{"id":1018,"date":"2026-11-01T12:28:41","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T18:28:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=1018"},"modified":"2026-11-01T12:28:41","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T18:28:41","slug":"why-im-going-back-on-my-book-buying-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=1018","title":{"rendered":"Why I&#8217;m Going Back on My Book-Buying Ban"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"788\" src=\"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Book-buying-ban-blog.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1021\" srcset=\"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Book-buying-ban-blog.png 940w, http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Book-buying-ban-blog-300x251.png 300w, http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Book-buying-ban-blog-768x644.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started the year with a goal: no more buying books until I&#8217;d read the ones I already owned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It sounded simple enough. But around August, I ran out of fiction to read. And once I started buying books again, well\u2026 let&#8217;s just say I got a little carried away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now I need to get back on track, find a better balance of books on my shelves, and be more intentional about what I buy and what I read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s why I&#8217;m revisiting my book-buying ban and what I hope to do differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Original Goal: Read the Books I Already Owned<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started the year determined to read the books I already owned. I had a good stack of books beside my bed, right in front of my nightstand. The pile had grown so tall that I could no longer open the drawers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The funny thing is, every book in that stack was one I\u2019d chosen because I <em>wanted<\/em> to read. They had all earned their place in the pile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, in January, I set out to tackle the stack for two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Read the books I already own instead of continuing to add to my TBR (to-be-read) pile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the drawers on my nightstand again!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I thought it was a reasonable goal. And for the first several months of the year, I was making progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What Went Wrong with My Book-Buying Ban?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By August, I\u2019d reached the point where I\u2019d read all the fiction books in my TBR pile. All that remained was nonfiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, don\u2019t get me wrong. Those nonfiction books are ones I picked and genuinely wanted to read. But I wasn\u2019t in the mood to read nonfiction for the rest of the year without mixing in some fiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To alleviate this very serious book lover\u2019s problem, I headed to Goodwill to look for a few fiction books to get me through the rest of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I got a little carried away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once I\u2019d broken my self-imposed book-buying ban, I figured I should really make sure I didn\u2019t run out of reading material again. So I bought more books than I needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s just hard to pass up a $2 book, especially when it\u2019s one already sitting on my Amazon wishlist of books I want to read!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before I knew it, I\u2019d gone from working through my TBR pile to adding to it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udcfa<em> Here&#8217;s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/reel\/744244205192834\">look back at my original plan<\/a>\u2026 and how that&#8217;s going.<\/em> \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What I Learned About My Reading Habits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I still think my original goal was a good one. I really do want to finish the stack of books I already own (and open those nightstand drawers!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem wasn\u2019t the goal itself. It was that I didn\u2019t set myself up for success from the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I know I prefer fiction to nonfiction. I also know I\u2019m a mood reader. I don\u2019t always want to read whatever happens to be next in the pile, and I know I\u2019ll be an unhappy reader if I feel forced to read a book simply because it\u2019s there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I should have taken a closer look at my TBR stack in January to see whether I had enough fiction and nonfiction to last me through the year while still giving myself some variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, I think my original plan did help me. From January through August, I was much more intentional about reading the books I already owned instead of constantly looking for something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I made real progress, and for a while, I could even open those nightstand drawers again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>My New Approach to a Book-Buying Ban<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think shelf-control <em>(er, self-control)<\/em> is a good thing. Being able to tell myself no is a good thing, even when the thing I\u2019m saying no to is a book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I also don\u2019t want to create a TBR pile so large that it will take years to work through and leaves no room for books that catch my interest along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If I had to do my book-buying ban over again, here\u2019s what I\u2019d do differently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1) Make sure the ratio of books I currently have matches my interests better.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I need to keep a better balance of fiction and nonfiction. Since I read much more fiction, I shouldn\u2019t expect myself to work through a stack that\u2019s mostly nonfiction and be happy about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2) Give myself permission to buy a book occasionally.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than making an absolute rule, I\u2019d allow myself to buy one or two books per quarter if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m a mood reader, and sometimes I\u2019m just not in the mood for the books I already own. I\u2019d like the freedom to discover a book I\u2019m excited about without feeling like I completely failed at my goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3) Be more intentional about buying nonfiction.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I could save nonfiction titles for <a href=\"https:\/\/libbyapp.com\">Libby<\/a>, my library\u2019s digital lending app, and listen to audiobooks during drive time or when I&#8217;m running. That would give me another way to enjoy nonfiction without continually adding physical books to my shelves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;d still have nonfiction books I want to own and read in print, but I wouldn&#8217;t feel the need to buy every title that interests me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal isn&#8217;t to stop buying books forever. It&#8217;s to be more intentional about what I buy, make progress on the books I already own, and leave room for the occasional new discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How to Know If You Need to Have a Book-Buying Ban<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wondering whether you might need a book-buying ban of your own? Here are a few signs to look for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can no longer open drawers on your nightstand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have piles of books on every hard surface of your house.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your current pile will take you at least three years to work through.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You start hiding book purchases.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your TBR has literal dust on it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you checked several of those boxes, perhaps it\u2019s time to take a closer look at your book-buying habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Final Thoughts on My Book-Buying Ban<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I do think it was beneficial for me to set a goal of working through my existing TBR pile. Instead of getting caught up in every shiny new book release, I read several books that had been sitting in the pile for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And for a short time, I could open my nightstand drawers again. That\u2019s progress!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now I just need to be more mindful of buying books faster than I can possibly read them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ll ever stop enjoying the thrill of finding an inexpensive book at Goodwill, especially when it&#8217;s one I&#8217;ve been wanting to read. But I want to make sure those purchases are intentional rather than just adding to a pile that never seems to get smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever put yourself on a book-buying ban? Did you stick to it, or did you find yourself bringing home more books before you knew it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udce3 Come hang out with me for daily bookish chats on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61571135243421\">Facebook<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/readersgottaread.blog\/\">Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you enjoyed this blog post, here are a few others you might be interested in:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=536\">Reading in 2026: A Gentle Reading Reset for the New Year<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=92\">How I Choose My Next Book: 6 Ways I Pick Books to Add to My TBR Pile<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=687\">My Reading Stats So Far This Year (2026 Update + Book List)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=879\">What To Do When You Have More Books Than Bookshelves<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I started the year with a goal: no more buying books until I&#8217;d read the ones I already owned. It sounded simple enough. But around August, I ran out of fiction to read. And once I started buying books again, well\u2026 let&#8217;s just say I got a little carried away! Now I need to get [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[542,353,18],"tags":[544,17,231,543],"class_list":["post-1018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-buying-ban","category-buying-books","category-reading-goals","tag-book-buying-ban","tag-reading-goals","tag-reading-habits","tag-tbr-pile"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1018"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1024,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018\/revisions\/1024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}