20 Years of Reading This!

I've had Good Housekeeping in my life for about 20 years now. My mother is in her 70's and she still subscribes to this magazine.

This magazine covers a wide variety of subjects, from celebrity interviews to women who make a difference. It's decidedly a woman's magazine, although I've come across a few men who tell me they do enjoy reading the articles.

Profiles is a rather recent addition to the magazine. Profiles are short stories of extraordinary people or unique situations. Occasionally they will cover a celebrity, such as a recent profile of Robert Redford and his family. This section appeals to me the most, since I enjoy getting a personal glimpse into other people's lives. I also enjoy another regular feature: My Problem and How I Solved It. These stories are nothing short of inspirational, providing an intimate revelation of a problem and the process of overcoming it.

In every issue, you'll find a Buyer's Guide that features top-rate, recommended products or a comparison of pros-cons among similar products. Based on one comparative guide, I purchased a shower head that works beautifully for our family, allowing each of us to adjust the shower heights individually.

The regular monthly columns include Health Watch, Heloise Household Helpline, Intimate Advice by Dr. Joyce Brothers, Etiquette for Today, and Money Watch. I never miss the Etiquette column-- how else would I have learned that I was supposed to tip the waitress at Ponderosa? To think that for a couple of years, I stiffed several dozen waitresses and waiters out of a 10 percent tip. Oh the woe!

Good Housekeeping is one of the thicker magazines out there. It's stuffed with ads just like most of the major women's magazines. But a major difference is that it's packed with enjoyable, well-written articles and very, very little fluff. When they do a beauty feature, you'll usually find a before and after makeover of a regular mom. Ditto when it comes to swimsuits-- you won't find reed-thin models in these pages. Instead, you'll find women of all sizes modeling bathing suits that you can find off the rack At $1.95 per issue and even cheaper by subscription, this is a magazine of value.

Towards the back of each issue, is a pull out guide titled "The Better Way. This includes various helpful articles, such as tips on purchasing laminated flooring, how to save money on your electric bill or safety for children. In every issue, you will find a list of recalled items with information on how to contact the manufacturer for replacement parts or returns.



Last but not least, are the recipes. From down to earth all the way to Martha Stewart style-- you'll find a variety of dishes and treats to enjoy. You will also find a short section of food tips in a question and answer format. It was here that I learned the difference between brown,red and French green lentils. This came in handy as I whipped up a batch of lentil soup for the first time after reading the tips. I found a delicious shrimp dish that delights my husband each and every time-- making the cost of this subscription worth it.

If I could have only one magazine in my house, Good Housekeeping would be it.