The Kindle – As was left in a comment, the Kindle version of most hard back books is way less than the real book. Examples:
One Second After – Book is $15.89. Kindle is $9.99.
Skin Trade – Book is $17.15. Kindle is $9.99.
For the most part, you do save $$. If you’re buying books, and reading 3 books per months, that’s 36 per year and if you’re saving even $4 per book, you’re saving $144/year just on the cost of the books.
Living in a tiny little town, we have a tiny little library. I’m happy to have what we have but there’s just not a very big selection and it’s rare that they have a whole series of anything. I either have to make a list of the books I want and get them when I go to Joplin, which is probably once every 2 months on average, or order them from Amazon and wait a week to get them (free shipping). There have been times when I’ve ordered a whole series of books, thinking I’d love them. Read the first one and then had to make myself read the rest of them. I hate it when I get a book and I love it and then I have to order the next one and wait a week to get it. With Kindle, I can see a book I want, pay for it and instantly have it in my Kindle.
When traveling, I don’t have to try to decide what I’m going to be in the mood to read before I leave so I can haul all the books with me. I’ll just take the Kindle and have a whole library at my disposal.
About the rice cooker, you can read about the new one here. I got the NP-HBC10 model. Yes, I can and did for many years cook rice in a pot on top of the stove. Here’s the biggest reason I started using a rice cooker a couple of years ago:
With four burners, I so often have more pots than burners. With the separate rice cooker, that frees up stove space. We eat some kind of rice probably 3 or 4 nights a week. The reason I chose this particular model rice cooker is that it rates very high at keeping rice warm and fresh tasting for up to 12 hours. It also has a special setting for brown rice and we eat a lot of brown rice.
Click on those two pictures above to make them larger and you may need to click again. These are both dishes of Speck food. The older one happened to be on this memory stick. The rice in the light blue bowl was cooked in the new rice cooker. See how each grain is firm and intact and not sticky looking? The rice in the darker blue (bottom) bowl was cooked in the old rice cooker. You can see that the grains have started to break down and look sticky. Same exact brown rice from the same bag, in fact.
Also, the new cooker can be set to come on up to 13 hours from when you set it. I can put our steel cut oatmeal in it the night before, set it to come on in the morning and have oatmeal ready when we get up. I hate making it in the morning because it takes 35 – 40 minutes to cook.
I believe I made good investments with both the Kindle and the rice cooker.
Pat says
I think you made wise purchases. Speck eats pretty well, too!!! 🙂
Barbara says
I couldn’t live without my rice cooker (we eat mostly Asian food – even
though we’re not Asian! – and sometimes cook rice 3 times a day).
I’d love a Zojirushi but they’re not avaliable in Australia.
Kelly says
I can’t function without my Kindle. I have the 1st Gen Kindle and it goes absolutely everywhere with me! I read a book every 1-2 days (depending on how well it keeps my attention). I love being able to carry tons of books with me at all times!
Vicky says
My Kindle is one of the best investments I’ve ever made – ever! I read so much more now, and it’s much easier to cart around than books. You’re going to love it, Judy, absolutely love it!
A rice cooker is going on my list of things to buy this year. I hardly ever cook it any more because half of the time it doesn’t come out right with this weird stove I have.
Susan Allen says
I also got a Kindle (purchased for myself for Mother’s Day) recently. I bought it specifically for my trip to Europe in July. I think you’ll love it! Also, I just finished a project off the Moda Bake Shop (www.modabakeshop.com) to protect it in my bag when I travel. Look for “The Bookeeper” under “Honey Buns”.
Angie says
I’ve had my Kindle 1 for over a year now. Thanks for the math, I never thought to do that. I buy on average 5 books a month in the Summer. Funny how I read more in the Summer instead of the Winter. I guess it’s because all my favorite TV programs are off in the Summer. Do you belong to Shelfari to keep track of your reading?
We don’t have a rice cooker, but your’s sure looks nice. We don’t eat rice much, and when we do it’s brown rice. I buy it in the freezer section. Birdseye makes a yummy frozen brown rice you just microwave. That’s all we need for the two of us with some stir fry veggies.
Cindy says
You should have just taken Jenna’s home with you. It’s going back. She decided she just couldn’t afford it. Then today she ordered 2 Ann Taylor dresses.
CJ says
I’m glad to hear you like the new rice cooker Judy. The Zoji was recommended to me and we absolutely love it! It makes fantastic rice! Have you tried rice pudding in it yet? Yum!
I’d be interested in hearing more about the Kindle. I read a lot, avoid hard back books because they hurt my hands to hold, so paperbacks only… but doesn’t reading on the kindle hurt your eyes? Mine get exhausted reading the computer screen after a while.
dawn says
OOoooooooh a kindle!!!! I am so jealous! Those things are awesome! I think, not that you need anyone’s opinion, but I think it’s great you got yourself one. You deserve it….there is nothing like a good read is there. 🙂
Hugs!!
dawn
Sue H says
Judy, I love reading about your purchases! I don’t think you cared for your netbook Vince got you a while back, but that spurred me to research it and buy one, and I love mine! And I’m still planning to get a pressure cooker (I forget the brand now) like you got and use for preparing meals — looks like the Mercedes of pressure cookers. And dang it, now I want that rice cooker too! You’ve introduced me to products that I may or may not be interested in purchasing, but it’s always interesting to know what’s out there, especially high-end products. As always, I love your blog!
Nancy says
I read probably 3 books a week. I belong to http://www.paperbackswap.com and get my books free. If there is a new one I want, I just put it on my wish list and order it when I am notified that there is one available. For every book I mail to another club member, I get a point. WIth that point I can order another book I want to read. All books go Media Mail and cost on an average $2.50….. After I read a book, I post it and it goes on my bookshelf for someone else to order and read…
I would love a kindle, but this way gives me more fabric money …..
LadyBaltimore says
Vicky and I bought our Kindle2s in the same week, I believe. She’s right – it’s one of the best investments if you’re a reader. You will absolutely love it!
It fits right in my purse and goes everywhere with me.
My husband was going on travel and I offered to let him take the Kindle with him. I was so delighted when he said no, he already had something to read. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t offered to let him borrow it again when he’s traveling.
Hope you enjoy your Kindle as much as I enjoy mine.
LadyBaltimore
Eileen Keane says
I make my rice in the microwave. I bought a rice pot at a Pampered Chef party a couple of years ago and I love it! Since we only eat brown rice, it comes out really firm and delicious. Mike hates rice so I have to play games to get him to eat it. You’d think a grown man would eat what’s put in front of him.
I’m the only one who eats oatmeal year round so I do that in the mic too. I have the McCann’s in the box, not the steel cut. 2 minutes and I’ve got breakfast.
I looked at the Kindle but I love holding a book in my hands. I’m not crazy about reading long stories online either.
Evelyn says
When I am in Austria, English books are very expensive so I have been thinking about getting a Kindle in the Fall before going over there for the school year. I usually make Basmati rice on the stove in a pan for small portions, but when I am cooking for 16-18 people, I really like my rice cooker – I don’t have to worry about the bottom layer of rice getting scorched, the top is nicely cooked and fluffy – and it doesn’t take up a burner on my stove! I agree with you 100% on that one!
Diann Smith says
Does your state not have the electronic library? We do in TN statewide. You can download and read at the computer or download for audio books. I listen to someone read to me as I sew AND LOVE IT. I taught school for 31 yrs. and read to my students daily and now I get to be the listener. I see why they looked forward to it and always reminded me if we were having a long,busy day and it looked like no time for read aloud. It’s free and no late fees. They take the books back if you go past your two week limit. Don’t have to get into the car…………….I use our library and the electronic one.
Linda says
I don’t have a Kindle but I noticed you put One Second Later as an example – I just finished and thought it was very good but then I really like end of the world books, I am not sure why but I always have. This one is very interesting and very readable, only a little bit depressing.