Dump the WSJ?

[lsbcal]

That is quite tempting. I wonder if I'll get such an offer after dumping the WSJ and having subscribed to it for over 34 years. On the other hand, I'm now able to pretty thoroughly read my Economist weekly magazine. So there is less stress on my mental "things to do list". Also there is something to be said for simplifying the information stream you take in.

[explanade]

Cripes they charged $149 on my credit card last week.

I called to cancel and he tried to switch me to a dept. but then said the dept. was closed so he said they would credit $146 and change back.

They were boosting it by high double-digit percentage each year.

What's with the sliding subscription scale BS? And to try to gouge long-time subscribers too.

[WilliamG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plsprius I gave up the WSJ some time ago. I don't really miss it because I can read many of the articles on the free version of the web site. This morning I received an email "special welcome back offer" for $59 per year, including a $20 Amazon gift certificate. So, the net price would be $39. I guess this is what is called 'deflation' (or maybe 'competition' or 'desperation'). I'm tempted...maybe... - plsprius

Congratulations! In March my re-subscribe rate was over $400. They offered me "a deal" of around $350. Just too expensive, so have been without even though I do enjoy reading the WSJ.

Got a Kindle and subscribed to the Kindle version for $9.99 a month. Was ok with this even though the Kindle version is much abridged from the paper version. Shortly after getting this subscription the price went up to $15 per month! Have canceled but just this week started paper delivery back. Dow Jones called with an offer at $99 a month. Not as good as yours but I'm happy.

[tiuxiu]

I just started mine back up using airline miles like someone else mentioned. Last time I had it was from miles too, and I went about six months without until the latest miles for magazines offer.

[lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade Cripes they charged $149 on my credit card last week. I called to cancel and he tried to switch me to a dept. but then said the dept. was closed so he said they would credit $146 and change back. They were boosting it by high double-digit percentage each year. What's with the sliding subscription scale BS? And to try to gouge long-time subscribers too.

Many of us are just too nice. I'll include myself in that group . Then you have the hard headed business types who gauge just how much they can push each deal -- it has nothing to do with loyalty or creating a nice relationship with the customer. The best businesses figure how to make these facts of life a win-win proposition for customer, staff and money hungry management. I don't think the Wall Street Journal is exactly prospering and this is part of their problem.

It only took me 30 years of customer loyalty to figure that out and I'm offering it to everyone here for free . I really have not missed my WSJ subscription. More time to read the Economist now.

[Dennis]

Well IAD, but I cancled mine Yrs ago after getting more than enough Information and Propaganda to support Wall stret..with WSJ.. And Being Retired? I don't need that kind of information anymore..
I also Go once a Week to my Library and read it there on a rainy day or in Winter..or over to Our Caribou Cafe that has it there for Free..

Just like the NYTimes and their $5-6 for a Sunday paper that is 90% Adds and 10% fodder..Who R they kidding.. Most Newspapers have been con games for yrs.. Collecting so much in advertising they could give it away for free.. 90% of their Columnist and People have been over paid for yrs anyway..

As for College calling for Donations? I told them, sure, just as long as you agree to Invest the Endowment $ sensibly and FIRE those that have been running it..
( it lost over 30% last yr)..I heard Harvard's lost even More..

[Kroeran]

Up here in socialist eastern Canada, the WSJ has been a dear friend over many decades, and I am sad to hear that it is struggling.

Of course, I am not much help, as I don't pay for it very often.

I found out our office library throws out the archived papers after 2 months. Now, they keep them for me and I pick them up once a month. I have a stack of them at the house, and I pick one out of the pile whenever heading to a cafe or heading to the mall with the wife.

The timeless content stands out clearer when you are reading it a couple of months after the publication date. It is also very interesting to read certain articles with the knowledge of what actually took place in the two months following.

[deserat]

WSJ is expensive so I read a lot of stuff online. As for timeless, I agree with Kroeran - they do in-depth reporting (although that has gotten shorter shrift lately) - great book reviews and some interesting travel sites. They just had a great article on Roth conversions. My favorite part a few years ago was the in-depth reporting on what the dot-com millionaires did with their millions - many of them partied and spent all of the IPO money. Very interesting insight into human behavior/character and how it doesn't change much.

As for the Economist, I've seen they've gone very left - to be honest, it's hard to find any publication that attests to neutrality and truly delivers it. One of the things I like about the WSJ is they profess a pro-business stance and stick to it. So, I know their bias going in and don't have to waste time trying to figure it out.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deserat As for the Economist, I've seen they've gone very left - to be honest, it's hard to find any publication that attests to neutrality and truly delivers it. One of the things I like about the WSJ is they profess a pro-business stance and stick to it. So, I know their bias going in and don't have to waste time trying to figure it out.

Very much agree with you deserat. I don't mind publications being politically slanted as long as they are relatively consistent and their slant is stated up front with no hidden agendas that I need to figure out.

[explanade]

Because they endorsed Obama?

Conservatives in Europe are more to the center than conservatives in America.

Economist was never the IBD.

[Kroeran]

wow. I just news googled a locked WSJ article, and it linked me back to an unlocked version on the WSJ site itself.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kroeran wow. I just news googled a locked WSJ article, and it linked me back to an unlocked version on the WSJ site itself.

shhhhhhh...don't say that too loud or everyone will hear. I canceled my WSJ a year ago but haven;t stopped reading...
You can do that with Barron's as well - but recently just page one of a multipage article.

[tiuxiu]

(barely related to thread)

I canceled cnnfn's web site awhile back because of the videos.

It used to be a quick link on my browser tool bar, but sadly some fool decided that going to the page needs to automatically play a video about stuff I couldn't care less about.

Why on earth anyone would assume everyone going to that web page wants to have sound come over their speakers without making the choice to click on something is beyond me.

[al_bundy]

got one of them new iPhones

WSJ app rocks, and it's free

[explanade]

True but at some point, they will cut off access to content. That's what the disclaimer says when you launch the app.

But it is surprising that since I ended my subscription, I'm able to view most of the content anyways.

[al_bundy]

i also have the NY Times app, AP News, USA Today, Bloomberg and a few others. WSJ is nice but if i were to look around i'd probably find the same information for free on the internet. and there are a bunch of finance apps that will give you stock and bond prices

and depending on the price, i might pay for it. i used to read it every day years ago and the best part was their own researched stories. but reading a summary on a blog is good enough for me if it's too expensive

[explanade]

I think they might look to charge a subscription. I just opened it and they had a survey up and one of the questions was whether you'd subscribe to the mobile app.

If I were to get something like a Kindle, I might subscribe to WSJ for a low intro. price and maybe some papers.

[tiuxiu]

Kindle would definitely make it more appealing. There's something about coffee and paper in hand on the patio that the internet can't currently duplicate well, perhaps Kindle type devices have a better shot at it.

[al_bundy]

no way i'd pay $500 just to buy more books and newspapers

iphone can at least do a long list of other things

[explanade]

Yeah if not Kindle then an eBook application running on a laptop.

Problem with Kindle is it's asking a lot for not having color or the ability to view other media on a big screen.