Is your house getting overrun with all of those free magazines? I know mine does from time to time, but alas! I just can’t help it! I’m an avid reader, and magazines are a great source of entertainment and relaxation for me.
But that’s not the only reason I jump on the free magazine subscriptions I see.
Nope. The free magazines that sometimes take over my bookshelves serve other purposes as well…
Free Samples
Magazines, especially women’s magazines and parenting magazines, often have free samples of different products tucked into the pages. Perfume samples are probably the most common free samples you’ll find. However, I’ve found all sorts of free samples in magazines, including eye shadow, moisturizer, lipstick, and foundation!
Coupons
Snagging those free magazines are a great way to get your hands on some high value coupons as well! Many magazines also have great coupons in them. Coupons for cleaning supplies can often be found on the pages of housekeeping magazines, for instance, and cosmetics coupons can usually be found in beauty magazines.
Crafts
Having free magazines come to your house every month means that you’ll have an almost endless supply of crafting goodies. You can use magazine pages to make all sorts of nifty crafts, including beads, baskets, garlands, gift bags, bows, wall art, decoupage, and more!
Seed Starters
We have a huge garden, and we start tons of seeds every year. If I had to actually buy the seed starting pots every year, I’d go flat broke before the actual season even started. Instead, we use pages from old newspapers and my free magazines. Start by cutting a magazine page in half lengthwise, and wrap it around a tomato paste can with a little excess hanging off one end. Fold the paper hanging off the can into the center, and carefully remove your new seed starting pot from the can. Fill it with dirt and plant your seeds. When it comes time to plant outside, just dig a hole and plop the whole thing in the ground.
Donations
Finally, when I have a huge stack of magazines that are still mostly in one piece (minus the samples and coupons) I donate them. Every time someone goes to the doctor in my family, they tote along a big stack of magazines. If the receptionists want the magazines for the waiting areas, we leave them. Always ask first if you can leave them, but I’ve never had anyone tell us no. Most offices with waiting areas are more than happy to toss the old magazines and replace them with new ones!
