Saving money on what you read
I admit, I am a magazine junkie. I used to be bad with all the People & US Weekly type magazines, but right now it is all home decorating magazines. And at anywhere from $4-10 a pop, it can be an expensive habit. I read this post at Frugal Duchess and she has some great ideas on saving money on magazines, such as reading online or going for a magazine subscription to the ones you read religiously.
Here are some tips I can add along to this.
Instead of buying brand new novels, keep track of the ones you want, then check out eBay, Half.com or even local used bookstores. One of my local used bookstores must have several women who always buy the latest books brand new, then turn them in less than a week later, so I never have to wait. There is a book lover’s program for Palms that keeps track of books I want to get.
The only thing I find is that my local bookstore really doesn’t like it when you take magazines into the coffee shop area without having paid for them first, just to read them, with signs up all over the place about no unpaid merchandise for reading. Does everyone just ignore it in the “customer is always right” kind of mentality? Or do you squirrel yourself away in a corner of the store where hopefully no one will bother you as you read a stash of magazines?
Filed under: Budget
I read magazines in my Barnes and Noble while drinking coffee, I never noticed a sign saying no unpaid merchandise, but I haven’t looked for it. I don’t sit smack in front of the cashier tho, I usually take a seat on the side, kind of hidden by one of the shelving units with the coffee cups etc.
Hi Financial Diva:
Thanks for the mention and the tips. I like your ideas!!
Your question really pushed me to get answers from some of the bookstores. The answers varied. Some were totally cool about free-readers and others are not.
I chatted with the a spokeswoman from Borders, who says that the company encourages people to hang out with magazines.
Thanks for the prompt!!!