|
The
cover price on even discount magazines seems to go up every year. The
cheapest way to get your magazine reading fix satisfied is to read them at
your local library. After all, your taxes have paid for that subscription
already. Short of that, here are some tips for enjoying your magazines and
picketing some savings on the way. Businesses see the section
on optimum subscription level at the bottom of the page.
1.
Trade
magazines with friends. If two or three of you each sign up for one annual
subscription and then trade, you are enjoying two or three magazines for the
price of one.
2.
Take
advantage of discount magazine subscriptions. The internet is loaded with
offers for low-cost magazine subscriptions. Just make absolutely sure that
you read the fine print on the agreement. Some contracts make if very hard
to discontinue them. You may have to call a specific phone number or write
to a specific address within certain time periods. Many will automatically
bill your credit card for renewals without any further authorization. Some
may not only renew automatically but they may also increase the rates.
Other really sneaky companies will throw in other deals that may appear to
be free but actually cost a lot of money over time. Shop smart. There is
no free lunch. Even discount magazine subscription companies are out to
make a profit.
3.
See if
you qualify for professional magazine subscription rates. Those magazines
in waiting rooms cost a fraction of the normal subscription price.
4.
Never
buy more subscriptions than you really want. Resist any high-pressure sales
at your door, over the phone, through the mail or over the internet.
5.
Try to
avoid buy magazines at cover price unless you buy only one or two a year.
Magazine subscriptions usually offer a substantial discount over cover
price. If you are in a trade or a profession, you may even be able to get
free magazines related to that trade or profession.
6.
Use
internet news resources and online magazines. Many are free. I traded my
printed Consumer Reports magazine for an online subscription. It costs the
same but I love the access to the article data base and I have no paper to
mess with.
7.
Don’t
assume that the renewal form you get in the mail means that your
subscription is about to expire. You may have years left but they will
still try to sell you more. Check your label. When my parents died a few
years ago, I found that they had renewed their Readers Digest magazine
subscription so many times they would have been well over 100 years old
before it expired.
8.
Rate
your satisfaction after you read a magazine. That will help you decide
whether or not to cancel the subscription for a refund, not renew, or sing
on for a long term subscription at a lower rate.
At one time I was
getting more than 20 magazines a month. I finally realized that it was too
much and have now cut back to a handful. I’m saving a ton of money on
magazines by buying fewer magazines and getting discount subscriptions for
those magazines I buy.
Businesses can save money
on magazines:
“What is the optimum subscription level for our business?”
The
optimum subscription level will be those specific subscriptions sent to
those specific people (departments or groups) that will generate increased
income, reduce expenses or avoid losses when used. Too many subscriptions
are wasteful and distracting. Too few subscriptions leave people in the
dark. Use this checklist to determine your optimum subscription level:
-
Who
really needs to read a specific publication? They should be the
recipient or early on the distribution list.
-
Who
can benefit from that subscription but time is not an issue? They
should not be a recipient but be on a distribution list.
-
Who
can benefit from exposure outside their core responsibilities? Put
them on distribution too.
-
Is
their a easier, faster, better way to get the information? RSS feeds
Search Engine notification systems and other electronic means can get you
information well before even the morning newspaper.
-
Are
their publications that you are missing out on? It helps to stick
your head up out of the trenches every now and then and see what's new.
This is especially true with the net.
-
Anyone who doesn't fit in to category 1, 2 or 3 is possibly just reading
for enjoyment. Have the last stop for some distribution lists be the
lunch room.
-
A
quick way to test the system is to cancel all subscriptions and listen for
the yelling or, a faster and less severe method, is to have all current
subscriptions delivered to specified managers and let them see who falls
in 1, 2 or 3.
Here are 35 more
great ways to save money.
|
