Comments on: Magazines – Do you buy them?

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:06:31 +0000

I LOVE Make Magazine. I haven’t really made anything out of the pages, but I have found some really useful stuff in all the issues I have. I received a subscription for xmas and have three magazines already. The gadget pages with cool small tools are awesome, as are just the general ideas.

It only comes out every 3 months, so I have plenty of time to peruse it before the next one comes. The articles on tech are awesome, as well.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:48:24 +0000

I used to buy a ton of magazines (my guilty pleasure used to be computer and cooking magazines) but when I got my mortgage they were the first thing that I cut back on.

Nowadays I read online because the way I see it.. the premium price you pay for a magazine is because they gather all the information right there for you in one convinent package. If you are good at searching your way around the net, there is nothing to stop you finding the information/articles on your own, not to mention most of it is replicated online anyway!

If you must absolutely *have* a magazine, as previous posts have a look at your library/ask them to subscribe if they don’t already, or have a talk to your newsagent about if they have any left of last month’s issue and whether you can have it for a discounted price.

By: dramon

dramon — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:51:50 +0000

Another idea is to donate a subscription to the library and then read it there. It serves two purposes, you can read it when you want and also let others read it. The library will store the old versions so saves you storage. Of course, it does depend on how far away you are from the public library.

Another good source is http://www.bestdealmagazines.com/

By: AmberJones

AmberJones — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:08:35 +0000

I don’t subscribe to magazines. I figure that if I need to know something, I am sure that I can google it. And if I am interested in just the magazine topic in general, there is usually a wider variety of pages I can find than what I will find in the magazine.

By: crazyliblady

crazyliblady — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:08:56 +0000

I don’t buy any magazine subscriptions except one that comes with a professional membership. I work at a university where we have a lot of magazines. Check at your library public library to see if the magazine you need is available. Some may let you check magazines out. If not, you could at least photocopy the item you need and save the cost of a subscription.

By: Beth

Beth — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:04:52 +0000

My dad got me O magazine three years ago as a Christmas gift that I asked for (even though he did it kicking and scratching saying “I’m sure Oprah needs my money”) and he keeps getting it for me even though I really don’t want it now. lol I barely read through a magazine one time, much less enough times to justify their existence around this house. lol

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:10:05 +0000

People are always asking what to get me as a gift. I’m horrible to shop for since I hate clutter and refuse to pile more into the house.
That said, I have been known to add a magazine subscription to my wish list. As a added bonus the gift giver is the one that has to deal with any increase in unsolicited mail by getting the subscription.
After I am finished I just pass it on to a friend, waiting room, or relative.

By: Twinsmom

Twinsmom — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:58:00 +0000

I get a lot of magazines, mostly the free ones, and the few I do purchase are mainly through my kids’ one and only school fundraiser. I second the ideas to see if you library carries the magazines (ours carries the model railroader one you mentioned) and also stopping in the bookstore to check through the current issue before buying. I do a lot of needlework and saved a ton of money (literally $100s) by looking through the issue instead of having a subscription. My rule is, if I won’t do at least 3 of the projects, I won’t purchase the magazine. There is a publication out of Australia that I would dearly love to subscribe to, but single issues at Barnes and Noble are $15 a pop, and I just cannot justify the cost right now. For the really expensive magazines, you might want to try ordering a back issue before subscribing if you can’t find it in your bookstore. That way you can “live with it” for a while before making a decision.

By: natasha

natasha — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:01:05 +0000

i am huge into magazines. i am a stay at home mom with several small children so they work for my lifestlye better than books. i can read several articles while waiting in the carpool line or while cooking. i recycle them when i’m done and can’t give them up. what i do hate is all the catalogs, enough already! i get 3-5 a week from victoria’s secret alone.

By: Mubongo

Mubongo — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:28:00 +0000

I do have a couple magazine subscriptions. I generally only get magazines that will have *lasting* value for me. That is, I don’t get gossip or news magazines because I can read most of that online for free. I *do* get sewing and other DIY magazines that I can (and often do) reference for tips and inspiration. I also ask for these magazine subscriptions for birthday gifts. They’re usually inexpensive enough for family members to pool together and purchase for me at little cost to them but much enjoyment to me throughout the year!