Cancel your Statesman Journal subscription for 30 days to save $500 a year

I've subscribed to the Statesman Journal for 40 years. Today I cancelled my subscription (for 30 days), because this will save me $510 in 2018 -- following the outrageous Monday-Sunday home delivery rate increase from $44 to $59.01 that takes effect December 1.

(What's up with that one cent?)

That's a 34% increase, which is on top of a 14% increase last March.

In June I wrote a pissed-off blog post, "Statesman Journal outrage: new subscribers charged half of what loyal subscribers pay." Now the situation is even worse. New subscribers are being charged a bit over a third of what us long-time subscribers are paying.

New subscribers are still getting the same sweet deal: $11 a month for Monday-Sunday home delivery for the first six months, then $22 a month after that. 

So I decided to stop being a ripped-off old subscriber and switch to being a new subscriber. Here's how I will save $510 next year on our Statesman Journal subscription.

I cancelled via chat after being told I'd have to unsubscribe for 30 days before being able to get the new subscriber rate of $11 for the first six months, and $22 a month after that. So I figure we'll save $510.12 in 2018, compared to paying the ridiculously high rate of $59.01 a month that would have started on December 1.



I don't want the Statesman Journal to go out of business. I don't want any newspaper to go out of business.

But I can't tolerate being ripped off by Barbara Smith, VP Customer Service for Gannett/USA Today, who sent the notice that our subscription is going to cost that weirdly precise $59.01 come December 1.

I'll probably buy a paper at a convenience store for 30 days, then happily sign up in January as a new customer who will start off by paying $11 a month rather that $59.01 a month.

Comments

[Aileen P. Kaye]

Hey, Wasn't that my idea? I wrote it as a comment on your recent blogpost about the cost of the SJ.
I haven't had the heart to do it to the SJ as yet. Still considering it.

[Jim Scheppke]

This is really a scam on gullible old people. I would like to see some data on who will be paying $59.01 a month for their daily paper. It's grandma and grandpa, mostly, I'd bet. Shame on Gannett for scamming old people. How is this different than the other ways that old people get scammed? This old person switched to the e-newpaper a long time ago, so I am not getting scammed.

[Brian Hines]

Aileen, great ideas can pop up in many minds. Last June I wrote about getting a lower subscription rate after cancelling for 30 days in this blog post:

http://hinessight.blogs.com/salempoliticalsnark/2017/06/statesman-journal-charging-loyal-subscribers-more-than-double-what-new-subscribers-pay.html

You should give it a try. I drive into town most days, so I'm just going to buy a paper at a convenience store or drugstore for the month of December.

[Noman Sams]

I am writing to cancel my subscription to the Statesman Journal. Cancellation to begin as soon as possible!!

Norman Sams
1150 SW Bridlewood Drive
Dallas, Oregon

[wilma hill]

i've been trying to get intouch with the delivery of the Austin state mans newspaper delivery service I do not want the newspaper delivered to me... i'm canceling my order my name is Wilma hill I live in harker heights tx 76548 I was told only two papers in all would be delivered to my home and they got my info in a way that didn't seem honest but it was done so fast before I realized it so please cancel my prescription as of 06=26=2018...…….thank you Wilma hill 254-366-8688 harker heights...tx

[WALTER REDSHAW]

we have been taking the Statesman Journal since 1978, when we moved to Oregon. We have really enjoyed your paper. But with all the increased rates, less news, more ads, I am now CANCELLING my SUBSCRIPTION. This encludes the USA TODAY paper that you say will be coming at the current rate. I will not pay any more for either paper and want both stopped NOW. This is the last month that I will OK a payment. Good luck in staying in business.