Caffeinated Confessions #1 -Book Purchases in 2012

Welcome to Caffeinated Confessions ! 

I wanted a forum where we could talk about bookish subjects from swoon-worthy covers to the price of eBooks. I hope to share my thoughts on a different subject each month. So that we can all chat and share opinions. In the process I hope we get to know each other a little better. I made a pot of peppermint mocha coffee and have some lovely peppermint tea so grab a cup and let's chat:

Book Purchases in 2012

Do you know how many you bought?

How much you spent?

For our first confession I'd thought we would talk about book purchases for 2012. I was recently asked how much I spent on books last year and I literally had no idea. *facepalm* I could have ventured a guess, but I quickly dismissed the idea. *nope not gonna look and you can't make me*  This kind of bothered me *for about a NY minute*, I mean I know I buy books every month..hmm maybe every week *ok, ok I know you see my bought books every Sunday!* but either consciously or subconsciously I haven't made a monthly budget for them. I could take a wild guess or dig out my receipts *inner cover whore shakes her head no and says, "you can't I ate them"* For me my book purchases happen like this: 

• It's a planned purchase: such as an author on my auto-buy list, I buy or pre-order it *must have, mine*
• Impulse buy-  I read a review *yep-probably your blog review*, or see a beautiful cover *the inner cover whore in me goes crazy* and I buy it!
• Just window shopping for deals or see a deal : and I scoop them up as fast as I can. *those .99 cent sales get me every time*
• Had a Bad Day-*for example it rained or you didn't comment on my fabulous review* so I need a pick me up and buy a book on my wishlist. 

Books are my guilty pleasure *manna from heaven*, and most of the time I can say I do not spend more than 50.00 a month on books. *eyes bookshelf* Do I feel guilty? Nope, nada..zilch. I do not have a closet full of shoes, my coat is at least 5 yrs old and I can count the number of caramel macchiatos I had from Starbucks last year. How many books did I buy? No clue! Ask me how many I read and reviewed and I can give you exact numbers. I will confess that the only time I stop myself or should I say budget myself is when it comes to the price of a book. Unless you are on my must-have gotta read auto-buy list I am not paying more then 10.00. 

Am I an addict? *nods head and shrugs* Probably but for me being on a budget or maybe even acknowledging what I spent would probably suck the fun right out of buying them in the first place. Books are a joy, an adventure and the perfect pick me up:) Is my TBR pile out of control? *folds arms across chest and tilts head while raising eyebrow and giving you the death stare* That my friends is a subject for another day! Since my addiction doesn't impact our household budget (in other words I am not charging books, or spending the car payment on them *yes i feed my children*) my motto is "Shop On!"  and "Don't ask, don't tell!" 

What about you? Do you know what you spent in 2012 on books? How many books you bought? Do you have a monthly book budget? If yes, do you know what you spent on coffee to go, lunches etc? I am curious if you are a money tracker, budget keeper or if books are one of the monthly expenses you track. Or, are you like me and don't keep track? Are your reasons the same as mine? Do you know how many books you bought but not what you spent? 

                                                                                         ~ Kimba