I subscribed to GW magazine when it first came out, but I cancelled it after a couple of years because it got repetitive.
Insurance companies are still up to the usual tricks even if they don't call it a bonus for new customers. I looked around when my car insurance renewal notice came and found the same cover for about two thirds of the price, so I phoned the first insurer to cancel the direct debit (not sure how it had got on auto-renew but that's another issue) and they promptly offered to match the other quote. No thanks, not after I've already done the legwork. The person on the phone was quite pushy (maybe they get a bonus for retaining a customer) but I told her if they wanted to keep my custom they should have quoted the lower price for the renewal in the first place. I don't suppose anything will change.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I had that situation a couple of years ago @JennyJ, when I phoned to cancel a policy because of the high premium. The woman got quite shirty with me. That's another annoying thing - having to phone instead of an email etc. It's so that they can talk you round. What I don't get is the huge variation in prices people are mentioning for the renewal quotes for the mag. It's not the same as car or household policies, where location and vehicle etc make a difference. I can see the point if it's going to another country, but it shouldn't be so vastly different otherwise.
Unless the subscription provides a lot of extras that you would use, there's no advantage over buying it monthly in a shop.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I cancelled the magazine subscription when it got to the point that I was flicking through it and only finding maybe one or two articles that I wanted to read properly. I've occasionally bought a copy in the shops when it had good free seeds or something that looked interesting, but not often.
I have RHS membership which gives me more free garden entry than I can use, and The Garden magazine which I do normally read most of. The subscription does go up a bit each year but not by huge leaps and I save it on garden entry costs anyway, and the magazine and subscriber areas on the website are a bonus.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Insurance companies are still up to the usual tricks even if they don't call it a bonus for new customers. I looked around when my car insurance renewal notice came and found the same cover for about two thirds of the price, so I phoned the first insurer to cancel the direct debit (not sure how it had got on auto-renew but that's another issue) and they promptly offered to match the other quote. No thanks, not after I've already done the legwork. The person on the phone was quite pushy (maybe they get a bonus for retaining a customer) but I told her if they wanted to keep my custom they should have quoted the lower price for the renewal in the first place. I don't suppose anything will change.
You'll be glad to know that this can no longer happen.
Hello Green Man, but what about your Gardeners world subscription please, I still have 8 issues to go and ends Oct 2022 and they are telling me the direct debit is going up as of 31st March 2022 !!!!
Hello Green Man, but what about your Gardeners world subscription please, I still have 8 issues to go and ends Oct 2022 and they are telling me the direct debit is going up as of 31st March 2022 !!!!
Mine was bought as a gift and only lasts for 1 year. I'm happy to pick it up in the shop if the content appeals.
I would cancel it @MariaJ, and then contact them and tell them why. Then see if they offer you a better deal. It would be interesting to see if that happened Or try subscribing under a different name/address and see what the rate would be. If it's much lower, challenge them about that.
I just looked and it's £24.50 for 6 copies if I subscribed now. How about getting a neighbour to do it, and you give them the money?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Insurance companies are still up to the usual tricks even if they don't call it a bonus for new customers. I looked around when my car insurance renewal notice came and found the same cover for about two thirds of the price, so I phoned the first insurer to cancel the direct debit (not sure how it had got on auto-renew but that's another issue) and they promptly offered to match the other quote. No thanks, not after I've already done the legwork. The person on the phone was quite pushy (maybe they get a bonus for retaining a customer) but I told her if they wanted to keep my custom they should have quoted the lower price for the renewal in the first place. I don't suppose anything will change.
You'll be glad to know that this can no longer happen.
Thanks so much Fairygirl, good advise too .... I have written to subscription team and asked they honour my current rate which is £24.50 and as my subscription does not end until Oct 2022 they should keep to this rate and not the increased rate they are telling me it will be from 31.3.2022. Appreciate your help and also to all members who have been writing back with their own experiences advise and thoughts too.
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That's another annoying thing - having to phone instead of an email etc. It's so that they can talk you round.
What I don't get is the huge variation in prices people are mentioning for the renewal quotes for the mag. It's not the same as car or household policies, where location and vehicle etc make a difference. I can see the point if it's going to another country, but it shouldn't be so vastly different otherwise.
Unless the subscription provides a lot of extras that you would use, there's no advantage over buying it monthly in a shop.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Mine was bought as a gift and only lasts for 1 year. I'm happy to pick it up in the shop if the content appeals.
Then see if they offer you a better deal. It would be interesting to see if that happened
Or try subscribing under a different name/address and see what the rate would be. If it's much lower, challenge them about that.
I just looked and it's £24.50 for 6 copies if I subscribed now. How about getting a neighbour to do it, and you give them the money?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It happened in about mid-February this year.
Appreciate your help and also to all members who have been writing back with their own experiences advise and thoughts too.