Money Problems: Why I'm Not Buying Books Anymore

I imagine if you had to spend your money on one thing, you, like me, would spend it on books. Am I right? Well, it turns out, books are expensive and I know we’re not reading a lot of those books we’ve bought.

I, myself, have gotten rid of so many books over the years. Books I bought and never touched. Books I bought and would never read again. Let’s just say I’ve wasted lots of money on books. I know how that may sound to some of you but it’s no lie that books are expensive. So I made the decision to stop buying books and start using my public library more.

Okay, hear me out, I’m not totally giving up on buying books. I’m just saying goodbye to impulsive book buying and hello to book borrowing. Libraries are great resources when your broke and on a budget. They give you the option to try new books. Maybe they’re books you’re excited for or books you’re not too sure about. Being able to read new releases or venture into uncharted territory has enlivened my reading experience! It means I can read whatever I want when I want. I’m not limited to only the books on my shelves. When there are no limits on what I can read, I am more enthusiastic to start books, finish books and carry on reading. I don’t think I was ever that kind of reader. Ravenous. Devouring books whole. One by one.

I have read great books, okay books, highly anticipated books. Everything under the sun I have read from my library. I was grateful that I never bought Ramona Ausubel’s newest release because it ultimately disappointed me. I am looking forward to buying Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts because it was masterful and worth a reread. And while, I don’t know that Red Clocks by Leni Zumas was worth the hype I’d definitely want to pick it apart just one more time.

So. Correction. I’m not giving up on buying books. I just want to reconsider the way I read and the way I buy books. Buy only the books that I love or that I’d reread or that I’d scribble in. And yes, on occasion buy books I didn’t intend to, have never read and maybe will never read, because I just can’t help myself.