How to shop without spending...

... or ' How to waste an evening'.

The gift quilt was inspired by a design in a book called 'Feathered Stars: New Quilts from Old favorites' [sic] ( sorry - couldn't resist that dig!) which is a book of winners from the AQS competition. I bought the book very cheap at a closing down discount book store in Lancaster.

I have been thinking about buying the whole series as this is a yearly competition and I have still horded some money I was gifted for Christmas which I like to eke out year round so I get 'free' books!. So I look on AQS to see what they have and convert $ to £ then I have to work out if it is worth joining to get a members discount. But I can't find postage on ther site.

So I check on Amazon.com. They have a wider collection of the older books. So I compare the new price with the marketplace price and convert $ to £.

But why am I buying from the US? Yes sometimes you get a wider choice (and more have the search inside facility on Amazon) but many can be traced here. I look on Amazon.co.uk. Then abebooks.co.uk. Then abebooks.com

I now have far too many prices so I have to make a little chart and work out the cheapest source for each book available.

That done the total comes to £197. Even I know that is bad. I seek counsel from my husband. He says.' That's a lot of quilting money.' That confuses me further because I am spending the money on quilting things so what does that have to do with the price of fish?

Some of the books are very expensive because they are out of print. If I knock out those four, I can get seven for £69 which is £1 less than I have horded and in fact less than cover price. And if my mother-in-law is true to form there will be more book money coming soon. But then, do I need seven at once? I know that I ought to ask that question but in our house we refuse to look at books as something you need. It is a fundamental human right to own books. But it is my birthday on 3rd August which I know will bring books so perhaps I shouldn't get them now especially as I have unread quilting books stashed up.....

I seek further counsel. He says. ' When I want a big spend like that I buy them over a few months so it doesn't feel so bad. But then those ones on marketplace might not be available. And now is the time to buy from the US because of the exchange rate.' Helpful guy my husband.

I decide to sleep on it and consult my comments tomorrow.