Since graduating from university, I have been working as the marketing lead for a biotechnology startup which is very small in size (under 10 employees). With early-stage science startups, there’s a trade-off: there’s an opportunity to grow and make meaningful contributions, but the salary is pretty dismal until the company is able to raise a funding round. The company that I am currently working for is in the midst of raising its first round of funding, which means that I have had to make several adjustments to my monthly budget — and this impacted my reading habits.
I have a greater appreciation for fiction
Fiction has always been my go-to genre, but years of almost exclusively reading books on entrepreneurship and scientific research papers have made me truly savour the moments that I’ve been able to curl up on the couch with a swoony romance or an elaborately crafted fantasy novel.
I’m a more calculated book buyer
Living paycheck to paycheck means that my book buying ban is back in full effect. Have I broken it since it was instated? Of course. I recently went to France and had to splurge on a book at Shakespeare and Company, but I no longer wander aimlessly into the closest Indigo and leave with armloads of books. If I am going to purchase a book, I do my research: it has to be a book that I know I’m going to love and re-read.
I read more backlist titles
I have so many unread books at home that used to be ignored in favour of new, shiny books that I had pre-ordered. Now that I’m limiting my number of book purchases, I’ve finally been able to tackle some of these backlist titles — and several of them have been truly wonderful.
The library is my second home
I visit the library at least once a week to spend the day working remotely and to pick out new reads. After living here for 3 years I finally have a library card for my local library and, between that and my library card from back home, my iPad is constantly filled with e-books. As a former student library page, I’m excited that I’m able to support my local library in a much more consistent way – and, of course, my budget also thanks me.
How have your reading habits changed over time? Are you an impulsive book buyer or do you set a budget for yourself? Let me know in the comments below.
I’ve been a budget reader for quite a while. Just because I’m cheap like that…
Since I’ve started my book blog though, I’ve been reading a lot more. Yet, I have a ton of books to read. I have 13 books on hold at the library, I’ve been entering contests for free books, and I tend to pick up books that I have had some interest in reading when they go on sale for $1.99 or $2.99 on Amazon.com. Plus, there’s NetGalley.
I still get the “Important books” in hardback though. Those would be the ones by my favorite authors that I absolutely love everything they write. Now that I’m paying more attention to books, I know when they’re coming out months or more in advance, and I pre-order them.
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You sound much more organized than I am! NetGalley and book blogging have also increased the size of my to-read pile – it’s a good problem to have!
I will almost never buy a book full-price that I don’t know if I will like or not. My weaknesses include second-hand bookstores, and the bargain table at Chapters.
I love the bargain table! I just can’t say no to a $5 book (deals/discounts, in general, are one of my biggest weaknesses).