my husband named this magazine overload. how ironic since more are HIS magazines.

We all have guilty pleasures.  If you don’t, you should.  Magazines happen to be one of mine.  No, not THAT kind of magazine (rolling my eyes).  I’ll list some of my favorites later in this post.  

My earliest memories of magazine-love were with my first subscription to a magazine.  My parents got my Cricket a magazine for children.  I looooved getting that magazine in the mail.  Not only was it my own mail, it was filled with stories and games that I loved.  It’s still in print.

Then came Highlights.  You know the one they always seem to have in dentist offices?  It’s a kids magazine too.  I remember loving that one.  I think I even ended up with a subscription to that too.  What’s up with the selection in dentist offices anyway?  Growing up, ours had Highlights, fishing magazines, and weird coffee table books, like the ones you get in the Bonus Buy section of Barnes and Noble.  A little diversity would have been nice.  Instead, after reading Highlights and staring at the fish tank for a while, there was nothing else to read or do while you waited.   Chewing finger nails and praying to God that you didn’t have cavities was all there was.

My brothers used to get National Geographic for Kids and Ranger Rick.  I loved reading those too.  We used to see who could name all those close up pictures the fastest in the National Geographic.  They still publish both these magazines.  I tried to turn my girls onto them a few years back.  No deal.  They were not interested.  At all.

Of course I moved onto Tiger Beat, Sixteen, and Seventeen.  I was pretty typical of a girl my age in loving fashion, make up, and of course, boys.  Tiger Beat & Sixteen was where I got all the latest on the famous people...you know, Shawn Cassidy, Leif Garrett, and all those guys.  Seventeen was a little more “mature” and got away from the celebs.  I adored buying these mags with my allowance. 

Then I moved onto Cosmopolitan.  I remember reading it in college.  Maybe even in high school.  Not sure.  Um.  I learned a LOT from that magazine.  I probably shouldn’t have been reading it (my mother wouldn’t have been happy with me reading it) but I did.  I haven’t read it for a long, long time.  Often when I see it in the grocery store now, the front is covered to protect the eyes and souls of the innocents.  Wow did I learn a bunch of stuff.

Here’s a list of magazines that I heart and read regularly.  Some I even subscribe too.  I’ve cut back on subscriptions because I honestly didn’t have time to read them all.  And some seemed terribly repetitive.  

The Week.  While I read the paper daily, as well as, the internet news, this mag is perfect for it’s synopsis of news around the world.  It gives me a little bit of everything, along with some great editorials.  One of my favorites.

People.  I used to subscribe.  I don’t anymore, but occasionally will pick it up at the grocery store if the front cover looks good.  

Real Simple.  This is such a beautiful mag.  I love the philosophy, the ideas, the pictures, quotes, and recipes.  They write books too....about organization, weddings, parties, and more.  Also a favorite.  Just subscribed for $20 for 2 years.  Holla.

Reader’s Digest.  My grandparents used to give me their leftovers.  I still love to read all the jokes, do the Word Power, and check out the articles.  Yes, this makes me a little old lady.  I am not ashamed.

Coastal Living.  Somehow I haven’t achieved having a coastal house or making my house look like a coastal house.  But I dream.  

Any home decorating magazine.  This is a big problem.  Like huge.  I’m the sucker in the grocery store line grabbing a couple of these puppies for ideas for our house.  I rip them up and have a folder of looks I want to duplicate.  These mags are $5-$10 a pop.  NOT a good impulse purchase.

Architectural Digest.  Ever start receiving magazines in the mail that you didn’t subscribe too?  Yeah me too.  This is one of them.  This is so far away from my own lifestyle, it’s absurd.  But fun to look at and imagine.  ***One time Greg got a year of Maxim magazine that he says he didn’t subscribe too.  (For the record, I believe him.)  We had to hide the cover of the magazine every time it came.  My girls would tell people that Daddy had naked girl magazines if they saw.  

Men’s Journal & Men’s Health.  Greg subscribes so I read.  Naturally these are both tailored toward me.  

Runner’s World.  Covers running from beginners to elite.  Always has great information about running, food, other exercise.  

You know who has a lot of subscriptions??  My husband.  He’s worse than me.  He gets every GOLF magazine made.  Then there’s Outdoor, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Money, Smart Money and more.  I read some of his mags, but not all.  Some are boring(read:  Money, Smart Money, anything businessy or financial).  He reads mine too, although he wouldn’t want me to tell you he reads People.

I love books too.  But the thing about magazines is that they’re so “doable”.  Quick stories or articles.  You can pick it up, put it down, then pick it up again.  And there are pretty pictures.  Except in my more newsy magazines.   If I head to bed exhausted (many nights) and I know I’ll fall asleep reading a book, I’ll read a little bit of a magazine instead.  

One other thing to point out.  Magazines are expensive, IF you buy them off the shelf.  But if you subscribe, it’s generally a ton cheaper.  If the subscription is $15 or less and I really love it, I’ll subscribe.  

I’d be curious to know what magazine you can’t do without.  What’s your go-to when you have time?