Author Topic: I'm in subscription hell  (Read 10415 times)

Mrs. Fire Lane

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 51
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #50 on: July 27, 2018, 10:35:16 AM »
As of July first I'm part time at work so I cancelled some subscriptions -

Hulu
HBO Now
Pandora
 (We have Amazon Prime and Netfilx and cable.)

MeUndies socks - I needed more socks and they are good quality but I have enough now.

I also reduced my monthly donations to podcasts and web series that I enjoy. I didn't delete all of them because while yes there is free content I think it's a good idea to compensate people making art and creating educational shows I enjoy and learn from.

Rimu05

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 291
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #51 on: July 29, 2018, 10:17:12 AM »
I have Hulu and Netflix and just bought a month of HBO but probably won't use after month is over so binging on all the shows now. HBO is just too expensive for me at $15.

I will probably cancel hulu since Rick and Morty is what I subscribed for. I use my mom's amazon prime account and it has brought me great joy. Amazon prime is just so easy. Also, I watch a lot of shows on it. From old HBO shoes to new content.

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #52 on: July 29, 2018, 11:55:09 AM »
What have you found interesting on Netflix lately? I just scrolled thru 1,000 movies and shows and nothing appealed to me! Recently I watched 1922 and The Road and also a while back I watched Hell on Wheels mini series and LOVED it. Watched Godless too. Meeks cutoff...BLEH! Currently watching Arrested Development.

Seems every time I hear about a movie I might like to watch, Netflix doesn't have it but HULU does. I don't want to subscribe to both!


katsiki

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2015
  • Age: 43
  • Location: La.
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #53 on: July 29, 2018, 01:21:12 PM »
Just cancelled Netflix myself.  I will probably bring it back occasionally for a month or two.

P.S. Didn't they used to have an option to "freeze" your NF sub?  I was looking for that option initially.

Toad

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 250
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #54 on: July 29, 2018, 01:32:57 PM »
As of July first I'm part time at work so I cancelled some subscriptions -

Hulu
HBO Now
Pandora
 (We have Amazon Prime and Netfilx and cable.)


I never understood why people subscribed to Pandora.  You can get it for free without the ads by just installing the ad-block plus extension on your browser.  I've been listening to Pandora ad free daily for years now.  You still do have your skips limited, but you can just change your "station" if you don't like the song and run out of skips (very rare for me).

kei te pai

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 504
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #55 on: July 29, 2018, 02:35:12 PM »
Just out of interest, how many people listen to radio programmes rather than watching screens (tv, netfix etc)? I enjoy listening while I work around the house. Mainly the local public broadcaster on the actual radio, but have been exploring an amazing variety via the internet as well.

Rubic

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1130
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #56 on: July 29, 2018, 04:08:09 PM »
Just out of interest, how many people listen to radio programmes rather than watching screens (tv, netfix etc)? I enjoy listening while I work around the house. Mainly the local public broadcaster on the actual radio, but have been exploring an amazing variety via the internet as well.

+1

I like to listen to podcasts or NPR when I'm cooking.

Duchess of Stratosphear

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 343
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #57 on: July 30, 2018, 08:01:13 AM »
I listen to podcasts all the time too. At this point, I almost think I would give up video before I would give up podcasts, if I had to choose. I am strongly considering cutting off Amazon Prime before they raise my rate next time. I'll probably hook Hulu back up for a month or two so I can binge Handmaid's Tale after the weather gets dark and cold this fall. I know there's a lot of great TV out there, but I'm feeling sort of bored with it all lately. I'm trying to read more and spend time outside instead.

I don't have a lot of other subscriptions. I get the educator rate for the New Yorker. At a buck a week, it's worth it. My mom gives me a gift subscription to Consumer Reports, which is kind of funny since I don't buy a lot of stuff.

Does anybody do PBS Passport? Is that worth it?

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #58 on: July 30, 2018, 01:38:17 PM »
Recurring bills:
Rent ($975/mo)
Car insurance (just added a second car a couple months ago, don't remember where our rate landed exactly, but about $400/6mo I think?)
Electricity ($60-140 depending on usage, electric stove/dryer, no gas except propane for furnace, no water/sewer since we're on a well)
Trash/recycling ($77/3mo)
Molasses DSL from AT&T ($50/mo)
Motherflippin' DirecTV satellite TV ($23/mo if they don't botch our bill this time... cheaper than buying the episodes of non-Netflix/non-Amazon shows we care about)
Two unlimited lines on T-mobile ($93/mo)
Amazon Prime ($119/yr)
Netflix ($0, included with T-mobile)
HBO Now ($15/mo) when Game of Thrones is on (not now)

Business services for GF's photography business:
Google Drive ($10/mo)
MS Office 365 ($100/yr I think)
Shootproof ($30/mo)
Web hosting/email ($12/mo)

Since Amazon Prime seems to be the main controversial one in this thread:
  • Yes, we spend more on Amazon since we have Prime... because we get less stuff elsewhere.  That comes out in the wash and I'm not sure why it's such a talking point against Prime.
  • It's many fewer trips to "the store" and no scouring stores for random nonsense.  Every "shopping trip" these days is either groceries, Home Depot, or Costco.  Truly no reason to go anywhere else when Amazon (and elsewhere online) have pretty much everything you could ever need.  Last few orders on Amazon were a mousepad, a flat weight bench, 100ft network cable, ice cube trays, 10x10x6 outdoor dog kennel, hand soap, feeler gauges, oil filters, and fish oil for dogs.  Where the hell am I going to find all that under one brick and mortar roof?
  • The Expanse
  • The Expanse
Punch me in the face for our goddamn DirecTV (still hurts to even admit we have it), but keep your claws off my Amazon Prime.

haypug16

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1332
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Boston, MA
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #59 on: July 30, 2018, 03:38:18 PM »
So this thread just got me thinking about my subscriptions;

NetFlix -$119 /year (renews in Jan and I have a calendar reminder set for Jan 1st to cancel thanks to this thread)
Hulu - $7.99 /month
Netflix - $10.99 / month
ZGym $9.99 / month (reimbursed fully by my work)

That should be all so once Prime is all done it'll just be $18.98 per month.

rachellynn99

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 165
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #60 on: July 30, 2018, 05:53:04 PM »
About 18 months ago I also took inventory of sorts of my subscriptions and it was insane! INSANE! I had Birchbox, Ipsy, several other monthly subscriptions, Gwynnie Bee, husband had Sirius, some sort of ad free Pandora, Audible etc. We basically have it down to Amazon Prime ( yearly) , and Roku. It has saved us a lot and I've honestly not missed any of the items.

MKinVA

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 328
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #61 on: August 02, 2018, 01:22:36 PM »
I have the usual ones, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and XM Radio. We also get the Wall Street Journal once a week for about $250 per year, and I have Avast security on my laptop for I think $30 bucks a year.

I want to know if anyone has BritBox and what do you think of it? Is that hijacking the thread? Sorry, if so

Sailor Sam

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5731
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Steel Beach
  • Semper...something
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #62 on: August 02, 2018, 02:08:06 PM »
No one's disclosed their porn site subscription yet. I'm amused, and thinking this thread suffers from a few strategic omissions.

haypug16

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1332
  • Age: 45
  • Location: Boston, MA
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #63 on: August 02, 2018, 02:12:06 PM »
People pay for Porn??? I get all mine for free.

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #64 on: August 02, 2018, 02:28:56 PM »
No one's disclosed their porn site subscription yet. I'm amused, and thinking this thread suffers from a few strategic omissions.
Real mustachians don't pay for porn.
Why pay a pro when you can DIY?

Rubic

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1130
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #65 on: August 02, 2018, 03:58:37 PM »
People pay for Porn??? I get all mine for free.

Reminds me of the joke:

"Back in my day, you paid for porn and got your water for free."

Mrs. Fire Lane

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 51
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #66 on: August 03, 2018, 09:58:50 AM »
As of July first I'm part time at work so I cancelled some subscriptions -

Hulu
HBO Now
Pandora
 (We have Amazon Prime and Netfilx and cable.)


I never understood why people subscribed to Pandora.  You can get it for free without the ads by just installing the ad-block plus extension on your browser.  I've been listening to Pandora ad free daily for years now.  You still do have your skips limited, but you can just change your "station" if you don't like the song and run out of skips (very rare for me).

TBH for the past few years I have been subscribing for one month a year. My family enjoys Christmas carols and Pandora has over 30 different Christmas stations, it's amazing. We listen to the jazz, instrumental, chorale, celtic, and traditional and oldies sometimes too. I help my mom and dad decorate their trees (divorced and living apart) do our own tree, write cards, put up lights, wrap presents etc. And my mom usually has one or two parties at her house, so there's a lot of occasions where I'm streaming one of the stations and then playing it through my speaker. (I won a Bose soundlink color speaker in an office Holiday Party raffle a few years ago, it was the first year they were on the market and they were more than 2x what they cost now. It sounds great but I'm not really an audiophile and wouldn't spend that much on a speaker.) So it's worth the $5 to get my Christmas music ad free for a whole month of listening.

In January I was going to cancel but I had started meditating and was listening to the spa and yoga channels, and you don't really want a commercial in the middle of your meditation. So I decided to keep it because for a few weeks I was meditating every night.

Then I got out of the habit and forgot to cancel it.

Paul der Krake

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5854
  • Age: 16
  • Location: UTC-10:00
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #67 on: August 03, 2018, 10:28:54 AM »
I don't really understand the free 2-day shipping either. My purchases fall into two categories:

1) need RIGHT BLOODY NOW, or
2) would be nice to have at some point in the next two-three weeks

Category 1 is basically just fresh food, the odd household item that I just ran out of (TP, dish soap, etc.), and medical attention. Everything else is in category 2 and can be planned for, which means it can be consolidated in a larger order that gets free shipping anyway.

cats

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1232
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #68 on: August 03, 2018, 01:11:41 PM »

Since Amazon Prime seems to be the main controversial one in this thread:
  • Yes, we spend more on Amazon since we have Prime... because we get less stuff elsewhere.  That comes out in the wash and I'm not sure why it's such a talking point against Prime.
  • It's many fewer trips to "the store" and no scouring stores for random nonsense.  Every "shopping trip" these days is either groceries, Home Depot, or Costco.  Truly no reason to go anywhere else when Amazon (and elsewhere online) have pretty much everything you could ever need.  Last few orders on Amazon were a mousepad, a flat weight bench, 100ft network cable, ice cube trays, 10x10x6 outdoor dog kennel, hand soap, feeler gauges, oil filters, and fish oil for dogs.  Where the hell am I going to find all that under one brick and mortar roof?
  • The Expanse
  • The Expanse
Punch me in the face for our goddamn DirecTV (still hurts to even admit we have it), but keep your claws off my Amazon Prime.

I'll bite on this one, since I seem to be the resident Prime curmudgeon :)

You say you spend more on Amazon b/c you buy less elsewhere.  I say that having Prime lulls you into buying more stuff overall because it's just so convenient.  Most of the stuff on your recent purchases list I either don't own or would purchase so infrequently that they're hardly worth a subscription service.

As far as fewer trips to other places, I'd take the angle that having to get off your ass and walk/bike/drive somewhere will at least sometimes cause you not to purchase an item.  So for most people I don't think not buying an item via Amazon automatically means buying the item elsewhere.  Sometimes it means not buying the item at all.  You say it's no more scouring stores for "random nonsense".  Why are you interested in buying random nonsense in the first place?

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #69 on: August 03, 2018, 02:00:04 PM »

Since Amazon Prime seems to be the main controversial one in this thread:
  • Yes, we spend more on Amazon since we have Prime... because we get less stuff elsewhere.  That comes out in the wash and I'm not sure why it's such a talking point against Prime.
  • It's many fewer trips to "the store" and no scouring stores for random nonsense.  Every "shopping trip" these days is either groceries, Home Depot, or Costco.  Truly no reason to go anywhere else when Amazon (and elsewhere online) have pretty much everything you could ever need.  Last few orders on Amazon were a mousepad, a flat weight bench, 100ft network cable, ice cube trays, 10x10x6 outdoor dog kennel, hand soap, feeler gauges, oil filters, and fish oil for dogs.  Where the hell am I going to find all that under one brick and mortar roof?
  • The Expanse
  • The Expanse
Punch me in the face for our goddamn DirecTV (still hurts to even admit we have it), but keep your claws off my Amazon Prime.

I'll bite on this one, since I seem to be the resident Prime curmudgeon :)

You say you spend more on Amazon b/c you buy less elsewhere.  I say that having Prime lulls you into buying more stuff overall because it's just so convenient.  Most of the stuff on your recent purchases list I either don't own or would purchase so infrequently that they're hardly worth a subscription service.

As far as fewer trips to other places, I'd take the angle that having to get off your ass and walk/bike/drive somewhere will at least sometimes cause you not to purchase an item.  So for most people I don't think not buying an item via Amazon automatically means buying the item elsewhere.  Sometimes it means not buying the item at all.  You say it's no more scouring stores for "random nonsense".  Why are you interested in buying random nonsense in the first place?
By "random nonsense" I suppose I mean odd one-off things that I need for something.  If it read as "stupid bullshit" instead that's my bad.  From my list, we'll go with the oil filters.  More than once I've walked into Walmart or wherever, poked at the little display to tell me which oil filter I need for my, only to find they don't have one.  Maybe I'll be at Meijer and go hunting through the "tools" section just to find that they don't have feeler gauges that I need to fix the AC in my car for $7 instead of $1000 (true story).  I'd rather order the new igniter for my stove on Amazon than go trudging around looking for appliance part stores.  It's just a waste.

And that stuff was just examples.  I moved recently, so there are more one-off things there than typical. 
My GF refinished her wooden desk during the move, and now needs a mousepad since it's too shiny to use a mouse without one. 
I replaced our weight bench since the old one is too big for where it was going in the new house, and was also falling apart.  Ordering online I was able to compare a bunch of different models to compare the exact dimensions. 
I bought a 100ft network cable since in the new setup GF's work desktop is in a different room than the router and modem, and wired is always better than wireless, which was tolerable but not worth the hassle.  These are either impossible to find in stores or hilariously overpriced.
Our fridge in the new house didn't have ice cube trays, and I left the old ones with the fridge at the old house.  I prefer mini-ice-cubes, and I could only find those on Amazon.
The outdoor dog kennel makes life way easier here, as the property is not fenced in.
I hope I don't need to explain hand soap.
We give our dogs fish oil since their diet biases omega-6 heavy.  Prices for that stuff are outrageous in brick-and-mortar stores since people love overpaying for pet supplies.

None of this shit is frivolous or impulse-bought if that's where you're going.  Closest thing to impulse would be the hand soap, which I ordered minutes after noticing we were getting low, and I ordered around a year's supply.

cats

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1232
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #70 on: August 03, 2018, 02:55:08 PM »
Fine, but none of these seem like things you HAVE to have within two days, so what's wrong with standard shipping (which often seems to arrive within 2 days anyway these days).  And if these are all purchases associated with moving, could you not make a list as you are moving/unpacking, and then order all the stuff in one go so you qualify for free shipping?

Amazon may be the best source for the stuff you are buying but I'm still not seeing a convincing case for a Prime membership.

Serendip

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2210
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #71 on: August 03, 2018, 03:31:30 PM »
Saw this thread and was reminded that BrainHQ was about to renew my subscription--just cancelled and saved $120 :)

englishteacheralex

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3890
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Honolulu, HI
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #72 on: August 03, 2018, 05:31:12 PM »
^ There are shows.

MKinVA

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 328
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #73 on: August 03, 2018, 06:52:07 PM »
And the free Kindle books and magazines, and music. All in all, it's a pretty good value if you are watching programs and reading books. The free shipping probably is not cost effective.

StarBright

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3270
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #74 on: August 03, 2018, 08:22:14 PM »
And the free Kindle books and magazines, and music. All in all, it's a pretty good value if you are watching programs and reading books. The free shipping probably is not cost effective.

^this - it is our TV, reading and music listening.

And I also like the shipping. I will admit the two day is actually handy for getting b-day and holiday gifts for our families for whom gifts are very important. I'd love to forgo gift giving, but if I want to be in good with the family (and it is important to me) then gift giving it is. But because I'm not a big present person I never think of it until I see their Bday pop up on the calendar that week. Voila! Amazon prime gets the present there in time.

But also for the reasons Ketchup stated, amazon is a pretty key component to our personal mustachian way. We try to make all of our free time family time. Not having to spend time shopping for random one offs (of which there are more than you'd think between DIYing and small children) is VERY valuable to us and gives us our weekends.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2018, 08:18:42 PM by StarBright »

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #75 on: August 05, 2018, 07:52:06 AM »
I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but a few times when I made non-Prime purchases on Amazon recently (DS has the Prime subscription in our house to get the student rate, I don't always feel like bothering him with the order) the shipping windows given have been quite long and the items were not shipped until the last possible day.  I suspect this is deliberate, in order to encourage people to spring for Prime.



Yes, I have also experienced slow shipping too. Plus, all these companies are using partner shippers and that delays delivery too. Some stuff I order takes at least a week or more. I get deliveries in the very late evening too, like 9 pm. I have had deliveries by oddball companies with unmarked vans. I really hate what these companies are doing. I try not to use Amazon at all. Some of their prices are way too high compared to other websites.

cats

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1232
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #76 on: August 06, 2018, 09:53:22 AM »
I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but a few times when I made non-Prime purchases on Amazon recently (DS has the Prime subscription in our house to get the student rate, I don't always feel like bothering him with the order) the shipping windows given have been quite long and the items were not shipped until the last possible day.  I suspect this is deliberate, in order to encourage people to spring for Prime.

I would expect this to happen but in the few purchases I've made in the past year or so, it generally hasn't been the case.  I actually typically have things arrive within 2-3 days (I think...as mentioned above, I also don't use Amazon for time sensitive purchases so...I may have lost track).

Sugaree

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1665
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #77 on: October 15, 2018, 10:41:43 AM »
We have a few:

Prime - which we use for the streaming and reading benefits way more than the shipping
Sirius XM - I live in a part of the world where the only over-the-air radio stations are ones that play country or "classic" rock (read: Southern rock from the 70s)
Netflix - currently sharing a subscription with the parental units
Boomerang - at $40/year this one easily has the best entertainment-to-dollar value of all of them when it comes to keeping the kid entertained

I think overall we are spending $340/year on subscriptions.  The Sirius is a killer at $200/year.  It's usually my birthday present to myself (i.e. paid for with birthday money).  Amazon is a little more than I'd like to pay, but we do use the TV streaming a lot and I use the Kindle reading benefits a good bit.  We had considered Hulu, especially Hulu live for football games, but both my teams suck this year so we're holding off for right now.  We're also getting used to data limits (DH is bad about walking off or falling asleep and leaving the Firestick running). 

magnet18

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 321
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #78 on: October 15, 2018, 12:06:38 PM »
To OP, have your husband check out serif/affinity for photo editing.  Pay once rather than subscription based

I have Amazon prime, but between myself and DW we've been feeding it different .edu email address for 4 years to get student rates

$14.99/mo for Google play music, which also gives you YouTube premium, so that's all of our music and TV

I do keep around the stupidest $6/mo phone bill just to keep a phone number in my name, just because it is 321-***-0001 and i might do something with it someday...

Slee_stack

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 876
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #79 on: October 15, 2018, 01:20:55 PM »
Amazon Prime $120/yr.  But I do think we will cancel after this term ends.
SiriusXM $30/yr.  Having an older (8-10yo) car that warrants the deal is great!  $120 for 4 years!
Google Fiber $600/yr.  Pricey, but have to have decent speed internet.
TV/Netflix/Hulu..  $0.   Don't have any.
MLB TV  $5/yr.  I always buy from someone selling their Tmobile free access.  Maybe not ethical, but they don't use it, so why not me?
Cell Phone $84/yr.  On second year of Sprint Free Unlimited.  Gotta love $3.50 total per phone per month.  Granted you have to bring your own phones so you could factor in the upfront cost of those.
Gym $360/yr.   Sadly, I've not found a cheaper place that offers Racquetball Courts.  I won't ever likely be building one of those myself.  Pay-to-play...
$50/yr State Park Pass.  I will not be giving up trail riding or hiking.

That puts us at about $105/mo for subscription stuff.  I can live with that.  Its a very small fraction compared to mortgage/rent/insurance/etc.

« Last Edit: October 15, 2018, 01:23:21 PM by Slee_stack »

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #80 on: October 15, 2018, 01:39:42 PM »
Google Fiber $600/yr.  Pricey, but have to have decent speed internet.
Cries in $600/yr 6mbps DSL

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #81 on: October 15, 2018, 02:17:05 PM »
I believe my only "subscription" right now is my phone. In the past, I've had Hulu, my local gym, Audible, and $5/mo for Habitica. I do have access to Netflix through my parents, though I use it maybe every other month -- I wouldn't pay for that on my own.

Boyfriend has Amazon Prime, HBO, and Audible. I think Audible and Prime both work well for him; he has very little in his audio library that he hasn't read (although I'm going to see if I can better introduce him to some of our library's audiobook services), and since he has student Prime and shares the bennies with me and his parents, we probably recoup the cost of that between all of us. He should drop HBO (and knows it), but just hasn't done it.

Roadrunner53

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3570
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #82 on: October 15, 2018, 03:19:27 PM »
Netflix is a bargain if you ask me! There is so much they offer! I don't even watch it that much but I won't get rid of it. We get on kicks where we watch mini series and watch Netflix for days.

GUNDERSON

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 64
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #83 on: October 15, 2018, 11:46:45 PM »
Shoutout to all the people with newspaper and magazine subscriptions. We have a good number and aren't cutting. Someone has to pay for real journalism, or we're all screwed!

expatartist

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2270
  • Location: Hong Kong/Paris
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #84 on: October 16, 2018, 12:25:27 AM »
Traveling Mailbox for US address services - $200/year
US phone to use consistent # while in the States and be able to receive calls: $3/month
1 Patreon: $5/mo

Address/phone are to keep a presence in the US. Traveling Mailbox charges a fee for receiving packages so I've been using Stackry.com. May look into them for mail as well and save the annual fee.

Been looking into supportinf different journals via subscription, a friend works for Civil (blockchain platform) which just got Forbes on board.

TartanTallulah

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 592
  • Location: The Middle of Scenic Nowhere
Re: I'm in subscription hell
« Reply #85 on: October 20, 2018, 02:12:19 PM »
I have:

One newspaper subscription, which is voluntary (The Guardian) as none of the content is paywalled; I plan to take out a subscription to an additional publication after retiring when I expect to have more time to read newspapers and journals. As others have said, quality journalism needs to be supported financially.
A £10 a year subscription to a national garden centre chain. This more than pays for itself in free coffees and subscriber discounts.
£18 per month for my SIM-only phone contract.

My husband also has a phone, and Netflix.

I cancelled a couple of magazine subscriptions last year because the content was mostly fluff and advertising. I stopped non-compulsory professional subscriptions over 10 years ago on the grounds of them giving me poor value for money.

It has never even occurred to me that I might need Amazon Prime. Or Graze boxes, yarn club subscriptions, or a monthly delivery of cheese, coffee, or any form of alcoholic drink.