AIBU for buying the Radio Times every week even if we don't use it

[SmallHouse]

I was doing the recycling the other day which included last week's Radio Times, and my partner commented that we had barely read that one. Or the previous one, and why do we keep buying it now that everything is on the TV Guide button on the remote?

I felt very weird about this, and almost emotional, and came out with "It's there just in case". I know it sounds silly but just having it in the front room makes it feel like a front room. I have an odd nostalgia for it - there's always been one around.

It's £3.50 a week which does add up, but is it weird to have an attachment to what is just an unread magazine?

[AnApparitionQuipped]

@ShinyMe

They still print it, so I imagine more than just OP still buy it.

My parents and my mum's sister get it delivered. My auntie even has a fancy Radio Times leather folder thing with ribbons for page markers for it. I like to flip through it when I go back to my parents' but I only ever buy it at Christmas, I just use the onscreen guide. But I know my parents like to see an actual printed thing to decide in advance what to watch. I do wonder how much longer it will last though...

My mum would be gutted if they stopped printing it - perhaps I should be urging the OP to keep buying it!😃

[ShinyMe]

@lovemyflipflops

naah - really ?? did not know anyone still bought this ??

They still print it, so I imagine more than just OP still buy it.

My parents and my mum's sister get it delivered. My auntie even has a fancy Radio Times leather folder thing with ribbons for page markers for it. I like to flip through it when I go back to my parents' but I only ever buy it at Christmas, I just use the onscreen guide. But I know my parents like to see an actual printed thing to decide in advance what to watch. I do wonder how much longer it will last though...

[IntentionalError]

I couldn’t justify spending £3.50 per week on a magazine which was never read. It’s about the waste as much as the cash. Couldn’t you give the money to a local charity instead?

[LittlePearl]

I get it too and feel I'd really miss it if we didn't. I have toyed with cancelling because it's expensive but I can't quite bring myself to stop subscribing. I have a little ritual about what order I read stuff and do the puzzles. Daft, I know.

[sandytooth]

Get it at Christmas or your birthday

[RaininSummer]

You can probably get a free copy digitally from the library. Seems a daft waste of money to me.

[40andfit]

I always look forward to and buy the Christmas guide.

[AnApparitionQuipped]

I would compromise, OP, and buy it on occasions only - Christmas, Easter, things like the upcoming Coronation where there'll be special programming, or if you've a week off work in winter and want to hunker down in front of the TV. You can buy a cheaper guide, use one that's included with a newspaper, or just go online to save money year-round.

[mangoj]

@AnApparitionQuipped

My parents still get it every week, I think my mum has been reading it since it really was the 'radio' times rather than a TV guide. I'll read it when I'm at their house but I don't find it interesting enough to buy my own copy.

We use the guide that comes free with the weekend newspapers, or I look online (we only get Freeview so Freeview Online covers everything I can watch).

I sometimes buy the extended Christmas issue so I can plan festive viewing. I watch more television over Christmas than normal, so it's worth it. Usually we only watch one or two programmes a week, but there's naff all else to do over Christmas

Literally what I do

[OnTheBrinkOfChange]

You know you can read it online, don't you?

[eddiemairswife]

I have it delivered every week. I find it helpful to see what is coming on TV and radio, and it also contains interesting articles.

[lovemyflipflops]

naah - really ?? did not know anyone still bought this ??

[KimberleyClark]

I buy the Christmas edition, purely for nostalgic reasons. I remember the days when the Radio and TVTimes Christmas editions would sell out if you weren't sharp about getting your copies.

[Topgub]

What a waste of money and paper.

[PeekabooAtTheZoo]

How about buying a new book from a different independent author every week instead. You’ll be supporting small creative businesses and have a nice book on the table!

[Wafflesnsniffles]

YABU! If its just going to go into the recycling unread, whats the point? Total waste of resources and money. Just buy the Christmas one. Sorted!

[SmallHouse]

@AnApparitionQuipped

My parents still get it every week, I think my mum has been reading it since it really was the 'radio' times rather than a TV guide. I'll read it when I'm at their house but I don't find it interesting enough to buy my own copy.

We use the guide that comes free with the weekend newspapers, or I look online (we only get Freeview so Freeview Online covers everything I can watch).

I sometimes buy the extended Christmas issue so I can plan festive viewing. I watch more television over Christmas than normal, so it's worth it. Usually we only watch one or two programmes a week, but there's naff all else to do over Christmas

I think that's the thing, my own parents always had it, and when we moved into our first house I remember doing a shop and getting one, as it felt like it was "what you do".

When my sons come back over for Christmas they read that one! One of them even has the highlighter out.

[AnApparitionQuipped]

'What's on TV' is only 75p. It's full of celebrity crap and shite about soap operas, but the listings pages are perfectly adequate.

[MarshmallowMadness]

We buy it at Christmas for nostalgia's sake but even then we don't really use it.

[BarbaraofSeville]

If you want a TV guide, (I find it much easier to see what's on in a magazine than on screen) on you could get something cheaper.

I used to by The Times on a Saturday, partly for the TV section, as well as some other bits I liked, but I never read them all, and still have a pile next to the bed, with some a good few months old because I do intend to look at them.

But I've now switch to the i Weekend, because it's half the price and there's less of it, and I do manage to get through it, so it's worth it to me.

But if you don't even want it, stop buying it. £3.50 a week is nearly £200 per year. Nearly all of us would value that amount of money to spend on something worthwhile to us rather than just throwing it away.

[AnApparitionQuipped]

My parents still get it every week, I think my mum has been reading it since it really was the 'radio' times rather than a TV guide. I'll read it when I'm at their house but I don't find it interesting enough to buy my own copy.

We use the guide that comes free with the weekend newspapers, or I look online (we only get Freeview so Freeview Online covers everything I can watch).

I sometimes buy the extended Christmas issue so I can plan festive viewing. I watch more television over Christmas than normal, so it's worth it. Usually we only watch one or two programmes a week, but there's naff all else to do over Christmas

[FourTeaFallOut]

£175 quid is a lot of wasted money for something that you don't read, not to mention that wasted resources of buying and binning an unread magazine. If it brings you the sense of security that comes with nostalgia, you could get the Christmas edition each year to have around for the season?