The Frugal Bostonian

I like to read magazines, but rarely buy them.  I have subscriptions to two magazines that were free from mycokerewards.com.  But, having joined a gym, I now have a great opportunity to read lots of magazines.

The gym has a magazine rack near the exercise bikes.  I like to grab a few magazines to read while I pedal for an hour.  I always enjoy the usual staples - People, Time, Newsweek - but when none of these were around, I started branching into new genres just because they were there, and I wanted something to read.

Luckily for me, the consumer reports that was available was a current issue with camera reviews.  I’ve read quite a few car magazines - I’m not planning to buy any of the cars, but it provided insight into what to look for in a car.  I read a few alumni magazines from colleges I did not attend - it’s always interesting to read an “insider” view of something you don’t belong to.  A few newsletters from animal organizations, environmental concerns, and unions were interesting.  And I had a chance to read conservative and liberal magazines.

Since these magazines are there for the reading, I am using them to broaden my perspective.  I learned that the car magazines review mainstream “boring” cars in addition to sports cars, so I know one place to look if I end up in the market for a car.  I had long ago forgotten about Consumer Reports until I found it on the magazine rack, and it helped my finalize my decision about buying a particular model of camera.  While none of the “position” materials have changed my mind, I learned more about other points of view (and I am going to bring newsletters I have finished and leave them for others to read).