Just realized my audiobook habit was costing me more than the books

I used to think paying $15 a month for an audiobook service was a deal. Then I did the math last month and found I'd spent $180 over the year but finished only 8 books. That's over $22 per book when I could get the paperbacks from my library for free. Now I just borrow them and rip the CDs onto my phone, saved my wallet and my commute feels just as short.

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2 Comments

caseythompson1mo ago

You mentioned ripping the CDs from the library, and that's a solid move. But here's the thing nobody talks about, the real cost isn't the money, it's the time you spend hunting for a good narrator. With my old service I'd grab any random book and sometimes suffer through a bad voice just because I already paid for it. Now I actually read the first chapter at home before I even bother with the CD, so the commute is never wasted on something I'll hate halfway through. The free method actually forced me to be more picky, which is weird because you'd think free means I'd settle for anything.

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claire8721mo ago

A buddy of mine burned through three bad audiobooks in a row because he felt stuck with his paid subscription. He finally ditched it and started borrowing library CDs, but he'd spend ten minutes skimming the actual book first. Now he swears the extra time picking is worth it, because he actually finishes what he starts.

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