I don't pay for any magazine subscriptions with credit cards for this very reason.

We once enrolled our kids in a computer game thing-y that charged a very small monthly fee (less than $10). You'd be surprised how long we let it keep charging after the kids had outgrown the game because we only skimmed our accounts or because we kept thinking we'd call "tomorrow" about it. Linelle, good for you for being on top of that charge! We learned our lesson.

I normally pay by check too. I don't even remember doing an AmEx charge in the past, but when this renewal finally expires, assuming I'm still alive, I will revert to check.

Lisa, I write down every penny I spend. When my credit card bills arrive, I check each charge against my expenses. I just canceled Netflix. The trigger was their prices increased, but I don't think I'd watched a single offering in 3 years.

I don't think $33 is a lot for a one-year subscription at all. I'm gaining more and more respect, in fact, for print media, esp. Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, NY Times...they're the ones doing the real journalism (Vanity Fair is an interesting mix of the serious and the absurd). TV and radio get their info. from these places. I think their writers are the ones who should be paid well, not the polished TV anchors who just read off a teleprompter the info. these journalists actually did the work to get.

I do not understand this new corporate culture of feeling entitled to our money, that their want of our money comes before our decision to give it to them. It's really strange. And all too often, once they've taken it w/o our knowledge, it is a massive fight to get it back.

Tibb, if $33 was what everyone had to pay for a one-year subscription to Vanity Fair, I wouldn't have posted about it, unless it was to grumble about the steep rise in subscription costs.

But it was the double whammy of them using my credit card for auto-renewal and then charging me more for one year than their current online offer: $20 for one year, $30 for two. Maybe VF is worth $33/year (personally, I don't think it is), but I don't want to be the idiot who pays that much while others pay half.

Oops, bad math. $20 is not half of $33. But $30/2 years works out to be less than half.

I had a weird thing happen with Consumer Reports, of all magazines. I got an odd notice that my subscription was to be renewed. That's interesting because I had not subscribed for a couple years, so I ignored it. Then I was looking online at some tv reviews and clicked on the CR link. Bingo, I get an email from my cc saying a charge was made to my account, and it was a CR renewal. Whaat? I did not want that. Anyway, I let it go since I do use them from time to time. I think it was $12. I will have to log in and make sure auto renew is not checked. Very sneaky and I thought CR was supposed to be the champion of the people.

dedtired, CR of all magazines!

For a year I've been receiving "Fine Cooking" which seems to be from the stable of Martha Stewart. No idea where it came from. I've never been charged for it. All I can think of it was a bonus for buying something else. I'll keep a close watch though if a renewal charge comes through, because although it's been a really nice "free" magazine, it's not something I can't live without.

Now that the ex is completely out, I'm getting VF. Apparently he managed to accidentally subscribe and they are coming to my address LOL.

posted deleted as it was off subject

I've been caught by the auto-renewals a few times too. It is beyond annoying to me. I always cancel every subscription that a company has auto-renewed for me. I used to get numerous print magazines a month, but I'm down to just 2 or 3 now, for just this very reason. Always pay by check too so they shouldn't be able to hit my credit card.

This happens to me regularly...they tell me that when I subscribed, I agreed to auto-renewal. When the invoice comes in, I write CANCEL across the front and send it back. Usually a month or 2 later, they come across with a renewal offer for 1/3 of the auto renewal price and then I renew.

Annie, it's such BS that subscribing means agreeing to auto-renewal. I would never intentionally do that.

I also cancel now and then (VF, Sunset, BHG), rarely miss the issues. And then, they're tossing sweet deals my way and I think, oh, why not?

It never hurts to complain about price increases. I have a wonderful internet provider. But every year they would move me from residential account to business, jacking the price up. I'd call and say, that's way too much. They'd go, okay, we'lll give you the original price for another year. We did this dance for years, until they got their act together and now I have an even lower price.

Nope, I don't use a credit card, either. That's the small print when you use a credit card, that they have your approval to auto-renew. Just mail in a check. One magazine that I've gotten for years, I let expire and then send in a check for the rock-bottom offer. Much better deal.

I only pay by check. I'm not giving them my credit card number.

Happened to me as well. The subscription rate is tied to fine print that you will auto renew and the rate is then much higher than the intro teaser rate. Just cancel. Then you will get offers to come back.

Someone said most subscription rates are way too high and there are places online offering the same magazine subscriptions at much better terms. I don't like sneaky games. Another thing I dislike is how some of my favorite magazines save the good stuff for their special publications (12.00) and the bimonthly issues are mostly ads.

What irks me is getting renewals in the mail. I think I need to (don't check date on address label I've saved) so send in a check. Only to find out I'm not 2-3 years paid ahead! So I've made a list that stays in my desk. Easy to look and toss unnecessary early renewals.

Allison, my late husband used to do that. He assumed they were due and extended subscriptions far into the future. They word them along the lines of "Don't let it expire!" What they mean is don't let the offer expire to buy more magazines than you need plus send them as gifts to everyone you know. There's always a low rate to be had. I love that the address label has your expiration date.

One of my magazine subscription pet peeves is that when you sign up for a new subscription you get one or two old issues before you get a new issue. Why would I want to read a two month old magazine?

d_gw, I hate that! Do they think we're stupid?!! I've often contacted them and said I don't want old magazines so please extend my subscription for X number of months. They always comply. I think it's a game with them. Win some/lose some.

I started getting "SELF" Mag. last year & then got the card to renew it after the year was up. I didn't subscribe, would never subscribe to that mag, so I have no idea why I received it for a year. I've also been the "victim" of automatic renewal for another publication. I will use your suggestions of check only to renew rather than my Visa. Crazy world!!

Yeah, no more cc subscription payments for me.

tibbrix

I
don't think $33 is a lot for a one-year subscription at all. I'm
gaining more and more respect, in fact, for print media, esp. Rolling
Stone, Vanity Fair, NY Times...they're the ones doing the real
journalism (Vanity Fair is an interesting mix of the serious and the
absurd). TV and radio get their info. from these places. I think their
writers are the ones who should be paid well, not the polished TV
anchors who just read off a teleprompter the info. these journalists
actually did the work to get.

I do not understand this new corporate culture of feeling entitled to
our money, that their want of our money comes before our decision to
give it to them. It's really strange. And all too often, once they've
taken it w/o our knowledge, it is a massive fight to get it back.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I've been hearing this for yrs, subscriptions alone aren't paying for the magazine...it's the ad revenue, so I don't mind when I can get a yr of Arch Digest for $6.95!

I have a Lab magazine subscription that was gifted to me, but other than that, I don't subscribe to anything. A little over a year ago I get this People's Style magazine in the mail as a "Courtesy Copy" to try. It's totally not my thing so I gave that one to my daughter, she didn't care for it so I emailed and said thanks but no thanks. Regardless of me repeated requests to stop sending them, they won't stop sending this stupid magazine to me. Now, I'm getting renewal notices for it. I've never paid a dime (made sure of that), I've NEVER subscribed, I don't want them!! I just keep donating them to the doctors offices I service but how ridiculous is that?

I know it's not a magazine, but buyer beware of Angie's list as well. I subscribed for a year's subscription a few years back and when the "auto renewal" hit my card without any warning, I called, cancelled and insisted on a refund. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I get an email from Angie's list outlining some changes to the renewed subscription. I was kind of confused as to why I'd get that so I checked and sure enough they hadn't canceled the subscription as promised and had charged us for 2 add'l years. I seem to remember checking to make sure the refund went through too. I was angry and told them I wanted a refund. Even though I had canceled and the account hadn't been logged into for over 2 years they would not refund more than the most current renewal. I will never ever use Angie's List again.

lukki, I once subscribed to Angie's List and found it a huge waste of money. Utterly worthless.