Why is it so hard to stop buying papers & magazines?

elisebutt65

I get the train to college and as I go via Virgin - I do a s'pend to save'. It's an extra £4 to go first class - not very far. So I get a bacon roll, yoghourt, coffee and a copy of the Times thrown in for that!!!! I don't get time for breakfast in the morning as I have to get kids to school, sort my face out and get there before 9am. I have so many books etc with me that I couldn't bear to carry breakfast with me as well - my back would give in!! Plus breakfast at college is too greasy - full english - blehhhhhh!!

I only go in twice a week - not until October now though - but my bi-weekly Times fix keeps me going. Plus I go to the library and can read papers there if I feel a deparate need to - lol. I go through about 8 books a week easily so buying is not an option!

jamnutty

i have started reading the newspaper and mags thread on the discount code board. then i buy whichever newspaper or mag has a money off voucher in. use the vouchers in tesco without buying the product. i then get money off my shopping so therefore to me a have had a "free read". hope this helps

julie

beanielou

Great idea julie.
dident realise there was a thread for that on discount board.thanks

Kevicho

Oxfam and the like are good for books.

I got my latest installment of Dilbert from there

(and also 3 albums for 6 quid)

kuohu

That's a good call. Often when you buy books on eBay the postage costs more than the book itself. At least with Oxfam you know every penny is going to the charity, and you can have the book straight away.

summerday

This is where I just love the local library! I used to be a mag addict too but I agree with the poster who said books are better- when you look at the price of brand new books I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe its true that I have access to thousands of great books all for free (or as good as, given that I have to pay council tax anyway). Sometimes at weekends we will go to the library to read the newspapers there, and on a sunday they play music and don't mind if you talk! The bigger ones also carry a good stock of magazines and journals to sit and read... you can see that I have to be careful not to turn into a library geek! But they are brilliant value for money.

lynzpower

I have

a) worked out which days I actually READ the newspapers. Ie,read, not flick.
I always buy on Wednesday, cos its jobs day for me and sometimes buy on Sunday, today I will I have loads of time to myself to read it properly. With a sunday paper like the observer/ times etc, theres so many supplements, we've been taking the mags/ inserts to work to read on the way.

We get freebie "first few months free" of mags, we currently are recieveing mens fitness :rolleyes: and waiting for ideal home. Will be doing a few more of those I think. Other glssies like OK, or whatever, really do pi55 me off as I refuse to be paying up to be advertised at to that extent.

Books of course, charity shops, bootsales etc for pence.

LIke most things buying newspapers is a habit, sometimes you get them delivered, my OH stops at the same stall every day on his way to work to buy his Sun ( which he does read) I used to do the same everyday with my paper that I didnt. I think like all spending habits you can break the back of it by working out the difference between want and need, and you wont die from not having a magazine. You dont have to cut them out all together, but say if you have as someone else did "A fiver, what shall I blow it on", you could choose a handful of mags, or you could buy something else. Your choice.

jessicamb

I used to love buying magazines but gave them up ages ago because I though I was paying good money just to be advertised at. I much prefer reading books anyway and I've found a web site where I can swap second hand books with other people to keep the costs down.

domestic_goddess

I just traded in eight quids worth of tesco vouchers for a years subscription to my fave mag so it will be delivered to my door. The subscription cost about forty quid normally but it was a clubcard deal. There loads of different mags on offer so use your vouchers and get cheaper mags.

Doodles

scw1 wrote:

I am trying to get myself out of my debt mess and worked out that every day Mon - Sat, for the past 5 years I have bought The Sun 35p (on a Saturday 55p) along with a local evening paper 37p and then on a Sunday I buy the News of the World 80p?, The Mirror 80p? and The People 80p?.

I also get 2 weekly magazines on a Tuesday for 78p each, OK every Wed £2 and Now on a Thurs £1 per mag.

I know they are all full of rubbish, the same stories (half of them made up) but how the heck do I stop the habit of a lifetime? I walk past the paper shop every day and feel like I need to buy them. :mad:

I have the same problem! I never buy newspapers, but I LOVE women's mags and house design mags. When I am feeling frugal I will only buy 1 magazine a week - usually a cheaper one like, woman, bella or best. When I am feeling non-frugal then I tend to buy the glossies - anything with an article that catches my eye or a free gift with the mag. Its something that I need to keep a constant check on myself and the only way I can really avoid it is having the willpower not to walk into WHSmiths!