I have chosen not to purchase new magazines to send to soldiers, although they frequently request them.  I can buy so many things for the same money, and I send a lot of other things for entertainment, including movies and books.  However, I do have several sources for for out-of-date magazines.  I am wondering if these are worth sending or not.  And, if so, how out-of-date the magazines might be before they would not be of any interest?

My husband and I have various magazine subscriptions, Astronomy, Discover, Science Digest, R.C. Magazines,  Wyoming Wildlife, various gun/nra magazines.  What my rule of thumb is that if it's older than 6 months old then I don't send it.  I figure by then they will really be out of date. But then on the other hand, I sent a box full of the RC magazines to a unit of helicopter pilots and they LOVED them!  So, I guess my point is that I agree with you, I would rather spend my money on other things for them and I send my used ones. 

A little thing to remember is that I always either cross out with a marker or take off the mailing label.  I think most of the guys that sign up are okay, but who knows who's hands they can fall into. 

 

I know from experience though that they like the magazines to just flip through.

Good question.  I would have to guess it depends on what type of magazine it is?  Meaning, some information goes out of date far more quickly than others.  I can read a Reader's Digest magazine from 15 years ago and still enjoy most of it, but that would not be true for, say, Newsweek, probably.  I saw a post somewhere else here that mentioned outdoors magazines as being well-liked just for the pictures in them, so that would probably apply to any magazine that has nice pictures - maybe even last year's wall calendars if you see them real cheap somewhere?  Hope someone answers who has a more informed opinion though.... 

It can get pretty costly to go out and buy new magazines and I totally agree that we can get far more things with "magazine money". I've contemplated this issue for a while and came up with a solution. I've enlisted my co-workers and my customers. I have told them what I'm doing and I've asked them to save their magazines, comic books from their kids, "gossip papers", etc., for me. Alot of people recycle their stuff with the weekly trash pickup so I've asked them to recycle their reading material to me so I can send them in my packages. Better pass them on and let someone else read them rather than read them once and have them put to the curb for trash pickup, right?

That's what we do too, there's always someone that has old magazines laying around. They just want something to read and look at, to help pass the time. I use the newspaper comic section as padding in the box  and they can read that too. Also activity books, like crossword, suduko, etc., are good to send, I buy those at the dollar tree store, nothing over a dollar there. Does anyone else shop at a dollar tree store?

Take care,

Dinah  

Back when our grandson was in Ramadi in 2004-5, when he was home on leave once (both his other grandparents died at different times while he was there), I was talking to him about sending some magazines that we had collected from people on the local Freecycle group and said that I wasn't sending women's magazines to the all-male infantry groups because I didn't think they would be interested.  He told me that I would be surprised what they would read.  I know back then they weren't getting the movies like they are now for distraction, so don't know how they would be received.  I know that some groups say to send "any old magazines" you have laying around.  Others want no more than 2 months old.  We were given some motorcycle magazines and I told the person who gave them to us that they would be happy to get those until I thumbed through them and found that they had contests for the best topless girls, so decided I would not send those!  You could do a search for various terms that might describe or identify particular names or types of magazines and see what they are currently saying.

Gran

Just a quick thank you to everyone on my way out the door this morning.  I appreciate all the insights and suggestions!

Joe&Dinah:

Does anyone else shop at a dollar tree store?

I can probably draw a map of my local store from memory, showing where all my favorite soldier items are on each aisle!

I too am a big dollar tree shopper particularly for the sudoku and word search books. I do send magazines, generally the ones we have either bought to read or subscribe to (so they are relatively current.... within a month or so). I also send the comics from the SUnday paper and Parade as well as some random ones to include people,, rolling stone, time, archeology, us news and world report, you name it. I figure there is a variety of interest and reading ability. I hesitate to send books as they are pretty bulky and they are not really for browsing the way a magazine is. I always write that I hope they enjoy them, and to please pass them on (again hoping someone will be delighted to read one of them).

I buy some toiletry items at dollar tree, but prefer to find a great deal on regular brands at the supermarket for the same price. I find the party stuff (the random silly favors) and toys at dollar tree to be very well received. I figure if it gets a chuckle or smile, that is great!!

Well, now I am home, and I wanted to say a more extended thank you for all the input.  Taken altogether, the collective wisdom here seems to be consistent with what I was thinking, but it is nice to know that others are of the same mind.

I have a number of sources for free magazines. My healthcare providers and my hairdresser saves me their outdated copies from their waiting rooms now. (Who would have thought I would some day look forward to going to the dentist?!?).  Waiting room discards are usually only 2-3 months old.  I sometimes lift some fairly recent issues from the recycling bins in my neighborhood.  I am planning to put together a little flyer that explains what I am doing and leave them at doors in my neighborhood, telling everyone that if they leave their old magaizines at my door, I will be sure that they get to a soldier.  I wanted to check with you guys before I came up with some "no older than" guidance.

Recently I realized that I could probably clean up by visiting our county recycling center.  It is not in my immediate neighborhood, but certainly seems like it would be worth a trip once every month or so.