I recently read an article on Book Riot titled ‘Why Book Buying Bans Are a Bad Idea‘ and though the author made some good points, I have to write a counter-post as to why Book Buying Bans can be a good thing.
So, while book buying bans are kind of redundant due to the fact that you’ll most likely buy the book anyway and you’re just prolonging the inevitable (as stated in the article above), there is the possibility that if you do put yourself on a ban, you might not want certain books as much as you thought or you’ll kind of forget about them because new ones have come out.
Though I’ve never gone on an actual book buying ban, I usually try to hold off on buying books until I actually have the extra money or a gift card. During these small periods of resisting the call of the books, I have time to really think about the books I want to read and if I really want to buy them for my bookshelf or not. Yes, some covers might be pretty, but you know that saying… don’t judge a book by its cover (even though most of the ‘pretty’ covers I have are indeed good books). Sometimes I will end up realizing that I do not want the book as much as I thought I did or I am unsure if I’ll really like the book, and then I will borrow it from a library instead. Doing this has saved me in some cases where I did not end up liking a book, but the times that I did really enjoy a book, I ended up buying it (and the following ones in a series).
Unfortunately, there have been times that I thought I’d really like a book, so I bought it and then ended up not liking it (I’m looking at you, Eleanor & Park… you tease). So I ended up wasting money anyway. There are just times when you think you’ll love a book, and then you don’t.
So you can’t say one way or another whether going on a book buying ban is strictly a good thing or a bad thing. I think they can be useful in the sense of having some time to give thought to if you really want a certain book or not, or if you want to save your money for a book that will be released later in the year that you absolutely know you want. But if you know you’re going to buy the books you want one way or another, then don’t bother putting it off and just buy the dang books.
What do you think about book buying bans?
orangeowldiaries 
I don’t put myself on band exactly. They don’t work for me. Because when I break them boy do I break them. Instead I try not to buy books unless I absolutely love them or will read them with out a doubt.
I do need to go on a book buying ban but there’s too many preorders im desperate for!
I’m trying not to be perfectly offended that you did not like my darling Eleanor & Park (silently chanting to myself: it’s okay that she has her own opinion it’s okay…)
I’m currently trying out a year-long book buying ban (started Nov. 1) because I have a problem and tend to buy faster than I can read. I have a LOT of books that need to be read. But I’m doing it with twist: I can still buy books $5 an under, and I can still preorder the books that I know I can’t live without (like Hank Green’s new book, or sequels to things I love). This cuts off impulse buys, but doesn’t shun the book industry completely. And anything else, I can get from our library. (I work at a university and they have a great interlibrary loan program.)
I have to do the same when someone doesn’t like a book that I love. Even with Eleanor & Park… I feel bad that I don’t like it because everyone else does.
That’s definitely ambitious, but at least you have that little allowance. Otherwise I’d say you’re insane, lol. I should put myself on a ban, which you’d think would be easy since I work at a library too XD
… but I can’t control myself.
I do set myself book buying bans, for one, I like not being broke. And you’re right about bans giving us more time to think on a book, which is why I’m very wary of preorders! Also, rather than banning myself completely, if I really want the book I set up a reward system. Right now, I’ll buy myself the Crooked Kingdom duology by Bardugo as a reward for completing my thesis. :)
Thanks foor this blog post