With that in mind, I decided that I would openly and honestly track my book purchases this year in a "personal challenge" called : Prepared To Be Shocked in 2010. Feel free to grab the badge and track your book purchases - shock yourself in the process. (I'm only counting books that I bought after January 1, 2010 --as I made several December purchases that do not count :)
Date Purchased Title and Author Cost
- Jan - 2010 Beneath a Marble Sky; J. Shors $7.23
- Jan - 2010 Made in the USA; B. Letts $4.00
- Jan - 2010 Reluctant Fundamentalist; Hamid $5.47
- Jan - 2010 The Pearl; Steinbeck $ .25
- Feb - 2010 All Whom I Have Loved; Appelfeld $4.99
- Feb - 2010 In the Convent of Little Flowers $4.00
- Feb - 2010 Fatal Cure; Robin Cook $ .10
- Feb - 2010 (11) books Library Sale $6.50
- Feb - 2010 Random Acts of Heroic Love $5.48
- Feb - 2010 The Wilderness; S. Harvey $9.17
- Feb - 2010 Arsonist's Guide to Homes in N.Eng $4.14
- Feb - 2010 Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks $14.00
- Feb - 2010 Father Melancholy's Daughter $ 4.89
- Mar - 2010 Brixton Beach; Roma Tearne $ 8.30
- Mar - 2010 The Children's Book; A.S. Byatt $13.36
- Apr - 2010 The Girls; Lori Lansens $ 4.00
- Apr - 2010 Isabel's Daughter; Hendricks 4.24
- Apr - 2010 Rooftops of Tehran; Seraji $6.00
- Apr - 2010 Rush Home Road; Lori Lansens $5.60
- May - 2010 (22) books/library sale 14.50
- June - 2010 (7) books/library sale $ 6.50
- July - 2010 Hope Rising
; Kim Meeder $10.07
- July - 2010 Wrong Mother
; Hannah $4.83
- July - 2010 A Dead Hand
; Paul Theroux $5.40
- July - 2010 (2) Kindle Books $5.98
- July - 2010 Galway Bay
; Kelly $10.70
- July - 2010 The Tricking of Freya
; Sunley $ 7.03
- July - 2010 Blind Hope
; Meeder $10.07
- July - 2010 Misfortune
; Wesley Stace $ 5.77
- July - 2010 Of Bees and Mist
; Setiawan $ 6.87
- July - 2010 New England Knits
(3 copies) $49.41
- Aug - 2010 The Makioka Sisters
; Tanizaki $10.88
- Aug - 2010 Stieg Larsson Trilogy $25.50
- Aug - 2010 Dictionary of Literary Terms/Theory
$13.60
- Sept 2010 Freedom
; Jonathan Franzen $14.00
- Oct 2010 The Finkler Question (Kindle)
$ 5.88
- Oct 2010 The Little Stranger
(Kindle) $ 9.99
- Nov 2010 Easter Island
; Vanderbes $4.08
- Nov 2010 The Human Bobby
; Gabe Rotter $5.95
- Nov 2010 Outside the Ordinary World
; Ostermiller $6.99
- Dec 2010 The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay
$6.99
YTD - (83 books purchased) - (Total Cost - $351.16)
I should do this, but I'm really SCARED to. LOL.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I'll give it a try. I definitely spend less than I used to now that I run a library :-)
ReplyDeleteYikes! I don't know if I want to know how many I buy. :) Although I justify the purchases by buying used books for cheaper prices.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I went in and created a "list" on Microsoft Works, to stand alongside my other Works lists, such as Books Read in 2010, TBR stacks, and Amazon Vines/Contest Wins.
ReplyDeleteSeems that I'm doing a lot of lists, but I like the feeling of control.
I added this as a page in my CURL UP AND READ blog, too.
I so need to keep track-I would be shocked.
ReplyDeleteI started keeping track of my acquisitions the beginning of last year but I'm too chicken to post the results to my blog. LOL You're so brave, Diane!
ReplyDeleteMy palms are sweating just reading this challenge!!! :0)
ReplyDeleteI tracked my book spending and the amount I spent was obscene. It's over 5 figures and I seriously needed a book buying ban. Have a good time with this one!
ReplyDeleteA good idea! I joined Support Your Local Library Challenge - so that I won't be tempted to buy new books this year. Good luck with your counting!
ReplyDeleteDiane, You are one brave woman. I have a resolution to not buy any new books that are not on my wish list already. But I know, deep down, that I will not stick to this goal. I can only try to be more careful and mindful of my book purchases.
ReplyDeleteMaybe next year I'll plan on keeping track of the $ I spend on books. I'm just not that strong right now! heheh ;)
Oh my goodness -- I LOVED the title of this post!!
ReplyDeleteI did keep track of my book buying purchases in 2009 and it was quite illuminating. I will definitely do the same in 2010.
In 2009, I didn't keep track of my purchases, either. But during the second half of the year, I started to get a lot of free books, in the mail! : )
ReplyDeleteI don't think I really want to know!!
ReplyDeleteI *love* the idea of this meme! But like Kristy, I'm scared too! However, this won't prevent me from voyeuristically leering at the stats of others!
ReplyDeleteI second this - I really should do this, but I'm scaaaared becuase I honestly spend a fortune on books every months. It would definitely be over 1000 dollars per year and I don't think I want to final amount to give me a heart attack, lol. On the other hand, this could sober me up, so to speak, hmmmm ...
ReplyDeleteI should do this too, but it would probably shock my husband more than it would shock me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! But I don't think I could be prepared enough for the shock :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of chickens you guys are...LOL LOL LOL (Just kidding) I'm a little scared myself but I figure by seeing the $$ mounting, it may (notice I said MAY) curb my spending!
ReplyDeleteDoes this include books traded at paperbackswap? If so, that number is just going to be too big.
ReplyDeleteI know you big leaguer bloggers out there get books in the mail, but the collector in me likes to go to the bookstore and buy them. I think of it as a hobby like anything else. But as you know, only so much space, so that's why I have my own personal "round tuit" challenge this year.
ReplyDeleteOhh, what a great idea! Very scary though, lol. Only 24?!?! I think I may have to join in on this just to see what I actually do spend/how many I purchase. It would be tons of fun to compare with others also! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I could cope with the shock of it. I spend far too much!
ReplyDeleteI already know -- too much!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, but, alas, I am also too chicken to admit how much I spend on books. Sure, I can often justify it - most of the books were purchased used, from the clearance section, so I'm not actually spending that much on the "few" new books I buy. I'm in total denial.
ReplyDeleteBTW...I spotlighted you with 2 awards -- just because!
ReplyDeleteSmart plan! I pretty much only allow myself to books on paperbackswap for just that reason. Otherwise I'd never have money for anything else!
ReplyDeleteI've started tracking my stats this year for the first time (number of books read, gender, language, nationality, and so forth) but it hadn't occurred to me to track the source of each book (i.e. bought, library, ARC). Thanks for the great idea!
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave, brave women to do this. I know my number would not only scare me, but it might convince my husband to take away my right to the checkbook! I'll live in ignorant bliss but will be cheering you on throughout the year!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea ... but not for me because I've instituted a book buying ban for myself in 2010. And even then I wouldn't do it because Mr. Jenners does NOT need access to this information!
ReplyDeleteYou guys crack me up. I'm doing this because my hubby is not a computer geek like me and he would not ever find this post tracking my book spending (nor would he most likely care). If it isn't about sports....I'm safe!
ReplyDeleteNancy...no paperbackswap does not count in my totals because it's really just about the price of postage in my eyes.
Oh it is a scary thing you are attempting! :)
ReplyDeleteI kept track of my book purchases last year up until the winter and then things just got kind of crazy for me and I stopped. Maybe I'll give it another try this year.
What a great idea! I got a Kindle for Christmas, and I fear the one-click purchases will add up too fast. I'll vow to keep track of them and set boundaries as the months go!
ReplyDeleteCount me in! I'll keep track because I'd love to see how much I really do spend. This year I'm on a tighter budget than I was last year--last year's total would have been scary!
ReplyDeleteWendy
Mark, glad you are joining in. I hate been totally oblivious to my spending habits < LOL
ReplyDeleteIf I am able to stick to my 2010 reading resolution, it will be $0! That will truly be shocking, lol.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea but I know I've already spent about $25 so...nope, no way, not gonna do it.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to reading your list!
This will be terrifying and definitely eye-opening. I'm sure it will be fun (and enabling) too, as we all get a peak at each others' lists!
ReplyDeletei dont know if i should do this or not...i buy all of my books...i dont go to the library and there arent a huge number of book swapping places near me who have what i want...
ReplyDeleteit would be goo to know i suppose
Larwel and Wings, I'm not trying to pressure anyone LOL -- let your conscience be your guide :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea! I'd just like to point out that I'm a 'he', not a 'she'... ;-)
ReplyDeleteSimon
Sorry Simon (I should have realized that):(
ReplyDeleteTruth or Dare being the same in this case LOL I might accept the challenge! Update after December 31st ;)
ReplyDeleteI have actually returned to the library with a vengeance this year. My house is not large enough to keep all my books-so I donate them. I have made a promise to not to enter contests if I can get the book from the library why add to all that garbage with the packaging and boxes.
ReplyDeleteEsme, you make a lot of sense by using the library as much as possible. I donate or give to family what I've already read.
ReplyDeleteI like your method, and early on, I grabbed the logo and have been tracking my purchases.
ReplyDeleteI'm not counting the ones I received from publishers, etc., since I didn't buy them. They're on a separate list.
I think this method is really helping me restrain myself...a bit, anyway!
I've been tracking mine this year, too, and I really think it helped me gain some kind of control.
ReplyDeleteI was doing really well until I got my Kindle...and in the past few days, I've added a few books. But still...pretty good.
Here's my list:
(click on my name)