How to cancel a gift subscription and still get the cash?

January 30, 2007 10:22 AM

My friend gave me a year's worth of "New York" magazine as a gift. If I cancel it, the money goes back to her. How can I get rid of my subscription and still a) not let her know and b) cash in on its $39.90 value? Ideas, anyone?

This is a great magazine that covers New York gossip, cultural events, sales, restaurants, fun stuff. Unfortunately, I am trying to scale down my lifestyle to save money. This magazine just makes me want to spend!

So I want to stop it from coming every week. But still profit from it. Because if I don't, the tightwad in me will let it keep on coming in...thus, tempting me 52 times a year!

Oh help! (from my wallet)

posted by beautiful to Shopping (10 answers total)

Give it to a library. Don't tell your friend. Ask yourself what $39.90 is worth, anyway. And really, is the point of presents to benefit from them or to profit from them?
posted by jon_kill at 10:29 AM on January 30, 2007

You could try to sell the subscription on eBay, then change the name/address to the winner.
posted by dcjd at 10:39 AM on January 30, 2007

Are you sure she actually paid $39.90 for it? The current subscription price listed on their website is $19.97, and I got my subscription last year for about $10. Does knowing that it likely didn't actually cost $40 make it easier for you to let the money go?

That said, I agree with jon_kill. Keep the subscription or give it away. The money is not worth hurting your friend, who was only trying to make you happy.
posted by decathecting at 10:43 AM on January 30, 2007

Hmm, I just gave someone a NY Magazine subscription as a gift. It was a deal for renewing my subscription- for $24.97, I could renew mine for a year, and give a year to someone else. So it's possible your friend only paid $5 over the general renewal price (of $19.97).
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:55 AM on January 30, 2007

Barter it with a friend for some pie or something. You probably won't do much better than that.
posted by MetaMonkey at 11:05 AM on January 30, 2007

The hospital my wife works at is always accepting magazines. In fact, we subscribed to several (for free) just to give to them.

I really don't think you'll get any money from them. Sorry.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 11:11 AM on January 30, 2007

Thank you for the ideas! Knowing that she didn't pay $40 for it makes me feel better about letting it go or converting to pie on Craigslist.

Btw, I am currently unemployed, so $39.90 is worth quite a lot to me. That is why I didn't want to just let it go to waste.

And, just for the record, I don't think any amount of $ is worth hurting a good friend for, hence this posting.
posted by beautiful at 11:11 AM on January 30, 2007

FWIW, you can get 1 year of New York magazine for $5.95 here. I've used that site several times for different magazines with no problems.
posted by jaimev at 11:25 AM on January 30, 2007

change the address on the subscription to that of your barber/hair cutter. then you don't have to worry about them coming to your home every week but will still be able to browse through them when you go to get your hair cut. and perhaps you'll even be able to get a free hairt cut out of the deal if you're lucky.
posted by antitext at 6:38 PM on January 30, 2007

There is/was a used book store on Newbury St. in Boston which buys/sells pre-read magazines as well. Current issues are pricier than older (and they did not go back far). Maybe there is a similar store in your area.
posted by evilelf at 12:08 PM on January 31, 2007