You can buy the books on the bookshelf, just like you can buy any book. Just click on the bookshelf and select "Purchase Vampire Tomes ..." instead of "Purchase Books ..." and a pie menu pops up that allows you to choose which volume you want to buy.
As for Plasma Packs, if you gain just one more level in the Vampire Lore skill, so that you're at level 4 (super easy, because this skill levels up fast), you can start making Packs from fish and frogs. This is super handy, not just because it means that a quick trip to the pond gets you a ton of Packs, but also because Packs are worth $50 each, and turning fish/frogs is free and instantaneous, so if you have a bunch of low-level fish/frogs, you can turn them into Packs and earn a lot more money from them.
If you're low on fun, I've always found that playing a musical instrument is not only just as fun but way cheaper (besides which, a vampire moodily playing the violin fits the classic motif extremely well). You could also purchase a chess set, or take advantage of the free ones in the middle of the town square area in Forgotten Hollow.
There's actually nothing vampire-related that you absolutely must have a computer or a TV for, at least nothing that I've run into yet. Not unless you're dead set on your vampire being a programmer or something. (Even if you want them to be a writer, you can always cheat to purchase the typewriter.)
Thank you for these ideas - I was not aware of the books could be purchased via the bookshelf - I was so sure that I had tried though -
but appearently not.
I do use frogs and fish a lot and I have loads of plasmafruit trees too and other plants getting money from that.
So all in all my vampires are doing really good - now having 2 kids too.
