June Book Budget, I knew I could

No checkbooks were hurt in the making of this post.

All the books/audiobooks listed below were FREE.

Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks by Jennifer Estep
An Introduction to Pleasure by Jess Michaels
The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox

Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake - gift from Lupe
Working Stiff by Rachel Caine - 1 credit used $0
Two Week's Notice by Rachel Caine - 1 credit used $0
Eye of the Tempest by Nicole Peeler - 1 credit used $0

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey - library audiobook $0

April Book Budget

My spending goal for April was $10

Let's see if I stuck to it.

I made two trips to book stores this month to trade some of my paperbacks and a couple of my son's children's books.

My first trip was to Hastings. They bought 14 books from me for a total of $10.95. 

This is want I got for my money. (used books)

Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready - $3.99

Lust of Life by Jeri Smith-Ready $2.99

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland - $2.99

Dark Descendant by Jenna Black - $2.99

Total $12.96

Paid $2.01

My second trip was to my local used book store The Book Worm.

Traded 5 books for 3.

Highborn by Yvonne Navarro - $3.50
Concrete Savior by Yvonne Navarro - $3.50
Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur - $3.75
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk - $3.75
Dancing with Werewolves by Carole Nelson Douglas - $3.75
Darkness Rising by Keri Arthur - $3.75

Book Credit $11.25
Paid $10.75 

Audio Books (3)
Damn Audible.com and their tempting sales. They had tons of audios on sale for $9.95 or less and I succumbed to buying 3 audios.

  

Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander $9.44
Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter $8.73
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter $8.73

Paid $26.90

Total for April $39.66
Goal for April $10.00
Went over by $29.66  ---> FAIL!

I'm going to RT May 1-5. I hope to not go crazy with book buying but I know I will buy some books. I going to put myself on a $50 limit. But I hope to spend less. 

Book Budget: See What I Spent in March

Felicia over at Geeky Bloggers Book Blog is doing a monthly Book Budget post where she lays out her book buying rules and goals and holds herself accountable to them by showing us how she's done for the month. You can see her posts to see what I'm talking about in detail.

It's a brilliant idea and I since I'm trying to cut back on my spending in 2013 and work on reading the books I already have on my Nook and bookshelf; I decided to do my own post using Felicia's as my go-by with a few tweaks in the rules that better suit my book budgetting needs.

The RULES 

PURCHASING RULES

• I can purchase ebooks (Nook) if they are less than $5.
• I can use my audible credits (started with 10 credits leftover from my 12 credit renewal in Oct/2012). Of purchase audios that are on sale through the $4.95 sales. My goal is to save my credits for 2013 releases of series I've already started. 
• I will buy more used books to save money.
• RAK - I've joined Random Acts of Kindess again and I will allow 1 book a month purchase for the program.

BORROWING OR FREEBIE RULES

• I will use my library's ebook and audiobooks through their Overdrive program in order to save as much money as I can throughout the year.
• I will take advantage of free ebooks through B&N (Nook) or other sites like All Romance eBooks that offer limited time free downloads.
• I will only request books from Netgalley/Edelweiss that I truly WANT to read in hopes that I don't have tons of expired galleys that I don't read because I ran out of time before I could read them. The same goes for paper ARCs that I request.
• I will continue to swap books with my friend Angela. We have saved each other tons of money by getting together monthly or every other monthly to swap books.
• I will trade in my paperbacks for "new" reads through my local used book stores.
• RAK - Will luck I will receive 1 free book through the program a month or every other month.

*I can use my Discover a New Love credit every month. Felicia has this one on her list and after researching the site I may join at a later time but right now I just signed up for their newsletter to keep tabs on what ebooks they offer at a low price.

I will keep track of total dollars spent on all book related activities: personal books, conventions, RAK, gifts, blog giveaways.

March 2013 Book Budget Totals

Book Purchased (2): 

Grave Secret by Sierra Dean $3.85
Lover at Last by J.R. Ward $14.99
Goal $0
Spent $18.84


Books Gifted (3):

RAK:

Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane $7.99
Tempest's Fury by Nicole Peeler $7.99
Goal $10

Spent $15.98

Birthday Gift:
Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines $4.59

Goal $0

Spent $4.59

Audiobook Credits (1) used: AudibleListener Gold Annual – 12 credits all at once: 

Deadly Sting by Jennifer Estep

Started with 5 credits 
Ended with 4 credits

Audiobook Purchased (5):
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh $6.95
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh $6.95
Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh $6.95
Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh $6.95
Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh $6.95
Goal $0
Spent $34.75


FREE Nook Books (1):

Once Bitten by Trina M. Lee


Books Won (0)

Books for Review (Physical, Edelweiss, NetGalley) (10):

Big Bad Bite by Jessie Lane
Wicked as She Wants by Delilah S. Dawson (NG)
The Sweetest Torture by Amanda Bonilla
The Sweetest Temptation by Amanda Bonilla
The Sweetest Mercy by Amanda Bonilla
A Kiss of Blood by Pamela Plamer (Edelweiss)
Death Takes a Holiday by Jennifer Harlow (NG)
Trying to Score by Toni Aleo (NG)
Takings Shots by Toni Aleo (NG)
Scaredy Squrriel Goes Camping (NG)

Library Audios/eBooks (0)

GRAND TOTAL FOR MARCH $74.16

GOAL WAS $10 (for RAK)
I busted my budget for March by $64.76
BUT 3 books were Birthday gifts to others....

My spending goal for April is $10* or less

I'm going to RT the 1st week in May so I'm saving money.

*I will be spending money on one book for the Roast giveway.

Come back to see if I stuck to my goal.

Book Budget: What I Spent on Books

Felicia over at Geeky Bloggers Book Blog is doing a monthly Book Budget post where she lays out her book buying rules and goals and holds herself accountable to them by showing us how she's done for the month. You can see her January and February posts to see what I'm talking about in detail.

It's a brilliant idea and I since I'm trying to cut back on my spending in 2013 and work on reading the books I already have on my Nook and bookshelf; I decided to do my own post using Felicia's as my go-by with a few tweaks in the rules that better suit my book budgetting needs.

Since I didn't start my own post til now this one will include the break down for both January and February. 

The RULES 

PURCHASING RULES

• I can purchase ebooks (Nook) if they are less than $5.
• I can use my audible credits (started with 10 credits leftover from my 12 credit renewal in Oct/2012). Of purchase audios that are on sale through the $4.95 sales. My goal is to save my credits for 2013 releases of series I've already started. 
• I will buy more used books to save money.
• RAK - I've joined Random Acts of Kindess again and I will allow 1 book a month purchase for the program.

BORROWING OR FREEBIE RULES

• I will use my library's ebook and audiobooks through their Overdrive program in order to save as much money as I can throughout the year.
• I will take advantage of free ebooks through B&N (Nook) or other sites like All Romance eBooks that offer limited time free downloads.
• I will only request books from Netgalley/Edelweiss that I truly WANT to read in hopes that I don't have tons of expired galleys that I don't read because I ran out of time before I could read them. The same goes for paper ARCs that I request.
• I will continue to swap books with my friend Angela. We have saved each other tons of money by getting together monthly or every other monthly to swap books.
• I will trade in my paperbacks for "new" reads through my local used book stores.
• RAK - Will luck I will receive 1 free book through the program a month or every other month.

*I can use my Discover a New Love credit every month. Felicia has this one on her list and after researching the site I may join at a later time but right now I just signed up for their newsletter to keep tabs on what ebooks they offer at a low price.

I will keep track of total dollars spent on all book related activities: personal books, conventions, RAK, gifts, blog giveaways.

January 2013 Book Budget Totals

Book Purchased (2): 

Nook Books
The Wolf Who Loved Me by Lydia Dare $0.99
Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton $0.99
Chase Me by Tamara Hogan $0.99
King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab $0.99
The Hunter by Theresa Meyer $5.09
Maggie and Trouble with Monkeys $0.99 (children's book)
Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson $1.99
Bitter Night by Diana Pharaoh Francis $1.99
Crimson Wind by Diana Pharaoh Francis $1.99
Shadow City by Diana Pharaoh Francis $1.99
God Save the Queen by Kate Locke $2.99
Cum for Bigfoot by by Virginia Wade $2.99 (WTF?! Yes I bought it for the title)
Total $23.98

Children's Book from B&N 
Scooby Doo $7.98
Weirdos From Another Planet $6.98
Something Under the Bed is Drooling $6.98
Peanuts Treasury $8.48
Bad Kitty Christmas $7.99
Gingerbread Pirates $8.49
Santa Trap $7.97
Total $54.87 
These were not figured into my $5 or less limit but they were are all on sale for at least 50%.


Books Gifted (3):

Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson $1.99 x3
Total $5.97

Audiobook Credits (2) used: AudibleListener Gold Annual – 12 credits all at once: 

Forever Buckhorn by Lori Foster  $24.95 
Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler  $13.99

Started with 10 credits 
Ended with 8 credits


FREE Nook Books (3):
Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
Red by Kate SeRine
Paradise Awakening by Jaci Burton

Books Won (0)

Books for Review (Physical, Edelweiss, NetGalley) (4):

Lush by Lauren (Netgalley)
One Night With a Cowboy by Cat Johnson (Netgalley)
Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan (Psychical)
House Rules by Chloe Neill (Physical)


Library Audios/eBooks (0)

GRAND TOTAL FOR JANUARY $90.79

February 2013 Book Budget Totals

Book Purchased (17):

Nook Books
When Shadows Call by Amanda Bonilla $2.99
Lost to the Gray by Amanda Bonilla $2.99
Not Planning on You $4.99
The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson $0.99
The Taste of Night by Vicki Pettersson $0.99
The Touch of Twilight by Vicki Pettersson $0.99
City of Souls by Vicki Pettersson $0.99
Cheat the Grave by Vicki Pettersson $0.99
The Neon Graveyard by Vicki Pettersson $0.99
Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas $1.99
Kiss of Surrender by Sandra Hill $0.99
Kiss of Pride by Sandra Hill $0.99
Total $20.88


Paper Books (Used) 
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb $3.75
Every Dead Thing by John Connolly $3.50
Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls by Victoria Lane $3.75
Secret of the Wolf by Cynthia Garner $3.75
Would-Be Witch by Kimberly Frost $4.00
Total $18.75


Books Gifted (4):
*Venom 1 credit (RAK audio gift)
Dreamfever $2.00
Unholy Ghosts  $2.99 (Fools for Luv Guest Post Giveaway)
My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century $10.47 (Fools for Luv Blog Hop)

Total $15.46

Audiobook Credits (3) used: AudibleListener Gold Annual – 12 credits all at once

A Fistful of Charms $27.99 BOGO sale

And One Last Thing... $19.95 BOGO sale (1 credit used for 2 audios)
*Venom  $24.95
Dark Desires After Dusk: Immortals After Dark $14.13
A Little Night Magic $4.95

Started with 8 credits
Ended month with 5 credits
Total $4.95

Free Nook Books (1):
The Taken by Vicki Pettersson


Free Audio Books (1):
Undead Sublet: A Free Story from 'The Undead in My Bed' by Molly Harper

Books for Review (Physical, Edelweiss, NetGalley) (17):

Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost (Physical)
Frost Burn by Patricia Briggs (Physical)
Wolf With Benefits by Shelly Laurenston (NG)
Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster (NG)
Highland Werewolf Wedding by Terry Spear (NG)
Flirting Under A Full Moon by Ashlyn Chase (NG)
Once Tempted by Laura Moore (NG)
Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker (NG)
Undone by Sara Humphreys (NG)
Strictly Business by Linda Cajio (NG)
Mac's Angel: Midnight Fantasy by Sandra Chastain (NG)
Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone (NG)
Slow Burn by Anne Marsh (NG)
The Chosen by Theresa Meyer (NG)
Weird Detectives by mulit authors (NG)
Tempest by Kelly Meding (NG)
The Demon's Daughter by Paula Altenburg (NG)

Library Audios / eBooks (1)
Narravo's Promise by Lora Leigh

Books Won (1):

River Street by Suzanne Johnson

RAK Books (1):

Unbridled by Beth Williamson

GRAND TOTAL FOR FEBRUARY $44.58

My spending goal for March is $10

and that's my RAK allowance

Come back to see if I stuck to my goal.