Magazines - entertaining or demoralising?

I used to buy quite a few magazines when I’d be hanging around in cafes waiting for DDs from school - invariably one or other or both would be staying behind at short notice! I just found them so repetitive:- how to have an enormous family Christmas, then daffodils everywhere, followed by spring lamb recipes for Easter, make a Mother’s Day special etc etc - right through to Halloween and Bonfire Night treats! DH even stopped his sporting magazine subscriptions as they reported the same topics at the relevant time of year. Money wasted.

I've never found any women's mags that are relevant to me. I don't have a family, don't wear make-up, have done my own hair since I was a kid, couldn't care less what the latest fashion or fad is, etc., and celebrities really don't interest me one jot.

I subscribe to some craft mags but thats all.

@parkersheen
Could you find a similarly priced one you actually enjoy and get her to swap for that? You could say the other ones getting a bit samey, or something similar so as not to hurt her feelings. It's a shame for her to waste her money.

I always buy trashy magazines when going on holiday or for a weekend away. Usually Take a Break, Chat, etc about 4 or 5. I found it relaxing to do the puzzles and read on the plane or in the caravan on a wet day. Needless to say haven't bought any for over a year now due to Covid

Grandmajean

I used to like Good Housekeeping but don't buy it any more. Got really fed up with the "I love getting older" articles from famous women whose photos have so obviously been treated to wrinkle removal. I also got tired of the Christmas editions where everybody was hosting a fantastic family event . Haven;t bough a magazine for ages .

I subscribed to GH since 1986, when I came back from South Africa and I couldn't find a magazine quite like Fair Lady (SA's then leading mag). I've become more and more disillusioned with GH since this new ed (not a patch on Lindsay Nicholson - what happened to her?), so I cancelled my sub as it became too celebritifed and there's only so much of Lorraine, Lulu and co I can take. Maybe I'm getting too old and have outgrown it. I do look at it occasionally on Prime and that makes me feel I took the right decision. We do have Private Eye and that it always a great read!

how do i magnifiy the magazines on line that i borrow from the library so that I can read them

I love the magazines at my dentist - Conde Nast fancy travel with luxury homes/hotels. Stunning photography.

Likewise the National Geographic - we used to have a subscription to that but now I read it online.
The photos are usually fabulous - even when illustrating a terrible story they are exceptional. Some insights are very moving, and sometimes things I knew nothing about.

Like others, I used to be an avid reader of magazines. A regular treat was a cuppa, a magazine and put my feet up. But over the past decade I've just found them to be more and more of a waste of time and money. Maybe it's about getting older and realising that my time is more precious; I don't want to waste it. So, if I want to read something, I read a book - paper or eBook; or I do puzzles to keep my brain sharper. But, magazines, no. Never again.

I find those high gloss women's magazines just so out of touch with the general population. Everything and everyone appears so perfect. Totally unrealistic for most. Yes, we can strive for improvement but the fact a person is featured in a magazine generally means they are unusual otherwise why make a feature of them.

@parkersheen
I agree with others - it's such a pity for her to waste her money on something you don't enjoy. Imagine how hurt she would be if she found out in the future that you hadn't told her sooner? Yes, find a publication you DO want and just tell her "I fancy a change". I'm sure she will be delighted to get it for you.

I have subscriptions for Landscape and GH, but to be honest I now hardly look at them prefering to read my books. I bought Woman's Weekly last week whilst stuck in A&E waiting room, and it was total rubbish. I could have done better myself. Very bad value for £1.50.
I didn't realise Amazon Prime had free mags. Must look.

Someone bought me a subscription to Woman & Home. I won’t be sorry when it ends. I agree with most points raised here about “Superwomen” etc. I’ve stopped reading those articles but I guess for younger women they could be aspirational & inspiring.
The particular articles which infuriate me are the ones leading up to Christmas! The recipes are lovely but who has the time or inclination for all that cooking? Im sure full time working women probably don't & in my case, it just depresses me. Makes me feel a tad inadequate because I wont buy into the pre-December hype. I’m not a grouch but there is that subliminal pressure from magazines and tv leading up to the seasonal food & shopping fest which leaves me cold. As for the articles about festive dressing and sparkling for the party? Who parties these days? Who can afford to throw one?

I subscribe to Readly for £7.99 a month which gives me access to many magazines and newspapers including the Guardian Metro and Daily Mirror. There are often offers and I had two months free . You can also allow five others to log in to your account for free.
I now dip into magazines that I wouldn’t buy and I love the variety. Only downside for me is not being able to snip things out but I do take photos of things instead.
Wish I had discovered this earlier.

Bunty

Grandmajean

I used to like Good Housekeeping but don't buy it any more. Got really fed up with the "I love getting older" articles from famous women whose photos have so obviously been treated to wrinkle removal. I also got tired of the Christmas editions where everybody was hosting a fantastic family event . Haven;t bough a magazine for ages .

I subscribed to GH since 1986, when I came back from South Africa and I couldn't find a magazine quite like Fair Lady (SA's then leading mag). I've become more and more disillusioned with GH since this new ed (not a patch on Lindsay Nicholson - what happened to her?), so I cancelled my sub as it became too celebritifed and there's only so much of Lorraine, Lulu and co I can take. Maybe I'm getting too old and have outgrown it. I do look at it occasionally on Prime and that makes me feel I took the right decision. We do have Private Eye and that it always a great read!

Bunty I remember Lindsay Nicholson too - a great editor. I think she moved on to pastures new . Seem to remember her saying she was leaving for another job. I read a blog she did on her breast cancer (before Good Housekeeping ) and the death of her first husband from , I think , leukaemia. A very brave lady.

Readly is brilliant. I am on my son’s account and it costs ne nothing,

Throwing a ( really old ) spanner in the works - does anyone remember a teenage magazine called Honey ? I absolutely loved it . Thought it was so sophisticated . It was a monthly glossy and the models etc were all in their late teens. I think one of them went on to found the Pineapple dance studio in London.

I recommend Saga Magazine always interesting articles by Jeremy Paxman, Jenny Murray etc. also health and money pages, travel and lots of current topics

Far too many adverts in most of them for me to bother.

Grandmajean

Throwing a ( really old ) spanner in the works - does anyone remember a teenage magazine called Honey ? I absolutely loved it . Thought it was so sophisticated . It was a monthly glossy and the models etc were all in their late teens. I think one of them went on to found the Pineapple dance studio in London.

I remember it! I was about 20 when it came out, so too old really, but I still read it, though I suspect not for very long.

I read ‘The Spectator ‘ and it is brilliant. It is full of interesting, entertaining and well written pieces by top writers. I give our ‘Telegraph’ weekend fashion supplements to my DD who seems to like looking at dresses that retail for half a grand. The DH and I sometimes have a giggle before we hand them over at the prices being asked to look like a dog’s dinner.

When I worked for a particular government organisation based primarily in London, our department had a standing order for Private Eye - specifically to keep track of what it had to say about us and our 'nefarious' activities. Some of it was true; much of it was not; all of it was thoroughly entertaining.

I used to love magazines, an affordable luxury, but I haven't bought any for the past three years. Simply glossy photographs, adverts and articles that barely cover the page.
Occasionally I find a forgotten old magazine, twenty, thirty years old, and realize how much reading material they contained; the present-day ones are an absolute rip-off.

I have subscribed to Prima for years as it used to be good light reading and you get sewing and knitting pattens.But lately the knitting pattens have been dire and as for the fadhion it is aimed at teenagers and thrown together.Apart from that it has puzzles, short stories and interesting artycles a light read as l said.So l still enjoy it though.

I almost posted about this topic myself. Apart from the fact that most women’s magazines repeat the same old things every year, they make me feel inadequate, depressed and under pressure to have the perfect skin routine/wardrobe/body/home decor/grow my own veg and make healthy meals and knit my own winter coat! And don’t get me started on the ‘celebs’ I usually only buy them to take on holiday but get a few different ones passed on to me.

My indulgence , Kindle unlimited, amongst the joys are being able to choose and read the many free magazines available. Latest , the History magazine, Good Housekeeping, Home Style,Good Food, National Geographic, and many more. So a varied choice, and would cost much more if brought separately. Bonus able to read on phone ,iPad and Kindle so can pick up and read wherever I go.