Free Magazines and How To Actually Read Them

I am currently receiving multiple free magazine subscriptions in my mailbox, and I realize I feel kinda guilty.  Not for getting them free (hah!), but because there are more eco-friendly ways to receive the same kind of information.  But, then I think about all the crazy good things I can do with them, and I hope things will balance.  So, I share with you today how to score free magazines AND what to do with them afterwards!

Magazine companies make money more from the ads in them more than the subscription fee.  For this reason, sometimes it is advantageous for the company to give out subscriptions to increase its 'subscriber's base' and so make more money on the ads.  

::FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS::

1. Go to deal websites like www.hip2save.com  and check out their freebie pages.  I know Hip2Save has a special tab just for magazines under their freebie tab.  These sites post recent 'free magazine' subscription offers, through other websites or deals, and often specify each as 'no cost/no obligation'.

2.  Some of the sites that those sites are sending you to, like https://mercurymagazines.com, offer free subscriptions to 'businesses'.  Make sure to provide an email you don't mind getting some ads in as the site does send 'further offers' email.  Others will have you perform a survey and get 'points' that you use toward subscriptions.

3.  Special sites let you collect or earn points, and these can be cashed in for magazine subscriptions among other things.  Cokerewards.com is one for the soda pop drinker (or one with access to a recycle center).   Recyclebank.com is a great site for accumulating information on recycling and reduction while being rewarded for it.

4.  Share with neighbors if you each get a magazine or 4 that the other is interested in.  Organize a day where you each deliver the previous months mags and you can meet up and swap, or leave on the back door.  Arrange ahead of time if you or the neighbor wants them back.

::READING TIME::

1.  Now that you are receiving a nice collection of magazines, make sure to READ THEM.  Keep them around where you end up with spare minutes.  Keep 'quick reads' with short articles in the car, fitness mags in your gym bag, and household mags near your couch.

2.  Take note of the ideas you enjoy in them.  I will take phone pictures of the articles or recipes that I like, so I have a digital account of what I like.  You can then Pinterest them.

3.  Cut out ideas or recipes IF AND ONLY IF you have a place to keep them organized.  Otherwise, they will just become paper clutter.  I keep recipes to digitize/use in a folder by my cook books (gone through once a month).  Articles I keep in a shoe box by the magazines by the couch, also gone through once a month. If you see an idea that you want to share with someone, cut it out and send it with a personal letter to them (snail mail is still meaningful, and everyone likes knowing someone is thinking of them.)