5 Tips to help you to avoid overspending on books
All book-lovers know the feeling of intense panic that comes over them in the middle of a bookshop. You’re overwhelmed by all the choices and would much rather buy everything in the entire store than make a decision. I can definitely relate. In fact, at the time of writing this post, I am hiding out from my responsibilities in a cafe inside a bookstore. And while here, I was confronted with the typical desire to buy every book I see.
For book lovers, it’s so easy to come up with a reason why we need to own a particular book. Anything from a recommendation from your mum’s friend’s husband’s niece, to the cover art with shiny gold foil is justification enough to go throwing your money around the store.
So if not because of the cover art, how should you go around choosing a book? Fear no more, these five tips will help you avoid walking out of bookstore with an armful of books you had no intention of getting when you walked in:
Disclaimer: This post is intended for others like myself that have no self-control when it comes to books. If you are one of those people that has no issue walking into a bookstore and successfully walking out with one book or none, please share your secrets, my wallet will thank you.
Go in with a plan
Like the saying “never go to the grocery store hungry,” it is important to make sure you have a semblance of a plan when bookshopping. If you are going in because you have a craving for stories about dragons, make sure you make that your intention and don’t get distracted by faeries (as tempting as it is). The most dangerous thing about book shopping is not knowing what you are in the mood for. The optimal is obviously to know exactly which book you are looking for, at which point walking in and coming straight back out with the book is the plan of action. However, for times when that is not the case, or you’re just looking to discover something new, have a plan. Much like most exercises in mindfulness, being intentional is the key to coming out without the feeling of guilt.
Give yourself time to browse, with a time limit
There is nothing worse than walking into a bookstore and only having 5 mins to browse all the shelves. One of the biggest mistakes I have made is thinking that if I cut down the time I have to make a choice, I will not be tempted by every book I find interesting. Not only do you feel unnecessarily rushed, but you will inevitably end up making impulsive decisions (more impulsive than the original decision to buy a new book). Avoid this by giving yourself a comfortable amount of time, around 15-30 minutes should be ample, at the end of which you can make an informed and measured choice. Any more than this and you will come back to the cashier with you arm aching from the stack of 10 books you’ve accumulated while walking around.
Make a criteria you stick to
In the last couple of years I have had to establish a criteria for my book buying habits. Initially it was a necessity because of my life style: I was living in student dorms with very limited amount of space, and very aware that at the end of my degree, I would have to find a way to ship all these books to my next residence, which could or could not be in the same country.
So, I made it a point to only buy paperbacks. I also determined that I would not buy a book that cost me more than a certain amount. If I wanted a more expensive book, it would have to be a book that I planned in advance to get (refer to point 1.) and not one that I found while browsing the shop. And lastly, when browsing, I will only choose books that were published in the last 5 years. Now this one might sound bizarre, but I have been attempting to read more contemporary fiction. This rule ensures that if I am looking for a new book, it will necessarily be something relatively new. Nor does this stop me from reading older fiction, but it must be intentional if I go looking for fiction older than 2014.
Your criteria can be completely personalised to your practical/personal needs and goals, but it is incredibly helpful to provide some boundaries in an otherwise limitless situations.
Take out cash
Books can often be a bit of a gray zone when it comes to spending. As a child I had a budget for new toys, as many children do. However, I was never given a budget for books. The reasoning was that my parents were more than happy to spend money on something that is both cultural and educational rather than bits of plastic that I will lose interest in within the next few weeks. Unfortunately, this argument does not hold up as an adult, even less so with a bookworm. Out of everything I spend my money on, justifying my book buying habit is the easiest thing to me. Hence, it is also when I need to be the most strict with myself.
A ridiculous amount of my money ends up going towards new books every month, more books than I can ever hope to read in the same time frame. And looking at the transaction accounts on my credit card every month is quite a defeating experience. So at the beginning of this year, I made it a point to never enter a bookstore without cash. I limit how much I take out depending on my financial situation that month. This way I am held accountable to how much I can spend, and also can never put myself in the position of buying five new books and mindlessly swiping my card without noticing the cost. If you don’t like dealing with cash, you can also create a budget for yourself that you set aside at the beginning of the month simply for book shopping.
And if all else fails, take a friend
Now, like all of these tips, you have to be honest with yourself about the friend you bring with you. Don’t bring a friend who is just as likely to run around like a kid in a playground and will only enable you. Bring the friend that will ask you the difficult questions.
If you really don’t think you can be trusted, charge your friend with ensuring that you don’t walk out of the store with any more than you can afford/carry. They can also be a good sounding board to help you cut down from the five initial choices to just one. And in extreme circumstances, you can give them your wallet so you aren’t tempted to sneak off and buy everything when they’re not looking (it only happened that once!).
I hope these tips help you develop a little self-control in bookstores, and if not…well, you only live once so enjoy all those new books!
~S~
