How many subscriptions do you pay for? Be sure to count not just magazines and newspapers but also services (warranties, computer virus protection, cell phone contract, ISP, etc.), memberships (gyms, fan clubs, business associations), and entertainment packages (Netflix, cable or satellite, online game sites, etc.) Count anything for which you are billed on a regular basis, other t...
I like to look at subscriptions in a unique way. Let’s say my cable bill is $50/month. That’s $600/year. Let’s say I want to make $600/year in passive income to pay for my cable bill. Investing in a high yielding utility stock can get me around 6% dividend yield. 6% of a $10,000 investment is $600/year. Therefore, just to pay for my cable bill without working, I would need to invest $10,000! Put another way, paying $50/month on my cable bill is like adding $10,000 of value to the cable company, at my expense! I like cable and choose to pay for it, but in general always conscious about recurring fees and try to minimize them because of the above logic!
You might check the public library for your favorite magazines. My library has everything I would ever want to read. I find using the library saves costs, trees, and clutter.
Besides the library so many magazines have their content online now too. Why pay when you can read most for free. Same goes for newspapers.
I read specialty magazines on sewing that aren’t found at my local library, but I have found that most of them are available at to buy at Amazon. My business credit card for my pattern business regularly gives me an Amazon gift certifcate that I can turn into a magazine subscription for essentially no money. the magazines I read keep me up to date with what is happening in the sewing world which is important for as I sell sewing patterns and need to know what is currently in vogue.
It was adding up our cable bill 3 years ago that convinved me to cancel it and used the money that year for a side of beef that lasted 2 years. there are so many things to be doing with our money, I don’t see how people can keep pouring money down the cable hole especially when getting all the add on channels. Who has that kind of time to waste watching TV?
Check out freebiz. I’ve gotten subscriptions free there, though admittedly they kind of choose which mags they will offer you. I’ve received mags about antiques, modern decorating, old log homes, cooking mags, fashion mags. I’m still waiting for the US News and World Reports to come.