What Would You Do?

What would you do with a $50 gift card from Barnes and Noble?

I recently received a $50 gift card from Barnes and Noble and I have NO idea what to do with it. You would think it's obvious I should buy $50 worth of books, right? My problem is that $50 at Barnes and Noble is truthfully about three books (with tax and sometimes shipping) and I don't know which three books I should buy. I have a list of "Ten Books I Need to Own" (post coming soon), but I can't pick three books off that list I really want now. I thought about getting Choke by Chuck Palahniuk, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Then I thought that I can easily get those books cheaper at The Strand (a family owned bookstore in NYC) and I'd rather do that than buying them at a chain bookstore. I grappled with buying Moonrise Kingdom (2012) on DVD because it's one of my favorite films, but it's almost $30 at B&N which means I'd be able to get one book and maybe a bookmark with the remaining balance.

I started thinking of what else I could buy with $50 and I think I came up with the perfect solution. My favorite bands are releasing new albums in the coming months and I really want to support them by purchasing their records. Barnes and Noble sells CDs, more specifically the CDs from the bands I want to support. (I'd much rather get vinyls, but I can wait to get those seeing as I don't even have a record player yet.) Finally, a solution! However, now another problem has arisen: Will I have enough for the three CDs I want? It sucks that I have to factor in tax and maybe shipping. This will only lessen the amount of items I can purchase. The gift card doesn't expire until August, by then all three CDs would have been released and I can buy them all at once. So I have time, but I don't want it to be two weeks before the card expires and I still don't know what to get. The irony of buying music instead of books at a bookstore is not lost on me. I would rather get some books and start my collection, but I'm more certain on what music I want than I am on what books I want.

I'm on the fence about it (and will be until I take action), but I'm leaning towards getting the CDs. I can always save up my money and get the books cheaper at The Strand. I have a real dilemma on my hands, but like I said I have until August to make the right choice. Wish me luck!

What would you do in this situation?*


*I'm making it seem more dramatic than it really is, but this is what's important to me right now. I'm not always handed $50 to go crazy with and I don't shit gold bricks. I have to be smart with the money I have (took me a year to learn that lesson) and spend it wisely.