Email to Women's Day

{This is a copy of the message I just sent to a Women's Day editor in response to a money saving tip I was not happy to see}

"I believe it was in your latest issue that I read a Money Saving Tip suggesting we cancel our newspaper subscriptions in order to save a few bucks and take advantage of the free content online. I have an even better idea! We should cancel our Women's Day subscriptions and take advantage of your free content online. At least the newspaper is a real source of meaningful information. Let me tell you where this comment is coming from.

My husband is a photojournalist for a community newspaper. He loves his job. And like many other industries... the newspaper industry is struggling. But the government will not bail out the newspaper industry even though many jobs have been lost and are in danger of being lost. Your money saving tip may save people a couple bucks but at the cost of maybe my husband's job. What would happen if I supported you and you supported me? What if I patronized the local bakery even though the prices may be slightly higher and they subscribed to the newspaper. Everyone's pinching their pennies so tightly that we're fueling the economic crisis into further destruction. Maybe, next time you talk about Money Saving Tips, they could be tips that won't cost someone else their job while someone else saves $5 a month."

I know when money is tight, we all need to see where we can make some spending cuts, but I don't think they realize that if everyone cancels their newspaper subscriptions, they will no longer have a newspaper. The industry is in the midst of a transition to online formats, but is struggling to get there with out going bankrupt. And I'm not suggesting a gov't bailout. I think these other bailouts are a load of crap.

I won't get off on that soap box. But... I just thought I'd share.