A question about : 'No More Buying Books Until I've Read the Ones I've Already Bought' Thread
If you are anything like me you have bought lots of books you liked the look of while they were on 3-for-2's or other special offers etc., but haven't quite got round to reading them yet, and the chances are that you are adding to your collection at a rate of knots. Putting our MSE-hats on, we know this is not very frugal, and also not very space-savvy as books take up quite a lot of room. As a result (and thanks to the idea of the lovely girls on the 'No buying toiletries in February challenge!' which works in a similar way to this one, only with toiletries), I've decided to make this thread in which I vow not to buy any more books until I have read all the ones I own.
This will take quite some time as I have a big box of lovely, unread books next to my bed, and not a lot of time in which to read them. However, I can also read books which I have borrowed off libraries/other people, or, if I sell a book on a website like greenmetropolis.com, I can buy another one to read instead (prefereably for not more than I was paid for the book I just sold). Overall, the number of unread books I own should not increase from the start to the end of the challenge. (I'll do the maths tomorrow before work as there is not enough time today.)
On the up side, we could include a little book review and say what we thought to our latest read. 
I will start: my name is Pickle and I own FAR too many unread books. I am currently 2/3 of the way through 'The Code of the Woosters' by P.G. Wodehouse (library lend), and it is very funny so far.
Who is with me on this one?! 
EDIT: list of places to buy/sell/swap books (with help from Niccatw )
Sites to sell your books on...
https://www.greenmetropolis.com/index2.asp Very high standards...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller/sell-your-stuff.html Always handy...
https://www.ebay.co.uk
Sites to swap your books on...
https://www.readitswapit.co.uk/TheLibrary.aspx
https://www.bookhopper.com/ You can chose which country suits you best. And it's easy to browse their library
https://bookmooch.com/ Great points system but a lot of American members who aren't always willing to send to the UK
https://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php
https://www.titletrader.com/
Bookcrossing...
https://www.bookcrossing.com/ You give your book a number and then as it moves from one person to another, you can go online and leave a journal entry for the book, to see where it's gone
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Best answers:
- i'll join you inapickle
my book shelves are heaving under the weight of "to be reads" im currently reading the virgins lover by philippa gregory its about queen elizabeth the 1st. one day when im feeling brave and have the time ill count up the books i've bought to read but havnet yet got round to it. my downfall is carboot sales they have lovely books calling out to be read for only 50p and it seems a shame to leave them there.
im sure there are some one readers amongst them that i should read and pass on but if i really love a book i cant let it go. ill never give up my copy of the other boleyn girl or the innocent traitor.
what do you want us to do post when we start and finish a book and what we thought of it and if we are keeping it or charity shopping it.
I did let 10 feng shui books go a couple of weeks ago as part of my declutteringthey all went to the church table top sale - I'll join in this as have a house full of books I haven't read, so I pledge not to buy any more, and only to borrow from the library
Have just read Nella Last's War, and Nella Last's peace about Housewife 49.Excellent books - my trouble is I keep books I HAVE read
- i am probably in the minority here however i have around 400 books (yes the wife goes crazy at me about them) yet i have read every single one at least once, some up to 4 - 5 times!
my problem is i go through fads with the different genres and i am currently into Sci-fi and fantasy as i have really gone off my horror and crime ones at the moment, but i dont want to get rid of any as i know as soon as i do i will end up wanting to read them again... i am just thankful i have a library close otherwise i hate to think how many i would own - Hi Guys,
Can I join too? In my flusher days it was my ambition to turn my spare room into a library! I LOVE my books, they are my children, but they are completely un-MSE!!
Currently re-reading CJ Sansom's Dissolution (even though I have a whole shelf of to-be-read!) and I'm currently resisting the urge to go and buy a new bookshelf, keep staring at the various piles on the floor poor books!
So my pledge is to not buy any new books and to sell any that are in good enough condition (poor babies :s) but only to borrow from the library. The library bit is there to help build my confidence up, I've been suffering from agrophobia for a while and I really need to shake it off! - I am with you on this as well. I will admit that I love a good book (not that I have a great deal of time to read lately with 2 little ones!), but books are just too dear to buy right now. I have started getting books from the library, twice now, and love the idea that there are all these books available for no charge!! It's a nice walk from our house to the library, so that's a plus as well. I did cave in January and spent Ј3 on 3 books at Sainsburys as they had a bunch of books for Ј1 each. *hanging head in shame* But I juggled my grocery expenses to cover it. I won't do it again though, as I'm trying to remain strong on this one.
- Oh no! Would love to join you as you all sound so disciplined but books are my only luxury. I love buying them (could spend hours in a bookshop in a kind of trance - it's very theraputic...) I love reading them and I consider them part of the decoration of my house in their many bookcases. I could probably OPEN a bloomin' library .
My concession to MSE is to trawl the charity shops to feed my habit. Got three brilliant old books for Ј1 this morning. They look a bit tatty but all part of the charm for me. God, I'm sooooo sad aren't I? - Ooh I will join you on this one. I did say at the start of the year that I wouldn't buy any new books but was tempted and ordered the first Twilight book from Amazon! Everyone keeps raving about them on facebook and I couldn't resist.
I have far to many unread books to buy any new ones. Since having my little boy 3 years ago, most of my purchases have been parenting books and less fiction. I love books! I did get into book crossing a couple of years before having him and acquired lots of books through that (and got rid of some old ones) but my shelves are heaving. In fact I need to get rid of some of those I have read too, so really I just have no room for more!
I have just finished Faith by Lesley Pearce which was very enjoyable. I only got the peace to read it as I have a chest infection and have been in bed over the weekend while my husband took our son out!
Good luck everyone. - I'd love to join you, I have over 200 books on my to be read bookcases, but I justs can't stop buying books, and don't really want to. It's my release, looking round charity shops or car boots for books. It keeps my bipolar need to spend in check, if I buy six books for four quid (like I did at the weekend) then I wont go and blow a hundred on carp.
Nonnatus, you're not sad. I prefer old books, they have more character. And it's better for the environment than buying new.
Anyway, good luck all of you!
ps, I'm currently reading The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, for one of my book clubs. - Ooooh can I join in too please? I have *gulps* more unread books than I can count and really want to make in roads into them both to clear a bit of space and maybe to make a few pennies on those that I don't think I'll read again.
I've been trying to read more books than I've bought so far this year and I'm managing it just (books read 16, books bought 14 - I know, terminal case here??!) but I know that I really need to stop buying them altogether for a while.
I'm currently reading E squared by Matt Beaumont. - OOh please may I join you, I love and adore books, everything about them, the cover pictures, the blurb that draws you in with the promise of the best read of your life, I have a box (yes a box!) of unread boooks under my bed but know that my trip to Asda today will fnd me hovering by the books getting tempted again. I really really can't afford it, but they just call to me. I am trying to repress this urge by doing virtual shopping with my Amazon wish list. The trouble is I am interested in so many things, history, art, fashion, cooking, biography, cultural studies and I just love thrillers. I love programmes about books, could spend a day in Waterstones. I am currently reading "The Black Angel" by John Connelly.
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