auto renewal

TMR Tip: Renew Your Magazines Carefully

/ abschilling / Leave a comment

One of the best money-saving tips I live by, and suggest to others, is to subscribe only to the magazines that we actually read. I’m guilty of continuing to pay for magazines that do nothing but collect dust or act as a drink coaster until I finally get sick of the clutter and cancel it. Then, out of guilt for being so wasteful, I go through them all and pull out the few pages I really want to keep.

Then I ask myself why I have all of these magazines in the first place. I mean, why do I continue to get them when I don’t read them anymore? Well, it’s because I haven’t paid attention to the renewal notices.

Then again, I don’t remember getting any. I don’t remember being annoyed by all of the letters or emails reminding me that my subscription is due or that I’ll be charged on a certain date so that I can get ‘uninterrupted service’.

Then, one day, hubby comes in with the mail and shows me an over-sized postcard (that looks a LOT like junk mail) informing us that our magazine will be renewed automatically unless we call by a certain date. But what really caught my eye was the fact that it stated, “For your convenience, we will continue to ensure that you don’t receive extra unwanted mail – the multiple renewal notices and bills that normally come with a subscription.” It goes on to describe its “hassle-free subscription” guarantee . . . “no bills, publisher renewal notices and no telemarketer calls”. In other words, you get ONE notice per year and that’s it. And because it’s printed on a big, rather nondescript, postcard that does NOT have your name, nor that of the magazine, on the front, it’s easy to pass it off as junk mail and toss it into the recycling bin. And there goes your notice. And you probably won’t think about it until you see the charge on your credit card statement a couple of months later. (And some of you might be thinking, “Maybe I’d better actually look at my statement!”)

The other thing that I noticed was the renewal price. We originally ordered the magazine because there was a special offer: $12 per year for six issues. Ok. That’s $2 an issue. Not bad considering what we would pay at the checkout counter. Now, this postcard boasts “huge savings off the newsstand price” at $29 per year. Well now, let me get my calculator . . . that’s $4.83 per issue. The magazine itself shows a price of $4.99. That’s a difference of 16¢ an issue. I’m no math genius, but that’s not huge savings. And this postcard says they guarantee “substantial” savings.

I think not.

So, hubby and I decided not to renew. Besides, we weren’t really reading it anymore. It was time. When I called to cancel, and selected that option from the menu, I fully expected to speak to a person who would do everything they could to get us to stay.

Nope.

It was all automated. And oh! what a surprise . . . I was randomly selected to receive the magazine for just $12 per year. Would I like to continue my subscription? No. Would I like a complimentary issue to peruse before I make my final decision? No. Would I like one of the other wonderful magazines that are offered at an unbelievably low rate? No. Sigh. I didn’t know if it was better or worse than talking to an actual human, but in any case, my subscription was finally canceled and I was free to go about my day.

So, here are a few things to consider if you receive magazines:

  1. Check the front of the magazine for a date or code that will let you know when your subscription will end. Usually it’s somewhere near, or above, your name and address.
  2. Make sure you know how much you paid for the initial subscription and compare it to what is being offered in order to continue.
  3. If you decide you want to continue, but don’t want to pay the full price, contact the magazine and see if they’ll offer the same rate as before or at least something better than newsstand price. If they want your business, they’ll usually make some kind of deal with you.

Magazines are a great way to stay current with whatever interests you, and there are so many titles to choose from, which gives the consumer the upper hand when it comes to finding a good deal on a subscription. (In other words, if one won’t give you a good deal, you can go somewhere else . . .) But if you’re on the fence about continuing, just ask yourself how long you’ve had the subscription, how often you actually pick it up and read it, if it’s worth the price you’re paying, and if you’re getting the same enjoyment and information out of it as you did in the beginning. Just make sure that, if you decide to keep it, you watch the mail for that junk-mail-looking postcard and then do the math to make sure you get a good deal.

Tuesday’s Tip: Renewal Screwal

/ abschilling / Leave a comment

In an effort to save some money, my husband and I are very picky about our magazine subscriptions. We only get those that cater to our specific interests, and we decided that, if they no longer serve their purpose, we let the subscription expire. As it is, we only get three: scientific for him, running for me, and one for the whole family that focuses on current events. We used to have four, but I was getting a little tired of the same thing month after month and got bored. I mean, how many times can I make myself over, overhaul my happiness quotient, and un-clutter my life in one year?

Anyway, one day, my husband got a postcard in the mail from the current events magazine. We were in the kitchen – I was making dinner and he was going through the mail – when I heard him chuckle. Not the kind of chuckle he makes when he thinks something is amusing, but a kind of cynical chuckle. Like an “unfunny” kind of chuckle.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Hmm,” he began. He flipped the card over, then back again. Then he quoted, “This is just a reminder that your subscription is about to expire. But no need to worry! Because you have opted for our convenient auto-renewal program, no action is required. We’ll simply charge your credit card $45 and delivery will continue as usual, with no interruptions. Should you have any questions about your subscription, please visit blah, blah, blah dot com, or call 1-800-blah and our team will be happy to assist you.”

I paused, mid-stir, and frowned. “Ok,” I said, not quite understanding what the exact nature of the problem was. So I asked, “I don’t understand. Is that not good?”

“Um, no,” he replied. “Especially since I only paid $20 for the subscription in the first place. Now they want to charge us $45 for another year?”

“Oh my,” I said. (Not really, but this is a tasteful blog.) “That’s more than double. That’s . . . that’s . . .”

“Stupid,” he finished my sentence. He proceeded to disappear to the computer room, then returned just a few minutes later and told me that the magazine’s website is offering the same exact subscription for $30. “Why should I let them charge me $45 when their website is offering it for $30?” he asked. I shrugged. I couldn’t think of a reason. Then he disappeared again, this time taking the phone with him. He returned a few minutes later, with that disgusted look on his face, put the phone on its cradle rather forcefully, and informed me that we were no longer going to get the magazine. Ok.

“Ok,” I said. “Why?”

“Because the guy I talked to said he couldn’t just lower the price for me. In order for us to get it for $30, we’d have to cancel our current subscription, then go online and sign up for it again, which means entering all our information again even though we already have a subscription.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “It’s not worth the hassle.”

So I guess we’re down to two magazines now.

Moral of the story? It’s twofold, actually. First, if you have magazine subscriptions, make sure you pay close attention to how much you paid, initially, for the subscription and how much your renewal will cost you. I’m not against paying for goods and services. Hey, people work hard and should be paid for their efforts, but don’t screw me over by charging me double (or more) for the next round! Charge me a fair price, treat me well, and I’ll be loyal. Secondly, automatic renewal is incredibly convenient – something I secretly love – however it’s also a marketing gimmick. Companies are counting on consumers to either forget how much they paid for the initial deal, or be so grateful that they don’t have to send something in by a certain date to continue service that they don’t pay attention to how much they’re being charged, or they’ll forget that they need to cancel by a certain date in order to not get charged. Or all three!!!

So do yourself a favor and be a savvy consumer. Pay attention to what you pay for things. Check the prices. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to something you don’t think is fair. (But be reasonable, too!) Chances are companies will work with you to get you a good deal so you’ll stay. It’s win-win.