Magazine Subscriptions for Her

There's chocolate and there's vanilla and for those who like neapolitan, there's Redbook Magazine. Redbook takes everything that you love about separate magazines and combines them. For the parents, there's child-rearing articles and tips. There are style tips for the fashion conscious and sex tips for people who want to add a little "spice" to their lives. It's a great read for someone who has outgrown the "younger" magazines, but aren't ready for retirement (and even for those who are!). Something for everyone.

You'd be amazed at the inexpensive cost of a subscription, considering how many elements are tossed into one issue. Amazon offers a full year, 12 issues, for $5.99, which is a good $30 off the cover price! That's roughly 50 cents an issue! One would be hard pressed to find something to complain about at that price!

But, alas, they do. Many people don't like that the content is so broad. They think that sex and parenting tips don't belong in the same magazine. Or that magazine editors shouldn't assume that everyone woman with a career is balancing kids on top of it. I say when you find a magazine that has SO many essential elements, why complain because there are one or two that don't pertain to you?

But, for every negative review, there are plenty of positive ones. Most people find that the magazine is easy to thumb through. The different elements are arranged in such a way that if there's one that's of no interest to you (or if it is), it's easy to get to the sections that you're looking for. So, if you have no children, you can easily skip through the motherhood articles and get to the celebrity profiles.

As ANY mother who has school-age kids who are at home for the summer will tell you, it's not always easy to keep these little "monsters" entertained for three months! I know I can usually use all the helpful hints I can get and one of my favorite magazine in which to get those "hints" is Family Fun. There are ideas for games, crafts, fun recipes that you can make with your kids and all kinds of other activities to cure the boredom.

This magazine has craft projects to fit every age and every budget. You don't have to be wealthy to buy supplies--most of the things can already be found in your house! As the mom of a creative six year old, we're always looking for projects that can be done easily and cheaply! She enjoys going through the issues with me and picking out what she wants to do!

Family Fun can also help with your birthday parties, as there are usually tons of ideas for everything from the cake to party games, all tailored to each age group. I love to bake and decorate cakes, so those tips are especially great for me! You can find cake ideas for any occasion, not just birthdays, and there was a cute little pencil cake one time that was the PERFECT "Welcome to Kindergarten" cake for my little one last school year!

So, this magazine truly contains a little something for everyone. In addition to the crafts and recipes, there are travel suggestions and general parenting advice. I don't know about you, but I'm usually take all the parenting advice I can get, as long as I ask for it! There are Q&A sections, as well as articles that border on both informative and humorous. My favorite issues are the ones just prior to Christmas, when they review the current "it" toys, so I'll be informed when it comes time to shop!

For the money, Family Fun is a steal! You can find a 12 month subscription, which is 10 issues, for roughly $10, which is about $1 an issue! Where else can you get so much entertainment for only a dollar?? This magazine can, and will, be a HUGE help in dealing with the inevitable "summertime blues"!

The general consensus is that it's an informative, entertaining magazine. It lends advice on fashion, food, entertainment and other issues that are important to women. Some have mentioned that one of the drawbacks to having a magazine full of Oprah's favorites is that they're not always affordable. I suppose that, when you're Oprah, you can afford to have expensive tastes! But, she often includes financial tips from Suze Orman, so maybe she's hoping you'll be motivated to do whatever it takes to make that kind of money!

Of course, you can't please everyone and some have found "O, The Oprah Magazine" to have too much filler and not enough substance. And a few have been less than thrilled about the perfume advertisements--said they were way too many with competing scents. Some were even put off by the fact that Oprah is on every cover. They found that to be a bit "self indulgent" and "it doesn't go with what she appears to personify on her show". But, aside from that, the majority has said that the content that was in there is very informative and relevant to their personal needs.

One reader that I saw, though, said that there weren't enough articles and information pertaining to the over 60 age group, which is a lot of Oprah's audience. I don't know how true that is, and being in my 30s, that wouldn't sway my decision either way. But, if you're in that age range, it might be a complaint to consider. Most readers have recommended going with a subscription, rather than paying the standard cover price and at $24.00 for 2 years on Amazon, I am inclined to agree.

I have sat in many a doctor's office, searching for some kind of periodical to occupy my time. I'm always thrilled when I sit down and find a copy of Readers Digest at my disposal. The good thing about that magazine is that it has a little something for everyone. I remember, as a little girl, reading all the back copies from years before at my grandparents' house. I think my favorite section at that time, and probably even now, was the amusing anecdotes spread throughout the magazine. Some are sent in by readers and some are written in by the "powers that be", but they're almost always hysterical!!

Another favorite section of mine is the "Drama in Real Life". True stories have always motivated me and I was even more excited when I picked up an issue, sometime in the early to mid-90s and found that the "Drama in Real Life" was a story about a bank robbery that happened in my grandparents' town!! How awesome do you think it was for a young girl to pick up a nationally recognized magazine and find stories about people she actually knew??? Well, I'll tell you, I was amazed!

I'll admit that I haven't picked up a copy in a long time, mainly because I've stayed far away from the doctor, but whenever I DO get the chance, that's the first book I pick up! Some people say that, as of late, the magazine has become bogged down with advertisements, but I honestly think that's ANY magazine, nowadays! Either way, there's still enough content to make it worth the money and, if you get a subscription, it's even LESS money!!

Other readers have been less than thrilled with the customer service provided at the magazine's office. Apparently, they call you repeatedly when your subscription is about to end, which some people find irritating. Of course, that can probably be remedied by ordering your subscription from another source, but I don't really know about that for sure.

Another thing people have said that, if true, is something that I'd have to agree with. Some say that Readers Digest will sell your information to other companies, therefore flooding your mailbox with junk mail. Again, I do NOT know if this is factual or if people are getting their junk mail for other reasons and illogically blaming Readers Digest. But, for the wonderful content that I know from experience is included in each issue, it's a chance I might be willing to take!

Any man will tell you that the woman is probably God's most multi-faceted creation. We have a broad range of interests and things that make us happy, and they are ever-changing. How could one magazine possibly keep up??

Well, Woman's Day Magazine can! Their content is as diverse as their audience and you're bound to find something to please every woman! There are cost efficient recipes for the cook, celeb news for the gossip lovers, fashion tips for the style conscious, etc. Then, of course, there are the articles and advice on balancing life as a mom and life with a career with life as a healthy, happy woman. The magazine bonds together women from every walk of life.

One of the main perks readers enjoy is the fact that the magazine is packed with tips sent in by the readers, which gives the magazine a more personal feel. There's a section in every issue where they offer the opportunity to be a part of their panel so you can share your own ideas with the rest of the readers, which could be really fun for someone who has a lot to contribute.

Another great selling point is the price. Even if you don't have a subscription, Woman's Day is pleasantly affordable, at only $2.79 an issue on most newsstands. If you subscribe, you'll save even more money and, considering that each issue is full of such useful information, it's well worth every penny!

In fact, the only real complaints about the magazine were more with the customer service than with the magazine itself. People have complained about not getting their issues in a timely fashion or getting the same issue twice. A few have even talked about the "flimsiness" of the pages and binding, but that's something I, personally, have never had a problem with. Of course, there have been a few people to complain about the number of drug advertisements they have. They certainly have their fair share, but I've never noticed the number to be outlandish. Some people just can't be pleased!