You do the maths

Waterstones are good. They are very good at what they do. By which I mean selling books. Not only do they own shops that you can walk into to view the books, and bring them to a counter a purchase them, no no. They provide very special 'deals', forcing you into a life of debt.

They are devious these book sellers. I was caught out yesterday when I saw that they were selling the new Hornby for just £4.49. Bargain, I thought. Only on closer inspection of the book's sticker did it transpire that this price only became available when your total purchase was £10 or over. OK, a little cheeky, but fair enough. I found a suitable partner for the Hornby, (That Mitchell and Webb Book, for those who are interested) and went to pay.

Now by this point, I was already invested in my purchase, I was anticipating soon owning them, doing with them as I willed, whether that be reading them, or something far seedier. E.g. makeshift doorstop.

It was only when I went to make my purchase that it further transpired (or should I say, 'conspired' !?!?!) that I needed to have already spent £10 in order to receive the Hornby discount. I could have, and perhaps should have walked away then, lobbing the books at the distressed assistant, crying my outrage at such daylight robbery. But I was too far gone, already too attached to my purchases (It's Hornby for chrissakes!)

So in order to save myself £2.50 from the RRP, I instead spent £22 on books that I had no intention of buying half an hour before. They're good.