Frequent Flyer Redemption, Etc

Whee, yet another very nearly free magazine subscription. I was debating whether to ask "Santa" to renew my subscription to the Economist. It *is* pricy but I read it each week and it's so expensive on the newsstand that the subscription, even if I were paying for it, would pay off quickly. 

THen I get a letter from Delta. Apparently my miles were expiring. Now I know these are of mixed value but I look at it as follows:

• it's magazines I already read
• I didn't know I still had these miles since I don't fly Delta much and hadn't gotten a statement in eons. They expire in December and I was advised by Customer Service that whatever happens with the merger and our miles, it won't be resolved by then.
• These weren't enough miles to do anything.
• No cash cost whatsoever

So decision made, I went "shopping". Results of my purchases:

• Renewed subscription to the economist, 51 issues
• New subscription to Sports Illustrated rather than buying at the news stand or waiting for friends to finish. I let this subscription go ages ago and missed it. 56 issues
• Money, which I'd passed over in favour of Kiplinger's. 12 issues
• Forbes, which everyone in the office fights over when it comes in, 26 issues

I think that was "money" well spent, will keep me well read for a while. I'm waiting on PC World to expire before I swap it for Mac World.