Have you been frustrated at not being able to buy a book you wanted so much?
@Bluebelleangel (428)
Philippines
August 18, 2010 1:42pm CST
Hello Mylotters,
Answering a question raised by one of our mylot members brought me to think about my frustration at not being able to buy a book or books that I wanted so much to buy. When I was single, I use to buy books by 2s or 3s and sometimes, if my budget permits, I could buy 5 books every 15 days. Nowadays, it has decreased tremendously and sometimes 4 or 5 months passes by without me ever buying a single book because of budget constraint.
As I started having kids, the budget for grocery and essentials are increasing and the needs of the family are mounting up as the kids are growing. When before I used to have a permanent budget for at least 2 or 3 books, now I'd rather buy my children clothes with that money or save for future contingencies. Sadly my love for books has become a low priority now that I have more important needs. When I find a book that I really wanted so much to acquire I get frustrated everytime because I have to wait a few months so I could save enough to buy it. I'll just content myself in reading books I already read in the past. Have you had the feeling of frustration at not being able to buy that book that you wanted most?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@trishasantos (1297)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Always, books in the Philippines are really expensive. So when I wanted a book so badly, I just sigh and go out of the bookstore. I love reading but can't afford one. I remember when I was in college, I go to the library to borrow Harry Potter books. I can't afford to but one, so I just borrow there. I haven't bought a single book in a year now. This is so sad. So I resorted to ebooks. But I still want to be able to buy books.
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Hi Trisha,
We're on the same footing here. Times are becoming more difficult each day for almost 2 decades. Salaries are slow to increase yet prices of everything under the sun increases. Our money devaluates faster than time itself. With our economy failing money becomes even scarcer.
There was a time that I could afford a book that would cost a thousand or more but now, I'd rather keep the money to buy things that my kids, my family need. I just wish we had more reliable public libraries because the only one I know is the National Library in Manila, I am not aware of any other, do you?
Anyway, thanks for the response. It makes me feel a little better knowing I'm not alone in my predicament.
Have a nice day!
@trishasantos (1297)
• Philippines
24 Aug 10
Oh we have one - I live in Malabon. It's a public library. I used to go there when I am still in highschool. I know National Library in Manila but I've never been there. I have never bought a book that costs more than a thousand. Can't afford one. But I promised myself that when I get a permanent job, I'll buy the books that I wanted. Especially the "series", even though it's expensive. For me books are investment. Well somehow. lol
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
4 Sep 10
Hi, I only read your response now. You are lucky to have public library near your place. I don't have any idea if we have one here where I live. I think there should be one though I don't know how far I have to travel to go there. I might as well save for a while and go to a nearby bookstore and buy the book when I can afford it.
Thanks Trish, have a great a great weekend ahead.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Hey bluebelle! I wait until the books I want go on sale at
overstock.com. The have alot of books in paperback version that
are alot cheaper than in hard cover! They only charge $2.95 to
ship an entire order no matter how many books you buy! I have
found many books there that I want! You sometimes just have
to watch to see when they have them on sale! I am a huge mystery
and sometimes autobiographical book fan and have bought many
books from them! It's a great site for many things and all things
ship for $2.95 even furniture!
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Hello Opal26,
Thank you so much for that piece of information about overstock.com. I might give that to my sister who lives in the U.S. so she could acquire the books that I wanted most to buy and she'll ship them to me on a later date. I am willing to wait a little longer for those books. Maybe that's a better idea.
Have a nice day my friend!
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
19 Aug 10
I think that your sister will see what great buys they have, but
sometimes you have to be patient and keep going back to the
site to see if they put the books on sale for less money. It might
take awhile, but if you keep checking one day the books you want
might be on sale for a decent price! That's what I do when I'm
looking for something specific and it usually works!
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
20 Aug 10
Thanks so much dear friend, it's a lot for me you know. Have a great weekend ahead.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
19 Aug 10
The only book I can think of is one in the Vilhelm Moberg series. It's not that we couldn't find the book, it's just it wasn't with the same cover as the others we have in the series. We sent it back, but now figure we may have to resign to getting the one with the mismatch cover then in the series of covers we do have.
My husband and I don't yet have kids so we can spend more freely, we have started to purchase things at goodwill and salvation army though, they have a lot of books!
Is there anything like this in the Phillippines? A place you can go to to buy books, possibly a local library that sells books on occasion that you might be able to get for cheaper?
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Hello again SomeCowgirl,
I think there are garage sales going on here and there mostly in some posh villages where expats stay. Most of them who are leaving the country sell their personal effects, housewares and knickknacks that sometimes include books and small items. However, it is hard to find certain books that you want to buy from those kind of selling places. Libraries hardly sell books, they would rather call for book donations to grow their collections.
There is one bookstore chain that sells mostly second hand books and outdated magazines but just the same not all titles are readily available. I'd rather wait for the large bookstores to offer books on sale if I couldn't afford them on regular prices.
Thanks for your response. Nice suggestion too. Have a nice day!
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Hi Med889,
It really is very frustrating when we waited a long time for the sale and yet when it comes, we still don't have the money to buy the book simply because there are more urgent expenditures we need to prioritize. How I wish sometimes that I hadn't seen a book that I would desire to buy so I won't get frustrated.
Thanks for your response. Have a nice day!
@personaave (598)
• Philippines
24 Aug 10
I have felt frustrated a number of times when I was unable to buy books that I have been wanting to buy because I was on a tight budget and somehow found that the books were sold only in hard bound copies which was more expensive than paperback ones. Anyway, that's when I have learned about ebooks. I know that I can not bring it anywhere with me unless it's stored in a laptop or smart phones which I don't have, but at least I get the satisfaction of reading them in the desktop I use in my office and they're more affordable than hard copies.
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
4 Sep 10
Hi Personaave,
I also appreciate that nowadays there are a lot offered by the advancement in technology but it gives terrible strain my eyes reading from the monitor. I have been having difficulty reading articles on my laptop for long periods of time because I can always feel the strain and much as I would want to go on, I couldn't because the letters and words seem to muddle up. I still prefer to read a real book.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and have a nice day.
@juryse (752)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Yes I get frustrated. I'm like you. Before I can buy as many as I want and not worry about budget. But now, I have to think about making a purchase. I love books. And buying and reading them makes me happy. I content myself by reading ebooks, borrowing from friends, rereading my books and scouring secondhand stores.
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Hi Juryse,
There's nothing more comforting than the thought that we could always grow our knowledge through reading a lot of books. For me books are my best friends specially now that I am teaching my daughter who is homeschooling.
In the past, I love to read novels but just like buying them, my time is also budgeted so I rarely read novel books now. I love instructional books specially those that gives tips and proper techniques in improving the home. I still read novels once in a while though, specially at times I needed to escape tension and relieve my stress.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Have a nice day!
@Bluebelleangel (428)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
Hi Lulu1220,
It's great that you have access to a library. I will be very much relieved if I could find a library near where I live. The only library I got to go to was in school but since I left school years back, I have no access to those libraries anymore.
Buying second hand books on the other hand is something I've tried before but it's never easy to find good pieces and one should really inspect the books thoroughly before buying. It's hard to ever really find books you want from second hand bookstores though especially if they are new releases.
Thanks for your thoughts. Have a nice day!
