The Price of Magazines!

[Andy M.]

I went to Barnes and Noble yeaterday to buy some magazines for my vacation. I bought 8 magazines, 6 food mags and 2 car mags. I was a little surprised when the tab came to $37.35!

I guess I'm out of touch. I don't subscribe to any mags. I used to, but there is often so little that I actually care about in a magazine with all the rest being either ads or obscure travel stuff, it wasn't worth it to me.

I know magazines make their $$ from newstand sales. They get top dollar there. That income supports their reduced price subscriptions.

I'm not a cheapskate but get 'miffed' when I feel like I've been taken.

Oh, well. At least I'll have some reading to keep me busy on the plane and by the water's edge.

Thanks, I feel better now.

 

[Loprraine]

Andy, you're lucky you didn't buy them at the airport. The last ones I bought were about $4.00 higher than the newstands. Happy reading!!!!

 

[lulu]

Yes, when I quite my job to be an expat wife the magazines were the first victim! I am indulging in a couple of Italian ones now, but I justify them as a language tool.

 

[BreezyCooking]

This is why I always subscribe to magazines I really like. With an annual subscription my per copy price drops to next to nothing, while buying 2 o 3 magazines frequently costs the same as a full year's subscription.

Unless I'm "trying out" a new mag - I NEVER buy single copies.

 

[Katie H]

Wow! That would've gotten my attention, too. It's been a very long time since I bought any magazines at a newsstand. I subscribe to many, but usually get them at the editor's rate because I use them as writing resources. I am amazed at the prices printed on them. Plus, after thumbing through them and determining how many pages are devoted, both front and back, to advertising, it makes them seem even more expensive.

I get one magazine for free and the printed per issue price on each one is $3.95, which seems a lot for a publication that rarely exceeds 60 pages...and has advertising.

One of the reasons I like magazines like Cook's Illustrated is that I get what I pay for and don't have to deal with any ads. Ads are one of my pet peeves. To say nothing of all the little post cards that fall out as a magazine is picked up. Ugh!

 

[auntdot]

Get ads regularly for Gourmet or Food and Wine subscriptions for $12 for a year.

Got tired of them years ago and ignore the offers. But for a buck a mag I sometimes want to cave.

But have resisted so far.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

I just bought four textbooks for school earlier this week and it came to $487. One was a $130 paperback...

 

[JoAnn L.]

I sure agree with you. I was at Target the other day looking at magazines and I was going to buy one until I looked at the price. OUCH! The prices were from $5.99 to $9.99. Needless to say I put them back.
I can go to our library and take them home for free for 7 days.

 

[Half Baked]

Nowadays I consider magazines impulse purchases. Oh I don't get aggravated with myself if I buy an occassional mag that has a great pic or a leading line but I reallly try to control myself.

I used to subscribe to all mags that appealed to me but I really got sick of the ads and and articles that were put in and didn't pertain to the magazine at all. Geez, there'd be 30 pgs of relevant material and 120 pages of ads and travel into. I can find that when I'm going to visit the area.

The top 3 in my mind are Cooking Light, Gourmet and Bon Appetit.

 

[shpj4]

I usually subscribe to magazines because the prices at book stores and especially airports are so much higher.

 

[corazon]

It's funny to me that the advertisers pay to put their ad in the magazine and the buyers also pay to see them.

I really only like two magazines and subscribe to them both. Fine Cooking, which has ads but not too many (certainly not as many as Bon Appetit or Gourmet). The articles and a photo of each recipe makes it worth it. Cook's Illustrated is the other. No ads whatsoever.

Back to Andy's topic. You're right, yikes! That is quite a bit of money. You could buy a paperback novel for the price of one magazine.

Where are you off to Andy?
Water's edge?

 

[Andy M.]

Headed to Aruba. There is a library at the resort where we recirculate books for members.

 

[amber]

Lucky you Andy, Aruba!

As for magazines, your right, the prices are outrageous. I only have one subscription for my husband, and if I were to buy that off the stand it would cost alot more, so a subscription is definately the way to go. Have fun basking in the warmth!

 

[StirBlue]

Headed to Aruba. There is a library at the resort where we recirculate books for members.

I thought we were boycotting Aruba until we get the girl back (dead or alive)
Thanks a lot Andrew!


Magazine Sales: The price of magazines has limited people from "clipping", now we do scrapbooking instead. Teachers rarely ask students to bring in articles.

I find it more interesting how some people start spending money on their vacation before they get packed!

 

[Andy M.]

...I find it more interesting how some people start spending money on their vacation before they get packed!

That can't be surprising to you. It would be hard not to spend money on vacation related purchases before leaving.

 

[StirBlue]

That can't be surprising to you. It would be hard not to spend money on vacation related purchases before leaving.

Things I never buy to take on vacation: new shoes (ouch!), sunglasses, I love my hometown t-shirt, condiments packets, travel games, stationery, magazines, newspapers, personal fan, wrist watch, wallet, purse....etc.

Things I might buy: additional travel bag.....

Things to trash before heading home: suntan oil, condiments, i love my vacation t-shirt, brochures.

Things I have lost on vacation: eye glasses, money, keys, phones, watches, beach towels, directions.
I guess that's it.

 

[amber]

Oh yea, Aruba, Natalie. Havent heard much about that situation in quite some time. Too touchy topic for me there stirblue. Too each his/her own.

 

[Candocook]

I went to Barnes and Noble yeaterday to buy some magazines for my vacation. I bought 8 magazines, 6 food mags and 2 car mags. I was a little surprised when the tab came to $37.35!

I guess I'm out of touch. I don't subscribe to any mags. I used to, but there is often so little that I actually care about in a magazine with all the rest being either ads or obscure travel stuff, it wasn't worth it to me.

I know magazines make their $$ from newstand sales. They get top dollar there. That income supports their reduced price subscriptions.

I'm not a cheapskate but get 'miffed' when I feel like I've been taken.

Oh, well. At least I'll have some reading to keep me busy on the plane and by the water's edge.

Thanks, I feel better now.

Costco has a big discount on magazines if you can get there.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

8 mags on food. 6 and 2 mags. YIKES!! That HAD to be more than $150 bucks! I hope you enjoy the tropical reefs!!! Beware of the sharks.

 

[Benni]

Oh The Expense of Too Many Cooking Mags

There's no two ways about it. Magazines are becoming ridiculously overpriced. I find that Woolworths has two foods mags that are still reasonable - Good Taste and Super Food Ideas. Both are very good value for money.

I have cut back on mag subscriptions. It was getting way too expensive as being of an obsessive compulsive personality (like a number of cookbook owners), I was buying too many mags along with cook books.