I just finished CALL ME IRRESISTIBLE –loved loved it and definitely one of my personal Top Picks for September – by Susan Elizabeth Phillips so now I’m hooked. I’m currently plowing through her backlist. I’ve discovered this about myself, I love love the sports hero. I love antagonism between the hero and the heroine from the get go, which SEP delivers in her books in spades.
This all leads to the inherent danger of one-click buying when you’ve ‘discovered’ an author and her works–spending money becomes way waaayy too easy. No wait, no postage, no fuss. I’m like a kid in the proverbial candy store. Worse yet, finding and scrolling through ALL of her books is as easy as typing Susan Elizabeth Phillips in the search field. As long as the book has been digitized, it appears like beautiful book magic. I click the cover and read the blurb. “Do I want to buy this one next. Oh look, this is part of that series, I’ll buy it.” I click on the BUY button, enter my password, and the book is downloaded to library on my iPad and ready to be read. As I said before, it’s just too easy. I’ll go broke before the week is out and would have gotten nothing done except having read 4-5 SEP novels. Let’s face it people, to book lovers, the digital book is both a blessing and a curse. And I thank the gods for them everyday. 🙂
My weakness is books and Amazon shopping. Since I generally dislike shopping as a rule, online shopping is a godsend. What about you, is there something that has been made way too easy to do in this crazy digital/electronic age that is threatening to burn a hole in your pocketbook or has turned you into a coach potato? Comment and enter to win one of the many books I still have left over from the Anniversary Giveaway!
Obtaining items from E-bay which all look incredibly unique and tempting is definitely an appealing prospect.
I think with all of the new electronic gadgets I have seen a decline in creativity and imagination in young people. They can not think for themselves since they rely on the gadget or others for information or solutions. That’s my beef with them.
I have a Nook and I am able to buy ebooks from it. It is way to easy. If I don’t set a limit I can get in trouble. LOL
I also have a weakness for e-book and computer games I download. It can it way out of hand. 🙂
I have a weakness for ebooks and for games on my phone..Itunes too…I hear a new song on the radio…next thing you know when I’m home…there I am downloading it to the Ipod…it’s really, really hard to budget when there are so many “I-Click” options…and I need to get some control:)
Online book buying has been my downfall. It’s way to easy to fill up my cart and check out. The internet is fun….but dangerous!
Ever since I bought my Kindle, I’ve been buying a lot more books. That one-click button is really handy! I’ve started buying myself $50 Amazon e-gift cards so I can remember to write my transactions in my check register.
Yeah that one click is a killer. They make it just to easy to buy books. Books are my down fall. Hey I don’t need clothes as long as I have a book to curl up with. With my husband its ebay and computer parts.
First off I LOVE Phillips. When I first read It Had to Be You I was hooked. It was before I had my Kindle so I went straight to Borders and bought This Heart of Mine. Then the next day I went back and bought every book in that series and others I saw. I would have bought more, but all of her books weren’t in stock. I’m telling you, if I had my kindle at the time I would have bought all lol. Her writing is amazing and I am always so drawn in to her stories. This Heart of Mine was my fave and if you want a good cry read Kiss an Angel.
It is so hard to try not to take advantage of the one-click buy, especially when you find a good series. But I guess I’ll just have to develop some self control or constantly be broke 😛
I haven’t got a reader and for now am sticking to print books so at least I don’t have that temptation. Normally, I am not a shopper either but the one thing that is my downfall is a real book store – new or used. If I can have it in my hands it’s harder to put back down (and no postage). Of course if you order $25 worth of books on Amazon there isn’t any postage either but I tend to limit my book purchases to GC’s and cash, if possible. Hubby is not a reader so…
E-books are quite a temptation for me, too, for all the reasons you listed. I do love that I can get a free sample on Amazon and check a new author out a bit before purchasing anything. That has saved me quite a few times from a book I don’t care for and it also gives me a little bit of time to reconsider my purchase. “Do I really have time for yet another new book? It will still be there next week, month, year . . . .”
Besides digital books, I think ATM cards make it too easy to withdraw money. With 24 hour access to money, impulse buying goes up.
I find Ebay to be a terrible temptation. That, potato chips and the Amazon 1-click option are the most seductive things.
I was just about to one-click on another FB post link when I saw SEP’s cover on your post!! One-clicking is very dangerous, but enjoyable!
It’s way too easy to download books to my Kindle.
I definitely agree with you about Amazon’s one click buying. Those books add up and quickly.
I also don’t have an ereader, but I like to win or buy books and download them in pdf form. Did I mention that I just love contests? Facebook, eHarlequin, visiting blogs, and winning or buying books in either form are my favorites. Of course, I have to set a budget when I buy books — limit it to cash or GC because you can get into trouble so easily.
I’m with you regarding on-line buying–Amazon, eBay, whatever. It’s all so easy and so THERE, at any time. What a wicked temptation for someone who doesn’t like to get out and shop.
Glad to hear you liked SEP’s Call Me Irresistible. I’d seen mixed reviews on the book. I read it and thought it was great–one of her best.
Shopping online makes life super easy but when I see too many cute tops or outfits at once my money needs to be hidden from me or I overspend. The same thing happens with The Book Depository and Amazon where I see a lot of discounted books or discover new authors.
I love my Nook!! Probably a bad thing because it’s so easy to download books, BUT, there’s also lots of free books or $.99 books out there and I’ve really been able to experience a lot of new to me authors and genres I hadn’t read before. That’s a good thing. It’s also a good thing because the nearest actual book store is over an hour away.
I have not joined the digital age. I am afraid I would have a problem controlling myself!!
Ebooks for my Kindle!
One-click buying is also a danger to my pocket books. It’s so easy to buy digital books from amazon. Easy and fast. Another thing that is a danger are those limited sales, where quantity can be limited. Sometimes I see great limited deals on books and I have to buy it. My reasoning is that if I’m considering buying it in the future why not buy it now when it’s on sale. These add up quickly and ironically I see these sales all the time, online and in person.
Buying used books which is mentipmed in a forum on any theme is too tempting.
It is definitely shopping. You don’t even need to leave the house to get groceries with Fresh Direct.
Oh, my gosh! That one click on Amazon…. Get’s me BIG TIME! And the bad thing is, I don’t read on my Kindle that much! Haha! I am a total print book person! But I will see those .99 deals and I’m like…. “SOLD!” It’s so bad!
I don’t have an ereader but I do like shopping at Amazon too, for books, cd’s, etc. I also like buying/downloading songs there (MP3’s).
It’s not exactly what you asked, but the vast number of free ebooks available strongly feeds my book-hoarding tendencies. I really have to watch myself and not just grab anything that’s free, because they still take time and energy to maintain/organize.
Not to mention, actually read. 😉
I do have to be careful ordering ebooks. It is so easy to get carried away. I have to set a limit.
Welcome to the pitfall of technology, isnt it great?! =)
I do get into trouble that way too, but am capable of causing way more damage in a used book store. I can spend hours and rationalize it all by telling myself it’s a great deal and I am really saving money instead of spending. Yes I can sugar coat anything.
I’m so with you on e-books making book buying too easy — instant gratification is great, though hard on the wallet & the TBR pile. Why read one of the books waiting on you to read (maybe almost forever) when you can instantly get something else that you want & read it now (or just something you think you may want at the moment, but wouldn’t bother getting if had to actually go out & buy it or wait for it to be delivered). Just this past wknd I read book 1 in a new (e-book only) series & loved it, couldn’t wait to read the next book which had just been released but not out to all vendors (including the one I usually get my ebooks from). I so wanted to read it, but should I wait after all it might be at my vendor in another few days, and I’ve other books to read (including one from the library that was due in a few days). Needless to say, I bought it, read it while Irene passed through, thoroughly enjoyed & am glad book 3 isn’t out yet or nothing would have gotten done on Sunday 😉 Definately a mixed blessing & curse 🙂
Amazon is my weakness too… I finally disabled one click. Very smart decision. Lol. Though, I still can’t get away from my books! :))
One-click for Kindle books is my demise and it doesn’t matter if it’s a free book or one I purchase. I actually filled up my Kindle that I had to delete half the books off of it. (Don’t judge me. Most of those were free books anyway.) That feeling of instant gratification is like a high. Dangerous. And the sales! $0.99 for a book? Sign me up. It’s like Amazon knows I can’t resist that.
Like you my biggest weakness is books and now that I have an ereader I have to be very careful. It really is just to easy, with just one touch it’s downloaded.
I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips! I just got my aunt hooked on her books.
When I first got my kindle it killed my budget. It took me a few months to get my one-click impulses under control but wow, what a thrill it was (and still is!).
Books for me and sports stuff
Thanks
When I first found ebay (over ten years ago) I was spending left and right for collectibles that I was never able to track down in brick and mortar stores. When the end of year summary for my credit card arrived I had to put a moratorium on that as I realised I spent more on ebay than I did on gas and groceries combined (and that wasn’t even counting the checks I’d written)!
Ebooks! It’s so easy to go to the Kindle Store and click on buy.
(This isn’t a bad thing since I’ve discovered a lot of lovely stories and new authors.)
No contest – books are my biggest weakness. I don’t yet have an e-reader, which is just as well. With all the great books coming out, many in e-form only, I would be broke. I have enough regular books to last me for 100 years already. It would be a space saver though. There are always so many good new books coming out.
The internet and TV are the worst for me. Once I turn it on, I can’t seem to tear myself away.
Overstock.com, eBay and the list can go on and on. Most dangerous for me are eBook websites.
Not having an e-reader has saved me from one-click for books, but I do it for music all the time… I’ll hear a song or think of a band or decide I like someone, and one-click (or several) later, I’ll have the whole discography and be listening to it! And oh wait, did I just spend $50?
E-books are probably going to kill me. I should go and disable one-click right now!
Definitely Itune has put a hole in my pocket. With how cheap a song is, you don’t realize how many you are buying until you look at your credit bill…LOL
Definitely having a kindle and being able to buy a book and immediately receive it is dangerous for me. It’s difficult for me to resist clicking the buy button lol
Ordering online has made it too easy to spend money for me. I have to curb my spending urge all the time.
Amazon and their online ordering makes it tough for me to save money. I have to impose a limit on myself…
Amazon doesn’t even ask for a password. I was sitting in bed ordering books from my brand new kindle. This is dangerous. The only thing keeping me from buying everything is that every purchase confirmation goes to my husband’s e-mail account. I need to change that…
I’ve never been a big shopping person. For me, it is not a fun thing to do. I prefer getting my retail therapy on-line. I was elated when I got my first computer and discovered the dot com world of stores. It is so seldom I shop in an actual retail store (except for groceries) now, that I could count the times I’ve been in a store over the past 12 months on one hand. It’s a good thing I’m not addicted to HSN or QVC too!
I nag my children for their gift/wish list about 2 months before the birthday or Christmas because I have to allow time for shipment! Which reminds me…my son’s birthday is Oct 15…time to start my annual nag for gift ideas!
Books are my weakness. Sales & free delivery are just too tempting.
I purposefully got a Kobo, so I could just download books from the library. My appetite for reading exceeds my “allowance”!
I do not yet have an e-reader. My husband would certainly like me to get one. We are overrun by books. I spent the day cleaning and moving bookcases. There are still more books than shelves and I have two bags to go to the used book store or yard sale. I am pretty good about restraining my buying unless there is a really good sale. It is one of the reasons we are overrun with books. If I hit a yard sale with books by favorite authors for only 25 to 50 cents each, it is really hard to resist. With an e-reader that won’t be a problem unless there are 99 cent to $1.99 sales. Then I could be in trouble.
I am sooo terrible with the one click buying via Amazon. It makes it even more expensive when I purchase directly thru my Kindle while working a slow night shift at work!! I have no self control when it comes to books and my Kindle!
I have a Sony reader and it is only recently that I’ve learned how to get kindle books converted to be put onto it and converted to epub. Also we’ve just picked up an iPad2 with the kindle app. So, I’ve just started buying kindle books at Amazon too. The one click buy is too easy!! The problem with buying lots of books at once is that it usually means that I won’t read many of them for ages and ages, if ever. I have over 550 on my TBR and it keeps growing! I can’t help it though. Even before the kindle-crack, I was buying ebooks from Books on Board and ARe and various other publishers – it’s not exactly hard to do! As I am in Australia, ebooks are always cheaper than anything I can buy locally. The Book Depository ships free and their prices are good – but it takes 2-3 weeks and e is delivered immediately!
hankts AT internode DOT on DOT net