Recession and the people that have money

[dancerjodi]

Here's the other side:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119436674306384072.html

I keep going back and forth on whether I want to cancel my subscription to the local paper. Its easier to read a hard copy, but most articles are available online. Have any of you made this change? I'm curious about what the transition was.

Its not expensive at all, way less than most folks spend on coffee each day on the way to work. Its just another potential place to save. I'm trying to strike a good balance between being cheap and being mindful of what I'm spending. :)

Comments

[silentq.livejournal.com]

We had a hard copy subscription to the Globe for a few months, but canceled it when I realised that the quality of the writing was so poor it was making me seethe. :) Plus we had piles and piles of newspapers to recycle, even with not getting it every day. Now I use my google home page which gives me the top BBC News World Edition headlines (which update throughout the day), and I can click through to ones that sound interesting. Most sites have RSS feeds set up, you could customise a news page from different sources and make your own paper. :) I keep meaning to do that so that I get highlights from Toronto and Vancouver on a regular basis, but I need to see how I can customise my work Firefox installation.

Paying for media

[dancer.livejournal.com]

I did decide to cancel. This paper is the only one that will carry the local stuff that's important to know from time to time, but after following online and comparing to the print edition I think the key stuff will be online (for free). The writing is very poor, I've just hung on to keep up on the townie news.

I do a good deal of blog reading, NPR listening and that kind of thing. Thanks for the idea of a personal Google page - I haven't done too much with that.

Re: Paying for media

[dionysia.livejournal.com]

We were thinking of getting rid of our subscription to the MWDN, but the new online search capabilities suck hard. :(

Re: Paying for media

[dancer.livejournal.com]

I've found that opening each interesting article in a new tab in the browser makes it easy to read. I just go section by section, open up each article that I want to see further and then close the windows as I go through them - it beats jumping around.

Re: Paying for media

[dionysia.livejournal.com]

I think if I made it part of my regular Web routine, I could probably do it.

But the search for previous articles is really crappy now. On Monday, I wanted to look up an article from the MWDN about candidate endorsements. I know they made the endorsements late last week. I'll be damned if I could find them anywhere on the site and the search brought up mostly commercial links from wickedlocal.com.

Re: Paying for media

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"I think if I made it part of my regular Web routine, I could probably do it."

That's what I'm going to make an effort to do. Normally I read while I'm making dinner and waiting for something to finish, so I could just as easily sit at the table with my laptop as a paper. Or I could catch it that day from work and take 5-10 minutes out of my lunch hour. We shall see! I can always sign up again if I'm missing it.

[rubicat.livejournal.com]

I use Apple's Zinio reader since I got an online Macworld subscription. They have other offerings as well. I admit, though, that hardcopies are great for reading when I'm traveling, or in a waiting room somewhere. I take all my foodie mags and send them via Media Mail to Jeanne in Minneapolis.

After reading the article...
One thing I've been LIVID about it my credit card. I have a Chase Visa which gives me frequent flier miles. I got it in 2000, and have used it for business expenses and large purchases. It carries a $45 annual fee (expensable) and now... 17.45% APR. I want something better, but I keep hitting brick walls. I have stellar credit, and I'm really ticked off that I'm trapped by this card. There's got to be something better!

BTW, I'm hoping that you two might be freefor Spanksgiving Saturday the 24th... keep us in mind if you don't already have plans!

[dancer.livejournal.com]

I do like having magazines for travel. I travel so infrequently that I think that spending on one here and there would end up cheaper than subscriptions or this newspaper (I do have one subscription to Bust Magazine, which I love love love and won't give up unless I need to). :)

RE Spanksgiving, we do have plans with friends in Arlington already in the late afternoon so I'm thinking we may come by to hang out post dinner. I can't wait! :)

[rubicat.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad to hear you'll be able to stop by.

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

Call the card company and ask them if they can give you a better rate. If you haven't been late in the last year, they likely will. I called AmEx and they dropped my rate to 10.5%. It seems to be largely computer-driven, not the judgment call of the person you talk to.

[rubicat.livejournal.com]

I did. Twice. Alas.

I have never been late; my card is always paid in full several times a year (I would say monthly, but I do sometimes carry a balance for 1-2 months), and I have stellar credit. This is really the only credit card I have, other than a Sears card that I've had since I was 18.

I can never quite seem to get the bargain.

Cute icon!

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember one of our last recessions was fueled by people not spending money. On a personal level being conservative with ones money is always a good thing, but on the other hand, when everyone stops spending money there isn't as much to float our economy. It's good to hear a financier say we shouldn't be panicking--and I HATE largess of christmas--but if there is low spending at christmas that might kick-start a recession. I'm not a die-hard capitalist, but I dread recession years.

[julishka.livejournal.com]

I finally cancelled my globe subscription long ago due to the fact that i just didn't read it fast enough to warrant a subscription. i ended up throwing out more paper than i read & i just couldn't bear to waste all that newsprint.