I came across this fact in a post on 101 Books, a blog dedicated to posting on the experience of reading through Time’s top 100 novels:

A recent study showed that, on average, e-reader users spent $433 more per year on online shopping than people who did not own an e-reader.

While doing my taxes last year, I tallied my eBook purchases and, while not this high, it represented a change in my spending habits that I thought I better curb. Here are some thoughts about how to avoid having your e-reader or tablet become a siphon drawing money out of your bank account:

1. Use a dedicated e-reader or one of the free reading apps you can install on a tablet or computer. Tablets provided by the vendors of e-books will not only connect you to other e-books but lots of other products. This happens on dedicated readers as well but the interface isn’t as friendly for ordering.

2. There are lots of free books available from your e-book vendor and various independent sites. Most are public domain and many represent great works of literature and non-fiction. At one time, I think I discovered that there are over 15,000 free works available on Amazon.

3. I’m tempted to book hoard. Yes, I do that with physical books as well, but the ease of buying that book I’ll read “someday” that appears to be a good bargain makes this especially tempting.

4. If the ads are tempting, an e-reader you pay a bit extra for without them might be worthwhile. And just delete without reading all those emails!

5. Many libraries now allow you to borrow e-books and you can get many current titles at no cost and these are often returned automatically on their due date, so no fines. Just check with your library about what formats they carry and compatibility with your e-reader.

6. Don’t buy something new on your e-reader until you finish the current book you are reading.

7. If all else fails, you can always just read physical books, which don’t send you ads for other products and don’t connect you to the net!