One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is settle in on my couch with my favorite magazines, order a pizza, and just relax for an entire afternoon. This is a wonderful way to unwind after an exhausting week at work, and is far cheaper than a lot of alternative activities. But one unexpected side effect of this weekend relaxation technique is that I've become addicted to some of the publications I've been reading, and want to subscribe to them so I don't miss an issue or continue paying full newsstand prices. So now I'm shopping for great deals on magazine subscriptions online.
I've been hearing for a few years now that if I order magazine subscriptions online, I can get the biggest discounts around. I'm not sure why things work out that way, but just from a few quick searches to check on subscription prices for titles like Sports Illustrated or People show me that this is indeed true. For instance, SI goes for about $0.70 an issue, which is a whopping 84% off the cover price, and People looks to be just as cheap. I don't know where else I can find deals like that.
In addition to getting my favorite mags at the lowest prices around, I also want to take advantage of the many free gifts that publishers offer for signing up. Just take a look at some of the free introductory gifts I can receive with a paid subscription: A tripod from Digital Camera, a sports team fleece jacket from ESPN, a micro amp from Guitar Techniques, a USB memory stick from Your Family Tree, and two games from PlayStation Official. That is some amazing swag and makes buying magazine subscriptions online an even better deal!
A friend of mine has much more experience than I do about where to find the cheapest magazine subscriptions online, so I've been asking him for some tips. He told me that I shouldn't jump at the first cheap offer I see, because there might be something even better on a different site. I should definitely take some time to shop around and see what else is available. I should also be aware of subscription length when making my purchasing decisions. Some places try to lock you into a long-term deal, and while those might indeed lead to extra savings on a per-issue basis, I have to consider whether or not I'd really want those magazines for three or four years. And of course the free gifts are important, too. Hey, I'll be paying for a subscription anyway, so I might as well get something extra out of the deal, right?
I'm going to make a list of a handful of publications that I wouldn't mind receiving regularly, and then start comparing the cost of these magazine subscriptions online. Hopefully I can find all my favorites at very low prices so I can keep enjoying my relaxing weekends on the couch!