Cutting Back (or Unsubscribing Both Virtual And Actual Things)

I’ve been working on cutting back again. That’s what you have to do when money isn’t coming in the way it used to.

I can’t really drop much more of my cable without getting rid of almost all the channels, so cutting back there isn’t an option. I’ve seriously cut back on delivery food and ordering books for my Kindle. The most recent thing I’ve been cutting back on are subscriptions.

First to go were online subscriptions. There are so many emails I get in a day. Many of them I need to get (casting notices, work information), but there are at least 15 emails a day that are unnecessary. I know there are online services you can use to unsubscribe to them, but what I’ve been doing is unsubscribe to them as they come in.

I probably spend 5 minutes each day getting rid of more and more email lists. The ones that were easiest to let go of were shopping related one. I don’t need to see what sales are going on or what Groupon or Living Social has to offer. I can’t buy any of those things right now.

Next on the unsubscribe list for emails were email newsletters from friends who put me on their email subscription list. I do have a small problem with people subscribing me to their emails without me opting in. But I’ve always stayed on the list because I didn’t want to offend anyone. But really, if we are friends on Facebook, I don’t need your email newsletters. I see what is going on. So I’ve unsubscribed to dozens of those (5 alone yesterday).

After tackling email subscriptions, it was time to move on to my magazines. I love magazines. And there are plenty that I am going to keep, but I need to get rid of a bunch of them.

And I needed to get rid of them not just because of the extra cost, but these magazines were making me feel less. I’m talking mainly about the beauty/fashion and fitness magazines. While I do enjoy the beauty/fashion ones and the advice that they have, I can see that online. And it just makes me depressed that none of the clothing that they recommend comes in my size.

And the fitness magazines are just the same pieces of advice over and over again. I know how to lose weight. I’ve done it.

If you find me a magazine all about maintaining a weight loss, that I would consider subscribing to.

The magazines that I plan on keeping are People (which I think everyone pretty much gets), Los Angeles magazine, The Hollywood Reporter (which somehow I get for free), the SAG-AFTRA magazine (free with my union membership), and Cooking Light (I actually do enjoy seeing what recipes they have each month).

While that still is a few magazines, only 3 of them are ones I pay for. And I think that the ones that I’ve selected to keep all are positives in my life (maybe not People but everyone needs a fun magazine to bring to the beach or airport).

This has been an interesting decluttering experiment so far. I haven’t missed anything that I’ve gotten rid of. And once I’m used to this, I might consider cutting back some more.

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