One of my very favorite deals is getting free magazines. Ever since I was little and I had my very first magazine subscription (I think it was Dynomite), I’ve looked forward to getting a glossy new magazine in the mail.
You would be surprised at how many magazines out there can be had for free. At one time or another, I’ve gotten, for free, the following mainstream magazines such as: Family Fun, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Saveur (gourmet food), Better Homes and Gardens, Memory Makers (scrapbooking), Budget Living, Marie Claire, Disney and more. I’ve also gotten some more obscure titles that I found interesting such as: Opera News, Antiques, Travel, Newport Life and others. Other offers I have seen out there include Nick Jr, PC Gamer and Working Mother.
Why do publishers give away all of these free magazines? It is simple. By giving away subscriptions, the publishers boost their circulation, that is, the number of people reading the magazines. With a larger circulation, the magazines can command higher fees for advertising, and advertising is really where the magazines make their money. So it makes sense for the publishers to put the magazines into as many hands as possible.
How do I get all of these magazines? There are a few different ways.
Freebiz Mags. This is a website that offers free magazine offers through e-mail. You register at the site and when there is a free magazine that meets your criteria, you will get an e-mail notice. If you want the magazine, you return to the site and sign up for it. While this is a very reliable site, you will have to do a little work for your magazines, by filling out surveys and viewing offers for other magazines you might not want, such as technical journals.
Web Search. Try the search terms “free magazine” “free subscription” or “free mags.” Most of the time this will lead you to web sites that list free magazines, but sometimes you will stumble on the publisher’s form for a free subscription.
Some tips when signing up for free magazines:
Be aware that some offers are for a free trial not a free subscription. If you don’t cancel after the trial, you will get billed for the remainder of the subscription.
You shouldn’t have to “complete a deal,” buy anything or enter a credit card number to get your free subscription. it just isn’t worth it. There are enough free without a catch subscriptions out there of which you can take advantage.
For free magazine links and other deals, check out the Families.com Deals Forum