Making better use of my time
November 15, 2007
Not that watching the end of Michael Bay’s Transformers wasn’t a great use of my morning commute time, but now that I’m done, I could start spending that hour doing something that is more productive or educational. I can’t concentrate on learning a language if I’m not also reading and writing at the same time (I did try some foreign language podcasts), so another option is reading the Wall Street Journal.
I recently tossed out a teaser letter from the WSJ that offered the print paper for $99 a year. I wonder if I can find better rates online?
For 26 weeks, they offer:
Print only: $59
They say I would save 75%, “plus 1 week free!” (When I click on subscribe, it says that I will receive 27 weeks, total, so it’s not just a bait and switch involved with the discounted price vs. newsstand price.)
For 52 weeks, they offer:
Print/online combo: $125, plus 8 weeks free
Print only: $99, plus 2 weeks free
Online only: $79, plus 2 weeks free
At 6 issues a week, if I subscribe for 26 weeks, I’m getting 162 copies for $59, which equals: 36 cents each.
OR I could get:
Print/online combo at 360 copies for $125 = 35 cents a copy, plus online access.
Print only: 54 cents per copy
Online only: access to the current issues and archives.
The online only version isn’t an option because it doesn’t help me on the commute unless I get internet access gadgets, which isn’t a cost effective solution.
Hmm…then again, given my current cash crunch, spending money at all is not a good solution. It’s time for some creative funding. Normally I deplore the use of any mileage for magazine redemptions, but I do have number of Alaska Air miles that will likely expire before I fly Alaska again. Maybe I can redeem those!
To avoid the expense of a subscription to WSJ, you might try reading (and/or printing out–a few pages a day–to read during the commute) the online versions of Morningstar, Kiplinger, Vanguard, T. Rowe Price, Fidelity, Forbes, or Smart Money. (There’s a lot of free info on their web sites; you don’t need a subscription.)
Also, I’d be happy to send you last year’s print issues of Forbes and Smart Money, if you like (just email me your mailing address).
~Sabrina~ My problem is that I can actually read an entire paper in an hour. A few articles will only get me halfway from the main station to the first of ten stations.
I could try the online version for two weeks (free) and print a lot of those articles out, because I really want current market news, but I’d also feel quite wasteful.
I’ll take you up on the Forbes/SmartMoney back issues for now!