Impulsive book buying

Since I buy second hand most of the time I like to buy lots of books cheaply at one time just incase they're gone the next time I'm in. The result of this is that I have a lot of unread books on my shelves. I just can't help myself! There have been one or two times when I have come home with up to 20 books (usually costing about £25 total) and a very sore back from carrying them in my bag. Sometimes a couple of the books are ones that I have never even heard of before but have looked interesting, and 80% of the time my choices are usually right.

Does anyone else do this? Either impulsively buying lots, or impulsively buying random books? Or any other type of impulsive book buying that I can't think of... Yes you can count library check-outs if you don't buy. ;)

I'm the same as you Voxy :) I judge a book by its cover too.

But I rarely go to secondhand book stores as they are all the way downtown and I avoid it like the plague! so I buy all my books from the bargain bins at the big stores like Chapters, and usually wait for the hardcover to go down to 75-80% off (though paperbacks are better). There I always find some weird title that catches my eye and turns out to be worth it, especially for the price. I've bought books for as low as $2 in those stores, and found they were jewels. Like:
Blink
Evolution's Captain
Where are they buried
and Mo Hayder's novel The Devil of Nanking

When I was able to go shopping I would try and avoid the book shops or book sections of department stores. It never worked though and I still have books I've never read just because I'll buy a whole bunch of them at once.
I used to always keep my eye out for banners about book sales (hanging off buildings and stuff) because they had the best sales. Not always second hand either.

I do find it very hard to buy one book at a time (so many books, so little time) and I will only look at a book if I like it's cover even though I know it might not be a good book because of it. Can't help that! Makes sense though seeing as human beings are visual creatures.

I impulsively buy CDs and vinyl. It's an expensive habit :o(

The best way to read a book, is by other's response or reviews.
You can always try coordinating with friends, relatives. Remember suggestions or advices always help you in judging personal likings.

As far as second hand book stores are concerned, i think, people who like the books(i.e bought em new) wouldnt sell it off at the first place, you can purchase em' but try passing it into ur friends,

If you get to see cheap books, you would surely purchase alot of them at once, but that would bring down your reading schedule as alot of em' would still be lying on ur shelf. It is good to have em' with you, but try passing them while you stuck onto the other one's.
I would advice, to have a single book at at time, and then when you finished with it, get the other one.
Hope i made some sense :P
Cheers

I impulsively buy used books from Amazon. I have about 100 unread books scattered around my room, my car, a few in my purse... I've even found some hiding in the kitchen cabinets. o_O

I've even found some hiding in the kitchen cabinets.

LOL! Oh that's a classic. I now know what to do about my storage issues with all the books. ;)

haha..kitchen cabinets all the way...! and maybe bathroom one's as well :D

I do exactly the same Tartan, much to my hubby's disgruntlement, I have stacks of books everywhere waiting for me to get to them. I buy used in bulk and on impulse, at least I'm thrifty :)

The used book shop I like best, in my former hometown of Olympia, has trade paperbacks for $2 a piece, most in like new condition and lots to choose from. Now that I'm in Germany I buy from Ebay by the lot.

I don't trust anyone with my books which includes Ebay and other online stores (except for Booktopia), plus I love buying my books in mint condition. I have bought a fair few books at second hand places but I always find it hard to get any good ones. Good ones being a good story line and in good condition...

I've bought some really nice item from Ebay. There are some dodgy sellers but they usually get found out. The postage can be a little dear for large and heavier books especially hardbacks so I will think about how much of a priority the book is against cost. I have a second hand dealer no less than about 100 meters from my door who is very reasonable in price and has music too. And is busy so has a good turnover of new stock as well.
I have dealt with amazon on occasion and it's been ok. Some of my best and cheapest find have been at charity / goodwill shops.

I mostly just use barnesandnoble.com and am a member so get the discount. However, they always get me with the offer of free shipping if I spend over $25. I can't resist.
Therefore, I also have a number of unread books on my shelves.

I have gotten some great, brand new, really cheap books at the local Chapters or Coles book stores here. A dollar or two for some books I never would have looked twice at if the price were higher....and then, quite enjoyed.

I have also found great bargains on new books at Chapters/Coles, in the discount sections.

And---at the second hand stores, I have found books I love, or wanted to read, in great to like-new condition, for low prices. Five dollars or less. Five dollars being the most I will spend on a used book, and only then if it is in excellent condition, which a lot of them are.

For free, I inherit a lot of paperbacks from my mom, who buys them, reads, and passes them on. I then take any books I don't want to keep (which are generally only the ones she gives me or that I have collected for free elsewhere), and offer them up on my local Freecycle group. I then ask for books, and have received boxes full from various people. some crap which I immediately pass on, but some really good stuff too.

And, whenever it is the middle or end of the month, you can easily find all kinds of treasures at the curb for free (not garbage...that's how people offer their free stuff) all over the city. I have collected some books I really wanted this way.

I visit at least one second hand book store a week and nearly always buy at least one book. The result is that my shelf has more unread books on it than read books.

That's nothing compared to my library visits where I tend to come back with as many books as I can carry.