Magazine Subscriptions - Are they Worth it?

I like magazines. Honestly, I prefer magazines over books most of the time. They go a lot further and take up a lot less space. They are easy to travel with. They can be recycled and used quicker. They usually have more art and photographs within their pages to enjoy. Yes, I'm a fan of magazines.

In 2020, I was a subscriber to a poetry magazine. I thought it might help me become an even better poet than what I've accomplished already. I was disappointed because the magazine was not aimed at helping poets become better or more popular. It was mostly just celebrating poets that they already knew and loved. It was a nice magazine, but I canceled my subscription after a year because for what I was getting out of it, I felt it was overpriced. It just wasn't useful to me and I need to make whatever I purchase as useful as it can be.

Last year in 2021, I subscribed to a bird/garden themed magazine. I enjoyed it very much. It came with amazing photos, taught me about different kinds of birds, and even gave helpful tips on gardening to attract different butterflies and birds. I was going to keep the subscription, but my original price rate was set to increase, so I canceled the subscription and moved on to other magazines to try.

This year in 2022, I am subscribed to six different magazines. Four of them I subscribed to at a great discounted price rate as a bundle deal: Vogue, US, Travel, and AllRecipes. The only one I regret putting in the bundle is AllRecipes. I also bought subscriptions to the BBC Music magazine and the Smithsonian magazine.

Vogue is the best value and the best magazine of my subsriptions at this time. I love it. It's thick with the best photographs from photographers who have incredible skills. The fashion is still exciting and glamorous and it's the one magazine where advertisements are just as fun to look at. Vogue hasn't changed in all these years, and I'm so relieved. Out of 5 stars, (5 being the best and 1 being the worst) I give Vogue all 5 stars. Thumbs Up, Big Smiley Faces, Much Love and everything nice I can possibly say about that magazine. I'm proud to be a subscriber. I hope I can renew when the time comes.

US is another magazine I get and it is printed the most frequently, usually delivering about 2 issues per month. It's very up-to-date on the celebs and it has some nice columns and articles that aren't just the typical gossip. I enjoy reading it and looking at the stars faces. It makes me feel like I have family when I get lonely. I give US magazine 4 stars out of 5. It's a thin magazine and I go through it quickly. Maybe that's why they put out 2 per month. Only problem I have with it is that after I look through it, I don't know what to do with it. I suppose I could donate it, but most places only want fresh issues. The photos are good, but not really great for crafting or recycling. If it wasn't for that dilemma, it would get 5 stars.

Travel magazine is glossy and luxurious. It's like the Vogue of the travel industry. It doesn't have as many pages, but it usually packs enough to satisfy me as a reader interested in traveling. I wish they would spread their style a bit wider. They mostly focus on very expensive and luxurious trips aimed at the wealthy. It reads and looks as if it's written by Robin Leach. I would prefer it if they included at least one article or advertisement aimed at the blue color or retired folks who can't afford all those bling-bling prices. It's nice to fantasize, but I'd also like to know what is really possible. For that reason, I only give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

The BBC Music magazine is very cool. Not only do I get a glossy magazine filled with interesting articles about classical and jazz musicians, but it also comes wtih a CD of the monthly BBC picks of sample music so that I can hear some of the musicians the writers are talking about. It's truly wonderful. I love the concept and I think this is how music education should be handled. They should have a music magazine like this for every genre of music in my opinion. For now I will rate this subscription at 4.5 out of 5 stars. The only complaint I have so far is the waiting period in between issues and the price. It's affordable, but you can't call this a bargain or cheap subscription. Expensive things make me much more critical. I do not know if I will always be able to afford this one.

The Smithsonian magazine was disappointing. I have only received one issue so far, but I'm not impressed yet. I got it because I wanted to see if it was anything like National Geographic, which in my opinion set the bar very high for magazine journalists. The Smithsonian doesn't even come close to being in the same league as National Geographic. It's very boring to look at, the font is microscopic and hard on old eyes, and so far I'm just not impressed with the content. Since I have only looked at one issue, I will give it 3 out of 5 stars, but if my rating drops below that with future issues arriving, this subscription will be on the cancel list.

The worst magazine I am subscribed to is AllRecipes. I got another issue today and I must have a morbid curiosity because I actually thought it might have improved from the last issue. It didn't. This is the worse cooking magazine I've ever seen. I want to give it zero stars. It's that awful to me. There is nothing in it I can use. The recipes are ridiculous. The pictures don't make them look appetizing. The layout is hard to enjoy as a reader or a cook who wants to use a recipe. It's so NOT what I wanted or needed out of a cooking magazine. I was hoping for easy recipes that I could put together on a tight budget. Quick fun delicious meals that would make me a superhero in the kitchen without having to get to the best supermarket or spend top dollar. This magazine caters to rich housewives or paid chefs with huge kitchens and huge wallets. Definitely the wrong magazine for me. If you know how to cook, I don't recommend it. If you dont' know how to cook, I don't recommend it. Terrible. Awful. Not worth it. Thank goodness I don't feel gyped because it came in that bundle discount deal. I supposed it is needless to say that I will NOT be renewing this subscription.

Those are my opinions and recommendations for magazines in the year of 2022. I hope that helps you or at least you found my opinions entertaining.