Does anyone else have this desire for magazines? Does going to web sites provide the same satisfaction?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Magazines
Last February I took a vow for Lent in which I wouldn't spend any extraneous money until Easter. You can read about it here. One of the items I gave up was magazines. Magazines call to me, at grocery stores, book stores, drug stores, everywhere. The headlines and glossy pages seem to grab me. However, what usually happens is I feel disappointed once I've finished perusing it. My Lenten vow taught me that not only could I live without magazines, I could save quite a bit of money as well. Lately, I've noticed my old habit creeping into my life. Oh, I always have excuses - I'm traveling and don't have anything to read; this is a health magazine so it will improve my life; and on and on. It seems that all magazines now mention their web sites in columns and articles, often for specific areas of interest. It's got me wondering if going to the web sites and gleaning the information provided will satisfy my need for magazines. Is it the information contained within the publications that fill a need in me? Or is it the slick, glossy photographs that mesmerize me? Or is it just a tangible need to feel the weight of the magazine in my hands?
Does anyone else have this desire for magazines? Does going to web sites provide the same satisfaction?
Does anyone else have this desire for magazines? Does going to web sites provide the same satisfaction?
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7 comments:
I broke the magazine habit a few years ago (helped along by the much higher prices)
Our library has a free rack where folks can drop off magazines. On occasion I hit the jackpot and bring home oodles of great magazines for free.
A few of our local thrifts have magazines for about .25.
I have an interesting relationship with magazines too Cherie. I'd hate to think of the amount of money I've spent over the past thirty years on them, all those bits and pieces add up quickly.
Like you, I am seduced by their glossy covers and new ink/paper smell, but very quickly discover I can't be bothered even opening them sometimes. I'm much rather read books or my favourite blogs.
Magazine websites are good if you are after a certain article but they don't have the same experience as reading from the pages.
Adrienne, good for you! How lucky you are to have a source of free or inexpensive magazines. I try to remind myself that our library has subscriptions to some of the magazines I like to read. I was dismayed to learn that, when I choose between subscribing to two similar magazines, I chose the one that I can read at the library!
Fiona, I think you're right about websites not giving the same experience. That tells me it's not the information I'm after and that I'm just being seduced by the glossiness.
I totally understand the "lure of the glossy". I used to buy LOTS of magazines but I've pretty much broken the habit with a few exceptions. I tried letting my subscription to Countryside magazine lapse but kept picking up the issues anyway. It's much cheaper to subscribe and I have kept every issue for probably 10 years. There's so much information packed into these that I go back and read. My plan is to organize them by season so that when I'm starting to think about putting in a garden, I can pull out the spring issues, or when fall approaches I can re-read those issues for winter prep ideas.
The other type of magazine that has long held a fascination for me are decorating mags. I'm finding many of them no longer as appealing and they are getting HUGELY expensive. I've limited myself to very, very occasional purchases and only after browsing enough to know that there are numerous ideas within which will provide inspiration. And then I keep them to re-read.
What I no longer am tempted by are the so-called "women's magazines" which seem to recycle the same old topics. I can find new recipes online. The same is true for beauty and fashion tips.
I'm planning to develop a good storage system for the magazines I keep so that I can still enjoy the pleasure of sitting down with a pretty magazine but without the expense of always buying new ones.
I've been trying to break the magazine habit and am slowly getting there. I talked about it some in my decluttering post. I have an almost complete collection of "Victoria" magazines that I really enjoy as it's such a beautiful magazine so those are staying. The rest have been or will be donated.
I still do buy magazines occasionally because like you, I seem drawn to them. Yet, once I start to really read through them, I discover that's not really much of interest to me. It just seems to be a habit I need to break as the cost has risen so much in the last few years and they add to the clutter around the house.
I guess I'm not alone and it's good to know others have broken the magazine habit.
Sandra, up until recently I had a large collection of Victoria magazine that I had purchased at a thrift shop. Once I went through them all, I found they just set on a shelf, collecting dust. So I re-donated them to the thrift shop so that some other lucky woman can enjoy them as well.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I've enjoyed reading your new one.
Deanna, your idea of grouping magazines by season is a great way to make sure they're actually use.
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