Cancel Magazine Subscription: A Simple Guide

Maintaining a subscription to a magazine that you do not read or enjoy is the type of unnecessary spending that can wreak havoc on your budget. Maintaining a budget and spending wisely can help to give you control over your financial future. Canceling a magazine subscription is usually a simple process.

Publisher's Policy

While each publisher has its own policies, many magazines will allow you to cancel your subscription at any time and for any reason. Read the fine print on your subscription contract to see if there are any restrictions that would prevent or limit your ability to cancel. For example, a magazine's refund policy may only be in effect for a certain amount of time, such as 60 or 90 days after subscribing. Or some magazines may only refund the unused portion of the subscription; for example, if you have received six of the 12 issues, the company will only grant a 50-percent refund.

Tip

Magazine subscription service agencies, which act as a distributor for numerous magazine titles, adhere to similar cancellation policies and methods as publishers. Rules may vary by agency though.

Choose Your Method

Many magazines provide several different methods for canceling your subscription, such as online, by email or over the telephone. The magazine or publisher's website will usually list subscription or customer service telephone numbers and email information on their contact page. Some magazine websites will provide an online cancellation request form. In the print publication, the customer service information is often located toward the front of the magazine, either on or near the masthead, which is the page that lists the publisher, staff and contributors.

Tip

You likely will need your mailing label or billing invoice to cancel the subscription. the label contains your account number, mailing address on record and date your subscription expires, all necessary before you contact customer service..