Update on my Book Buying Ban (1 month in)

Ha! You might think “Hey Gabby, you are only 1 month into your book buying ban. Do you really think you are in any sort of position to give advice to others?” Well this post is more for me so I can reference it.

The first step is admitting you have a problem. If you are like me and have one trillion books (Ok...201) on your personal library TBR then you already have the shame I use an app called Libib to keep track of which books I own and which I have read. If you have an exact number then it is easy to see if you have a book buying problem.

1. Set yourself a goal

Maybe you want to get down to have a certain number of books on your TBR, or you want to be on a ban for a certain amount of time. If you have a goal, and an end point you are more likely to achieve it rather than giving up.

2. Block online bookstores

My biggest problem is online bookstores.  There are so many extensions for every web browser that you can use to block websites like amazon and Book Depository. Of course, you can get around these with one click but having the ‘Website Blocked’ pop up reminds you about your book ban. If you don’t aimlessly browse around an online store you are less likely to see a bargain you ‘Have to buy’

3. Figure how much money you will save.

I went through my online bank statements and found out how much money I had spent on average per month on books.  This figure for me is very motivating, because the main purpose of this book ban is to save money (Of course you can’t do this is you live in a country that uses cash a lot but here in New Zealand we barely use cash for anything. I use my cards for any purchase, even for things as small as 50 cents. We don’t carry cash around much here, and I don’t think I’ve carried it in about a year.)

4. Visualize how well you are doing

I downloaded an app called ‘Quit That’ It’s free, and keeps track of how long you have managed and also how much money you have saved so far. I think it is mainly designed for smokers but I have been using it to keep track of my book buying ban.

5. Go to the library

If you have decided there is a book you just absolutely have to read. Go to the library. Libraries are completely free

6. Make yourself mantras

Repeat them whenever you are tempted. “Do I really need to read this book right now?” “Will I even have time to read this book before my band ends?” If no to both, wait until later (It will probably be on sale later anyway!)

I'm over 28 days into my ban at the moment following these rules. I managed to widdle down my library quite a bit, as I moved in with my boyfriend and done a bit of reading so managed to get my TBR down from 201 to 152, so I'm on my way! Do you guys have any book buying tips you swear by? Help a sister out and share them in the comments below