Adrienne and I’m a bookaholic.
Wow, thank you for the fastest comment I’ve ever recieved on a post 😀 Thank you! I was still writing my comment here so went back to edit it. I don’t think I’ve read much, because of the audio and the short story, but I’m glad with the results.
By the way, in my official post I forgot to confess of all the download freebies I’ve been getting!
Topcho recently posted…#Shelflove: Let’s Talk about Finances
Ha! That’s me being a slacker and focusing more on my email alerts. Nah, freebies don’t count, right? That’s not money spent. At least that’s how I justify all the freebies I got…
I’m giggling so hard over your girls right now. 🙂 Well, I’ve definitely read quite a few more books from my shelves but I understand life getting in the way of reading, blogging, etc. Rose, I hope things calm down after April for you. Julie, I’m sorry but you’re going to be busy for the next, oh, 18 years or so. 🙂 And Lynn, I hope your next several reads are fabulous!!
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…#ShelfLove ~ My *ahem* Book Buying Budget
Surely I’ll start sleeping more and he will be somewhat independent from me sometime, right?
My husband gave me a book this week, surprised I hadn’t already purchased it for myself, and when I told him I wasn’t buying books this year he laughed like mad and called me “adorable.” Somehow, I think he doesn’t believe me!
Anyway, I’ve been reading my first challenge book, Charlotte Bronte’s “Shirley,” for a month now and am not even halfway through 🙁 It’s a slog, but I will persevere!
Lynn recently posted…No Book Buying Challenge: Monies
That’s sweet of your hubby to buy you the book, but hopefully you can show him that you can do this ban heh. Hmm maybe that’s not the best first book to pick if it is so hard to get through.
Book buying has never been a HUGE issue for me, but I can totally see how this is a fantastic challenge for a lot of people. Stay strong!! 🙂
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore 2/8/15
Good for you not being a super hoarder 😉
I am so, so bad at not buying books. I tell myself I am going to be good, but I just can’t do it! And then someone will peer pressure me into it even if I have tried to stop myself 😉 I have tried to only buy 4 books a month, that’s my goal. In January I bought 5, so that isn’t too bad. But February just started, and I have 4 pre ordered already, so that isn’t going to end well! I do usually get to a few books on my shelves, just not enough to make up for all the ones I buy! Good luck 🙂
Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight recently posted…This Week At Midnight (47)
Haha it is hard! And all the peer pressure to buy books is bad too heh. Good luck 🙂
Hah yeah there is no way I could do a book buying ban challenge. Plus I wouldn’t want to anyway. For the most part I think I have partial control lately over my book buying. I but daily deals when they look good and then a adore myself to splurge a few times a year at bookoutlet.com and then a few smaller packages purchases at various other times then the single expensive books for new releases that I didn’t manage to get for review. I think I’ve been pretty good at keeping the spending under control. I’ve even been reading a bunch of books from my personal stash of previously purchased books last month. I read at least 6 already owned books during January!
Good luck with your goals ladies
For some reason I can never comment successfully on your website with my phone…So annoying!
Hey, that’s great if you have it under control already! We can learn from you.
So far I’ve read 4 books for the challenge. I started a couple of books but wasn’t enjoying them so put them away for now. I bought 5 books last month and 1 kindle book. 1 of the books I did earn by cleaning the bathroom… for the challenge I allow myself to buy 1 book per mos. if I clean the master bath. I didn’t spend a lot on the books as I got them at Goodwill, spent 7.95 plus .99 for a Kindle book. I also made an exception for the yearly book fair we go to. I’m allowed to buy $50 worth of books at the book fair. This challenge is much harder than I expected it to be. I really like the idea of un-subscribing to daily e-mail book deals, need to do that it’s too tempting.
It is hard, but great that you’ve already read 4 books.
I don’t have a website or a blog, so I’m not technically in this, but I’m following along and keeping track on a Facebook Note and Goodreads Shelves.
https://m.facebook.com/notes/shan-brown/2015-book-challenge/1593848194184461/?ref=bookmark
January was sort of great for me, I only spent $5.95 on books (but honestly that’s because Amazon gave me a $10.00 credit for an issue I had with them).
And my challenge focusses mainly on my freebie-hoard, but I’m also trying to read the paid-for-before-2015 hoard. I read: 6 free novels, 10 free novellas/novelettes and 2 paid-for-before-2015 novels.
Unfortunately, I did spend $7.82 on Audible because I had a credit, then went over-there was a good sale! Since I already had these books in e-book form, that $7.82 I spent was truly frivolous and I’m a little annoyed with myself.
Trying to keep well below my $15 monthly budget, but we’ll see how February plays out now that I don’t have credits left anywhere.
You are technically in this, you don’t have to be a blogger to participate 🙂 I can’t comment on your FB note since we’re not connected so I’m glad you posted here too. That’s awesome that you read so many books last month, especially the paid for before 2015 pile. Audible gets you with those sales of theirs! But, that’s fine if you set a budget and stick to it 🙂
I’ve put myself on a book buying ban too so I can work through some of my TBR books. It’s definitely helped me save a lot of money this month. I didn’t spend a cent on books. It’s so satisfying to just read something you already own and have been waiting to read for a long time!
Joy @ Thoughts By J recently posted…Monthly Wrap Up – January 2015
Great work! It is satisfying to work on that owned pile.
Although I am not part of the challenge- I didn’t buy any books for myself this month. I did buy three books with my own money for my school library because they were books kids really wanted and we don’t have any money left in the library budget. I also read 1 book I borrowed from a friend 4 months ago- so I can finally return it and I read another book that I have had on my Kindle forever. The other books I read this month were either borrowed from my mom or the library. I am not letting myself buy any books until I make it through at least 10 of the borrowed/bought books on my shelves. 🙂
Sounds like you guys did a great job!
Stephanie@Fairday’s Blog recently posted…Monday’s Riddle: Flavor Magic…
I think it is awesome that you bought books for the school library so the kids could enjoy them. That’s a great way to spend money on books that you would have otherwise spent on yourself.
I unfortunately have not read a single book I own yet. I have requested way too many library books even when I joined a challenge in January to put the library on hold. I’m working on getting my library book reading pile down and then I’m going to dive into the books that I own because I have plenty to read just off my pile for several months.
Rachael @ Rachael Turns Pages recently posted…January Wrap Up and February TBR
Hey, you didn’t buy any books it sounds like, so you still did well for this challenge last month 🙂
“One I read in a format I don’t own but a book I do own on my shelf, so I’m counting it.” <– I was wondering about that! I listened to 4 audiobooks from the library in January of titles I also have in print and was wondering if I could count them — now I think I will! They were certainly on my TBR as a series to re-read/complete, even if I opted for a different format when it came down to it.
I will be doing a post for this topic, but overall I'd say this challenge really helped get the year off to a good start! I'm a little more addicted to my local library than I thought I was, but it feels good to buy less and read more from home, even if I read lots of library books too 🙂
Christine @Buckling Bookshelves recently posted…Show Your Shelves Some Love Challenge: Sharing My TBR Piles
Yay for giving your local library some more love!
Yes, so I think if you read a book you own, doesn’t matter what format you actually end up reading it in – because that book drops off your undread list.
I unsubscribed from all the emails I used to get alerting me to book deals. That was the easiest thing I did at the end of last in year preparation for the challenge!
Terri M., the Director recently posted…Book Review 66: The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer
That’s really a good idea. I still subscribe to a few.