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joyfulguy

Magazine subscription problem

joyfulguy
11 years ago

You've heard me refer to what I refer to as Canada's best personal financial management magazine, "Canadian MoneySaver" ... which, carrying no ads, is not slick and glitzy, is mostly text, with articles about 2 - 3 pages long ... and often there's a contact point at the end, so if one sends a non-frivolous comment or question to the writer, quite often receives a reply.

As they are totally subscriber-driven, when they asked what the subscribers wanted, they asked for seminars with the contributors, and they've held such in various Canadian cities, and on a cruise ship in warmer climes in winter.

Also subscribers in about 45 areas of Canada get together for discussion of financial issues: I've attended the local one, meeting monthly, pretty well year-round, for about 10 years, usually about 20 attendees. Worthwhile.

I neglected to renew my subscription in the spring of '11, probably read it at the library, though I like to keep paper copy.

Neglected to renew through the summer, and they sent me a teaser issue in September, with expiry date as of April '11.

A friend of mine knew that I liked that magazine and sometimes pass copies out to non-subscribers, including strangers, and offered me a number of her back issues.

I used them to (replace?) the issues that I'd missed, and passed out some of the others.

In the new year '12, I wrote the magazine, asking them to restart my subscription ... and to send me the copies that I'd missed, beginning in November, at extra fee.

The subscription started again with the Mar/Apr. double issue, due to expire at the end of February '13 ... but no back copies appeared. There was no additional charge for those extra copies on my credit card statement, either.

I subscribe to paper copy for about $25.00/year ... and if we want to subscribe to the electronic edition, that comes at half price additional.

That gives us access to archives, and they'd wanted $75. to send a subscription to my daughter in Phoenix ... but she could access my electronic edition with a few keystrokes. My landlord, a non-subscriber, could access my sub online, as well.

So ... after a few months, I photocopied the missing three months' issues from the archives.

They had a seminar with several of their writers in our city in the fall, and I spoke to one of the staff about the three missing issues that I'd asked for but not received, nor was I billed. She said that she rembered that situation, ad she'd look into it. I said that I didn't need them, as I'd photocopied them.

I'd had a correct expiry date Feb 28 '13 on the issues till a recent one, but it had a sticker on the front cover, rather than printed address on the back cover, at the top of page till near expiry, then at the bottom. The sticker had no expiry date.

She had said that she'd look into the matter. The next issue had my expiry date as of the end of Jan.

So, rather wondering whether they'd cut my subscription by a month due to my being naughty at improperly photocopying the three missing issues (but I'd asked them to replace them, at the regular fee), I sent them an email, detailing my problems.

Their office lady called this morning, and asked whether it'd be O.K. with me if she laughed, for it seems that she found some of the message somewhat humourous ... and I said that was o.k. with me.

She said that she'd send me the Feb. issue and restart the subscription in March ...

... and said that I'd brought some sunshine into her day.

What more can one ask?

Oh, yeah - the daughter's not too interested ... and landlord is subscribing to paper copy on his own, so the reason for the additional electronic is somewhat gone, but it does give access to archived copies, back about 10 years or so ... and maybe I can find some who may want to use it.
The former library here used to stock their paper-based issuesit, but aren't now, so I may subscribe for them ... I've been using their service quite a lot, so figure that I should write them a cheque.

Strange - when I contribute to the libraries in London or St. Thomas, a city nearby, they are registered as a charity, so my gifts are deductible ... but not so with either of the two counties that surround the two cities and I use all of their libraries, on occasion.

There's no charge for library card ... and one non-resident one expires on my birthday, can renew for free.

ole joyful

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