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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 19 2013 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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The latest panic over the closing of Neumann Press has got me wondering...
what is the practicality of ordering now for the distant future?
So many times I have ordered a book and then been very glad I did as it has gone out of print or become hard to find. At the same time, I can't just buy books willy nilly and hope that I will one day use them.
Does anyone have a plan or criteria they use for buying ahead?
Right now I just go by gut instinct. But it does seem to me that many good books are disappearing fast.
On another note, I have had a couple of bad experiences this month buying used books from Amazon.  . I am really surprised- usually the Amazon sellers want a good rating and are very honest about describing book conditions. But when a book arrive with the front cover hanging by a thread, that doesn't seem like "good used condition" to me.
Anyway- I suppose it is all part of the ins and outs of ordering homeschool books. Always an adventure!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Erin
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 5:12am | IP Logged
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Melinda
An excellent question, one I've often pondered too, but I have no answer.
Did you give feedback to Amazon? I know when that happened to me (betterworld) they gave me a refund.
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Erin
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 6:41am | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
Melinda
An excellent question, one I've often pondered too, but I have no answer.
Did you give feedback to Amazon? I know when that happened to me (betterworld) they gave me a refund. |
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Yes- I contacted both sellers. One was very sorry and quickly issued a refund. The other was not so concerned but eventually refunded the cost.
Now I am rethinking the whole used vs. new issue as far as books go.... 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 6:54am | IP Logged
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I contacted Amazon rather than the second party sellers. They issues a refund quickly, though, I'd received the wrong book altogether, not just a quality poorly represented.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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kristacecilia
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 8:15am | IP Logged
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I have had to get refunds on books in terrible condition, too. So far I have had good experiences when I had a problem and most of the time I have gotten exactly what was described.
As for buying ahead, I do it only with books I am fairly certain we will use or the kids will read. Things like any of the Bethlehem Books, the 1000 great works of literature, Neumann Press books (but not anymore... sigh), books that I see recommended for a specific subject on every booklist I browse (like Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, for example. It's on EVERY list!) I try not to buy too much ahead, but sometimes I need another $10 to get free shipping or something, so I'll just grab a book from my "save to buy later" cart area that I am fairly certain we will use.
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Krista
Wife to a great guy, mom to two boys ('04, '06) and three girls ('08, '10, '12!)
I blog at http://kristacecilia.wordpress.com/
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 8:27am | IP Logged
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It is hard to make decisions on books! I tend to over buy!  I always get myself in trouble with having to purchase $25 to get free shipping from amazon and b&n. I really think I would save money signing up for prime. 75% of the time when I order I purchase an "extra" book to get me to $25. A lot of times it turns out we just don't really need that book. I try to really plan ahead and avoid this situation, but I just can't get it under control.
I've had good luck with the used books on amazon. I'm very strict though and I don't buy anything used if I can get it new just because it's usually not worth it. I only purchase OOP books and I will only purchase if their ratings are very high and the book has specific description of the book (instead of just a standard and no details). Maybe these guideline have helped.
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Cassie
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 11:09am | IP Logged
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I have been buying a lot more than usual lately on the advice of my husband--as he puts it, we might as well buy it now, when the oldest kids are still young and ALL the children will be able to use it one after the other, so as to get our full money's worth. I tend to agree.   He is particularly insistent about religious books, as he has already seen the devotion and piety that can grow through a good children's book on the Faith. We also have a bit more disposable income than we used to have, so that helps too.
That said, I do try to find books used first on cathswap and other sites. I don't buy too far in advance unless it's a religious book or one from the AO booklist, since I'm planning to homeschool with their plans all the way through. If I find a book from either category at a good used price and in excellent condition, I buy it. I don't buy classics that I can find easily in advance unless it's a very cheap, hardback copy.
The whole Neumann Press thing has really saddened me, though. As a TLM-goer, I just love their products and they fit our family and devotional practices so well. I do have a good number of their books, but I wish I had them all! They aren't the kind of thing I can just check out from the local library if we don't have our own copy, you know? 
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Celeste
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 11:26am | IP Logged
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I do know, Celeste.
You can't just check those out, or even find them easily used. I did once get a copy of Angel Food Vol 1 through Paperback Swap, though. We liked it so well that I bought the rest a couple of years ago. I am now so glad I did!
I still feel like that was the hand of God nudging me on that one- I might not have bought them all without having a chance to read that first one.
Speaking of the hand of God, I find myself praying more and more that God will provide the books that He knows my family needs. I also finding myself praying a whole lot more over curriculum choices.
When I feel myself getting into a book frenzy, I come back to those prayers and can feel some real peace. I can trust that God will provide what books we truly need.
I am also praying that another company will come in and take up where Neumann has left off. I know that nearly all their books are in the public domain, but I'm not fond of Librivox recordings or reading a lot off the computer/kindle.
A beautiful book to hold and page through is a blessing!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 11:32am | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
When I feel myself getting into a book frenzy, I come back to those prayers and can feel some real peace. I can trust that God will provide what books we truly need.
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This is exactly how I think of it, Melinda! I have missed out on buying opportunities many times, but I really just trust that if a book is meant to bless our family, it will come to us in some way or another.
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Celeste
Joyous Lessons
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 12:15pm | IP Logged
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Well there's a couple of things that I consider when buying very far ahead (not that I am doing that these days with the age range of my kids.. just about anything will fit someone  )
But I considered if it was something that I wanted to read myself for myself, if I wanted to read it before giving it to the kids regardless of age, or if I knew I could use the information with the younger kids if I read the book and shared the information with them while they were reading books more suited to their levels. (I like having a better grasp of some things before the kids start asking me questions)
I got a used book this past Christmas that was a discard.. hardback with the hole punched into the middle of it.. I wrote an email to the company. Walked away. Revised the letter and sent it. I basically told them that I expected a full refund including shipping costs and that if they wanted the book back they'd pay for return shipping as well. They refunded the full amount and decided they didn't need it returned.
I think it amuses my husband when I get like that and people all of a sudden seem to "toe the line".
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 21 2013 at 10:39am | IP Logged
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I also like to buy books to read ahead for all the reasons you mention, Jodie- especially books about our faith. If I have read it, it is in my brain somewhere and often pops out when I need it.
I just read "Looking for Peace... Try Confession!" and was able to squirrel away several really helpful points to talk to my kids about when the time is right.
I'm on the CHC mailing list, and they have so many new items that look very good- for confirmation, apologetics, etc. They have a new graphic novel written by a monk that might appeal to my ds. How long will they have these books? Should I order them now? Confirmation is still a few years ahead of us.
From the Rainbow Resources newsletter I learned that they tend to clear out many items in June and then price changes go into effect in July, so now is a good time to order. Also, a part of their June profits go to charity.
All this is rolling around in my head...
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: June 21 2013 at 1:04pm | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
I'm on the CHC mailing list, and they have so many new items that look very good- for confirmation, apologetics, etc. They have a new graphic novel written by a monk that might appeal to my ds. How long will they have these books? Should I order them now? Confirmation is still a few years ahead of us.
From the Rainbow Resources newsletter I learned that they tend to clear out many items in June and then price changes go into effect in July, so now is a good time to order. Also, a part of their June profits go to charity.
All this is rolling around in my head... |
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You are not the only one! There is nothing in the budget for new books for a few more months. I'm practicing self-control, but it is killing me! I don't remember Rainbow doing this in the past otherwise I would have waited to order. I hope I remember next year. I usually save some of the book budget for the CHC summer catalog, but that didn't happen this year.
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 21 2013 at 1:27pm | IP Logged
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I haven't seen this mentioned before at RR, either, Cassie, so it is new to me.
Also- CHC has a flat rate of $3.95 per order for shipping July 3-5, so I have a little more time to mull over my choices there
It's just crazy how books/resources will be available and then be OOP.
This year we used a book of bible memory verses I bought from CHC last summer, and it was great. I think it was A-Z Memory verses.
Anyway- they no longer have it, and apparently no one else sells it. It's just gone- poof!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Topic: The ins and outs of ordering..
