Dr. Malone! Great advice! I paid my home off in 25 years rather than 30. I hope I did the math right. Give me Algebra anytime! I rechecked to be sure. My first husband passed away suddenly and I was left with the mortgage and the 2nd mortgage we used to do repairs. I paid both off 2009 and it has been wonderful! I do have a few subscriptions to keep out advertisements and make my life easier. You answered the question well about leasing cars or anything like that that. I’m so glad you addressed the 50 year house mortgage.
Oh! I also paid my recent car purchase off a year early. How? Pay on the principal a little each month. Young people you can do it!!!
Yes, every dollar paid above interest goes straight to principal, and it adds up, little by little. We paid off my wife's car early by rounding up the payments every month, the more the merrier! And yes, very disappointed in President Trump's 50 year mortgage idea - almost as bad as the $1,000+ checks to everyone from tariff revenue. Please sir, to whom are you listening? We have a national debt to address.
I am not one who is on the internet that much. I use a search engine that keeps my searching blocked/private. I comment on the sub stacks I support because coming from the medical field after 45 years to help my patients recover and live productive lives I feel it my duty to continue speaking out for truth and transparency. A lot of Drs lost everything in the COVID debacle so this is my way to support the work they are doing.
(I appreciate Dr. Malone’s warning about unnecessary subscriptions.)
It would be good to see our country debt free! Forget the credit scores for paying along instead of being debt free. So many have forgotten the good old days when people stayed out of debt by buying when they could pay for the purchase. Or using “layaway” to pay off. I have a receipt of my Mom’s for 6 pairs of jeans for my bothers. Total cost? $7.74! Paid in 2 payments! Hello!
They don't really keep out ads because they take cookies you don't know about and your online logins/profiles in place of ads and use that info for demographics and audience targeting. Surely you don't think they are going to operate based on ethical business models after many years of Obama and Biden, do you?
Very good general analysis of modern life. I would also add books. Buy a physical copy of anything that you might want to read again or pass on to someone else.
Good info! Years ago, I was late so many times returning books...the fines added up. I am a book buyer! Now, I have a home library of books...and I use thriftbooks.com, which saves money buying the books I want.
I bought 42 books last year...and many more this year. I have loved books..since I started reading at 8. I was a slow learner! Poor diet! No food during those early years and I would fall asleep in class. i got into nutrition in 1961 and it totally changed my life. I taught my last child to read and he could read at 6. .
I've bought too many this year but you top me! I've been enjoying Matt Taibbi and Walter Kirns book club dealsey this year, I stumbled on it. They talk politics first, but end talking about a book.
I realize as I write this that I am responding to a post that I subscribe to, but even so, I have been increasingly annoyed by our growing subscription based society and I'm glad to see an article calling it out for the slavery it is. I still purchase older versions of Microsoft Office for our computers at work just to avoid the subscription fees. They haven't changed the basic features enough in new versions to justify the costs of subscriptions for us.
I tried Libre and another open source office suite but management would not go for them. I actually still use an old copy of Lotus Smartsuite on a daily basis and it does everything I need.
Good post! The 50 year mortgage idea proposed by Trump surprised me and I hate the idea! Even when car loans went to five years I was appalled! In our capitalist society we should be encouraging folks to own outright, to lessen their indebtedness. Yet so much of what we think we “need” comes by way of subscription, i. e. your Substack, Dr Malone! And yet I happily pay for it! Where do we each personally draw the line! A personal decision , eh?
"...nothing new under the sun." Remember the rotary dial phones that Ma Bell let us use for a few bucks a month for what would have been an eternity? And I like to think of subscriptions as greed-based vs. need-based. The $50 we pay annually for Malone News is one of the best deals around, and God bless them for their remarkable efforts!
Double Amen! He guided me through the COVID debacle and I learn invaluable information from his posts. Not to mention the twice weekly belly laughs from the “Funnies”!
Regarding car loans. The last three cars that I bought were bought wth cash. It is heaven not having a car payment. Years before that I cancelled all credit cards except Amex. That was life changing. I have no debt. I rent an apartment, and still fantasize about living in a house with a yard for a garden. I cannot imagine having enough money to buy a house, and I'm alright with that.
I'm still using software I bought in 2003 - Microsoft Office. It does everything I need. And I know how to use it.
Sharp marketing practices abound in the internet world. Reoccurring Fees for everything is the name of the game. I am to the point were I will cancel my credit card every 90 days, so I don't have monthly re-occurring charges that I forgot about. Having annual is even more of a concern.
Our FTC is clueless as to the extent that money is being sucked out of the of the pockets of subscribers. Google and Facebook and Microsoft all indirectly contribute to the 17 Billion/yr in hacking that sucks money out of the individual's pocket. They deny they can monitor and reduce the scam internet sites. They can, but it means they need to employ more people. Consequently, the American public is the victim. I know I was almost one! One small step is to make everyone who charges a reoccurring fee to notify the user 7 days before the transaction. A few honest corporations do. FTC do YOUR JOB!
I've been death on these "cloud storage" services since they began offering them maybe what... ten or 15 years ago. I just looked it up and I can buy 640 GIGA BYTES worth of flash drives on amazon for forty lousy bucks. Why would I trust some outside service to store anything I own over a 40 dollar, one time price tag. Just look at what amazon web services, apple store and google did to Parler and tried to do to Rumble.... Why would you trust them to keep your data safe?
As for mortgages: there is no reason a 30 or 50 year mortgage has to last 30 or 50 years. When we bought our current (don't laugh, 1000 sq. ft.) house back in '96 we had a 20 year mortgage and paid it off in seven years. The amount of interest paid is totally within the control of the payer. BUT, these days it seems that everyone who wants a house just can't imagine how they could possibly exist in a house smaller than 3000 sq. ft. Buy what you really need, not what you merely want.
Same with credit cards. I have had the same credit card for most of 20 years and have never paid one dime in interest. So I basically don't care one bit what the interest rate is.... Since I pay my bill in full every month I'm not paying any interest anyway.
I could probably rant on for a couple hours on these subjects, but I'll stop now before my hair catches fire.
I dint pay interest on my cards either—paid in full at the end if the month. There was a mix up in my payment one time—I called and explained the late payment then told the card company that I don’t pay interest 🤩. She said she noticed that and took the interest and late pay off.
I read the article by Dr. Demasi (that you reposted) with increasing enragement. You're a better man than I, willing to sit with Offit and listen to him without calling him out in public. What a weasel.
I too was surprised by Trumps promotion of 50 year loans. I guess for someone worth billions, it’s easy to lose sight of microeconomics. I’ve never carried any home loan terms longer than 15 years. Debt is the shackle of economic slavery. Live debt free or die. (A variation on New Hampshires motto).
It is a Band Aid approach. Solves nothing! The problem is that the modern lifestyle sucks most of the income out of a family. Time to rejecting the conveniences and go back to basics.
We have to return to a family formation where the mother stays home and nurtures the children. That was a push by corporation to reduce their labor costs! Moving to a two parent working household to make ends meet.
Oh my word. YES!! Here in our home, and in our years, we have seen this creeping in like kudzu in Florida...and began the simple way. Saying "no". We'll do without it thanks. We'll buy a used car, we have two of them...each over 15 years old, maintained by us--grateful for being able to still get parts; they run like tops...and one has heated seats. We use a garmin GPS in the car, and when we need it, a pre-paid hot spot for a month for our ipads. You may well wonder. Poor Dears...are they desolate, in despair, ground to the ground by such (what seem to be limiting decisions). Nope. Not a whit, nor a bit, books, a few movie sites that provide a few ads (not yet enough to make us quit like we quit cable)...with no subscription. We have paid subscriptions to few very worthwhile things...specifically because we wish to support them...witness our subscription to this very substack. We're looking at you, Dr. Robert Malone...even though you, (and we mark this with respect) provide your thoughts, invaluable insights, discussion, GRATIS. Thank You. In addition, our residence, modest, and in sylvan surroundings one might even say, "rural"...was years ago fully paid for through 40 years of work life...through the buy, live, sell and reboot system, to which I might add...don't go into hock to do "improvements"...other than basics like rood, plumbing, etc....all it does it put you back into more debt...AND....your property taxes will be raised at the next assessment. Aaaaand don't buy a new car, buy a used one it doesn't require a monthly subscription for a steering wheel, hehe. And it won't tell your insurance company if you go a few miles over the speed limit to pass a truck that is blinding you with water off the road; it won't stop if someone somewhere decides you drove too much this week...and you can get a maintenance manual! Get an old sunbeam mixer and other needs at the many vintage/antique/thrift/donation stores, aaaah, no don't you laugh, that mixer is humming like a top...fantastic, efficient, heavy (doesn't hop all over the counter and is quite minimalist in the space it takes). Love it in all its vintage glory. We joke that motor could send a rocket to the moon. (Note to self, notify Elon). All kidding aside, and with great encouragement we say..."just say NO to a world that is nothing more than attempting to impose upon us what was a "company town" of old. Grok can tell you what that was as you are all likely younger than this writer. So. Beware..."all that glisters is not gold". No need for the newest "thing" each time something pops up. It is wise to have the skills and means to take care of one's self. "God helps those who help themselves". Stay tuned! More platitudes are available upon request. Sitting at my solid vintage oak table, (courtesy of St. Vincent de Paul), looking out at the pine trees, as I tappity tap on this years old venerable I-Pad...assuring all of each of everyone of you, it is utterly well worth the work to be independent. Be alert to the calls for standardization, "one size fits all" language, and the absurd notion that being dependent upon anyone, or anything else, for ones food, shelter, clothing, entertainment, travel, health and/or welfare for a monthly/yearly payment for same is magically somehow a great way to live. That is what is being sold you when they prattle "you will own nothing and be happy". Oh sure. Right. Uh huh. Lets rephrase that shall we? How about simply, starkly, honestly stating the truth, which is: "We will own everything and we will charge you for everything from toothpaste to cherry doughnuts, we'll let you know what is available and how much you can have, and too bad if you can't pay.....in return...WE will be very happy". To that a resounding reply: "In a pig's eye!". Or "when hades turns into frost". Or as my Grandfather used to say: "Pull the other one!" Cheers to all with prayers for all. You all be good to each other now.
You are 100% correct in every degree, or angle, when it comes to buying “vintage”; I feel new is not always best, or works better for that matter! My old furniture is fine, & has been with me for a long, long time! I can refinish the old, rough spots, use a little “elbow grease”, & it looks better than the new stuff made in China! Thank you, have a great evening!
If only someone would listen to us. Bring back simple things. Someone could make a killing doing so. The EV/AI push / the Real ID push - has been the tipping for many of us. Sadly, if AI happens in the way President Trump is talking, I believe, we will Lose in 2026, and 2028. People have had enough of Tech/China products/AI doom and gloom but the Trump admin has him convinced it's a Race. And to a athletic Winner type- that's all you need to say.
My solution is to subscribe to Substacks monthly, and I time my subscriptions so that the statements all arrive on the same day each month. It's a reminder of how many subscriptions I have, and I can unsubscribe easily if/when I no longer see a benefit. Malone News is a keeper though!
I experienced the forced conversion to subscription-based with Adobe software. As a graphic designer, I was perfectly happy using one of the early versions that I had bought on a disc and did everything that I wanted it to do.
The problem was that Adobe couldn’t grow their business fast enough on that model so they discontinued their verification computers.Then when your computer inevitably died and you tried to install the same software on a new computer, you couldn’t get more than a 30-day use of the software because there was no way to verify that it was not a pirated edition.
Therefore, the software that you had paid hundreds of dollars for and worked perfectly well was no longer usable. I’ve never really forgiven them for that! Bastards!
I too bought Adobe Acrobat, in 2003 and ran it on a computer bought that same year. It worked perfectly. And then one day about 5 years ago, it quit working. I am sure that Adobe did something on their end that blocked my paid-for program from working. They of course denied it, but I have the proof. They tell me I have to buy a brand new computer, because my version of Acrobat will no longer work on Windows 7. I call that extortion.
Adobe launched their Creative Cloud service in 2013. up to that point I had probably invested over $1000 in purchasing the standalone versions of Photoshop and In-design.
Over time they did everything they could to force people to go to the cloud where they can make 50 bucks a month forever. I always believed there was a class action suit in there somewhere!
Fortunately there are still some "free memberships" but those are getting rather rare. This also applies to copyrighted materials verses creative commons. Software that is unlicensed is great stuff...donations accepted. If companies really want their products to be used, then perhaps a different approach like ownership is possible...own or rent. I still have boxes of software I own...and the computer those apps run on is no longer accessible by internet...not a bad thing really. Hard to put a virus on a disconnected device.
In 2019, I used the money from the sale of my small paid off condo in Los Angeles as a down on a brand new home, which I share with my daughter.. She is paying the mortgage on our new home in Utah. She is making double payments in order to pay it off ASAP. She has no desire to be paying it off at 90. It was a very sudden move. We went to Utah to visit friends and as we drove further away from California, I felt lighter as if a load were being taken off of me. When we got to Utah I was entranced with the scenery, billowing white clouds, blue skies and open spaces. I just didn't want to go back to California. Our friends took us around on a long drive and I learned that we could buy a place...and the monthly mortgage would be half of what we were paying for renting a large condo in Los Angeles. i shocked my daughter, when we went to see a brand new home and I pulled out my checkbook. to start proceedings to buy it. she said, "Are you sure?" I said, "Definitely!" It was the best move I ever made. We were very blessed to get out of California, before the riots and lock downs.
Dr. Malone! Great advice! I paid my home off in 25 years rather than 30. I hope I did the math right. Give me Algebra anytime! I rechecked to be sure. My first husband passed away suddenly and I was left with the mortgage and the 2nd mortgage we used to do repairs. I paid both off 2009 and it has been wonderful! I do have a few subscriptions to keep out advertisements and make my life easier. You answered the question well about leasing cars or anything like that that. I’m so glad you addressed the 50 year house mortgage.
Oh! I also paid my recent car purchase off a year early. How? Pay on the principal a little each month. Young people you can do it!!!
Yes, every dollar paid above interest goes straight to principal, and it adds up, little by little. We paid off my wife's car early by rounding up the payments every month, the more the merrier! And yes, very disappointed in President Trump's 50 year mortgage idea - almost as bad as the $1,000+ checks to everyone from tariff revenue. Please sir, to whom are you listening? We have a national debt to address.
I am not one who is on the internet that much. I use a search engine that keeps my searching blocked/private. I comment on the sub stacks I support because coming from the medical field after 45 years to help my patients recover and live productive lives I feel it my duty to continue speaking out for truth and transparency. A lot of Drs lost everything in the COVID debacle so this is my way to support the work they are doing.
(I appreciate Dr. Malone’s warning about unnecessary subscriptions.)
It would be good to see our country debt free! Forget the credit scores for paying along instead of being debt free. So many have forgotten the good old days when people stayed out of debt by buying when they could pay for the purchase. Or using “layaway” to pay off. I have a receipt of my Mom’s for 6 pairs of jeans for my bothers. Total cost? $7.74! Paid in 2 payments! Hello!
They don't really keep out ads because they take cookies you don't know about and your online logins/profiles in place of ads and use that info for demographics and audience targeting. Surely you don't think they are going to operate based on ethical business models after many years of Obama and Biden, do you?
Very good general analysis of modern life. I would also add books. Buy a physical copy of anything that you might want to read again or pass on to someone else.
Good info! Years ago, I was late so many times returning books...the fines added up. I am a book buyer! Now, I have a home library of books...and I use thriftbooks.com, which saves money buying the books I want.
Thriftbooks is awesome!
I bought 42 books last year...and many more this year. I have loved books..since I started reading at 8. I was a slow learner! Poor diet! No food during those early years and I would fall asleep in class. i got into nutrition in 1961 and it totally changed my life. I taught my last child to read and he could read at 6. .
I've bought too many this year but you top me! I've been enjoying Matt Taibbi and Walter Kirns book club dealsey this year, I stumbled on it. They talk politics first, but end talking about a book.
Agreed, I've used them. Best part: they're NOT Amazon.
Great idea about purchasing “physical books”! I share my books when my family wants to read one of my latest selection of new books since 2020!
I read a lot and have to have a physical book in my hands when I'm reading. I tried a nook years ago and hated it.
My shelves are full but so is my second Kindle! Easier on the eyes!
I realize as I write this that I am responding to a post that I subscribe to, but even so, I have been increasingly annoyed by our growing subscription based society and I'm glad to see an article calling it out for the slavery it is. I still purchase older versions of Microsoft Office for our computers at work just to avoid the subscription fees. They haven't changed the basic features enough in new versions to justify the costs of subscriptions for us.
Even better is to use Libre Office, which has all the features of a good office suite, and is FREE.
I tried Libre and another open source office suite but management would not go for them. I actually still use an old copy of Lotus Smartsuite on a daily basis and it does everything I need.
I subscribe to Malone News. Oh, by the way, I like the art.
Good post! The 50 year mortgage idea proposed by Trump surprised me and I hate the idea! Even when car loans went to five years I was appalled! In our capitalist society we should be encouraging folks to own outright, to lessen their indebtedness. Yet so much of what we think we “need” comes by way of subscription, i. e. your Substack, Dr Malone! And yet I happily pay for it! Where do we each personally draw the line! A personal decision , eh?
"...nothing new under the sun." Remember the rotary dial phones that Ma Bell let us use for a few bucks a month for what would have been an eternity? And I like to think of subscriptions as greed-based vs. need-based. The $50 we pay annually for Malone News is one of the best deals around, and God bless them for their remarkable efforts!
Double Amen! He guided me through the COVID debacle and I learn invaluable information from his posts. Not to mention the twice weekly belly laughs from the “Funnies”!
Regarding car loans. The last three cars that I bought were bought wth cash. It is heaven not having a car payment. Years before that I cancelled all credit cards except Amex. That was life changing. I have no debt. I rent an apartment, and still fantasize about living in a house with a yard for a garden. I cannot imagine having enough money to buy a house, and I'm alright with that.
I'm still using software I bought in 2003 - Microsoft Office. It does everything I need. And I know how to use it.
You definitely have common sense! Congratulations to you!
Sharp marketing practices abound in the internet world. Reoccurring Fees for everything is the name of the game. I am to the point were I will cancel my credit card every 90 days, so I don't have monthly re-occurring charges that I forgot about. Having annual is even more of a concern.
Our FTC is clueless as to the extent that money is being sucked out of the of the pockets of subscribers. Google and Facebook and Microsoft all indirectly contribute to the 17 Billion/yr in hacking that sucks money out of the individual's pocket. They deny they can monitor and reduce the scam internet sites. They can, but it means they need to employ more people. Consequently, the American public is the victim. I know I was almost one! One small step is to make everyone who charges a reoccurring fee to notify the user 7 days before the transaction. A few honest corporations do. FTC do YOUR JOB!
I've been death on these "cloud storage" services since they began offering them maybe what... ten or 15 years ago. I just looked it up and I can buy 640 GIGA BYTES worth of flash drives on amazon for forty lousy bucks. Why would I trust some outside service to store anything I own over a 40 dollar, one time price tag. Just look at what amazon web services, apple store and google did to Parler and tried to do to Rumble.... Why would you trust them to keep your data safe?
As for mortgages: there is no reason a 30 or 50 year mortgage has to last 30 or 50 years. When we bought our current (don't laugh, 1000 sq. ft.) house back in '96 we had a 20 year mortgage and paid it off in seven years. The amount of interest paid is totally within the control of the payer. BUT, these days it seems that everyone who wants a house just can't imagine how they could possibly exist in a house smaller than 3000 sq. ft. Buy what you really need, not what you merely want.
Same with credit cards. I have had the same credit card for most of 20 years and have never paid one dime in interest. So I basically don't care one bit what the interest rate is.... Since I pay my bill in full every month I'm not paying any interest anyway.
I could probably rant on for a couple hours on these subjects, but I'll stop now before my hair catches fire.
I dint pay interest on my cards either—paid in full at the end if the month. There was a mix up in my payment one time—I called and explained the late payment then told the card company that I don’t pay interest 🤩. She said she noticed that and took the interest and late pay off.
I subscribe to Malone News for the funnies, the articles are a bonus.
I read the article by Dr. Demasi (that you reposted) with increasing enragement. You're a better man than I, willing to sit with Offit and listen to him without calling him out in public. What a weasel.
I shouldn’t poke fun but Offit is off his rocker.
🤣🤩😆
I too was surprised by Trumps promotion of 50 year loans. I guess for someone worth billions, it’s easy to lose sight of microeconomics. I’ve never carried any home loan terms longer than 15 years. Debt is the shackle of economic slavery. Live debt free or die. (A variation on New Hampshires motto).
It is a Band Aid approach. Solves nothing! The problem is that the modern lifestyle sucks most of the income out of a family. Time to rejecting the conveniences and go back to basics.
We have to return to a family formation where the mother stays home and nurtures the children. That was a push by corporation to reduce their labor costs! Moving to a two parent working household to make ends meet.
Absolutely!
Oh my word. YES!! Here in our home, and in our years, we have seen this creeping in like kudzu in Florida...and began the simple way. Saying "no". We'll do without it thanks. We'll buy a used car, we have two of them...each over 15 years old, maintained by us--grateful for being able to still get parts; they run like tops...and one has heated seats. We use a garmin GPS in the car, and when we need it, a pre-paid hot spot for a month for our ipads. You may well wonder. Poor Dears...are they desolate, in despair, ground to the ground by such (what seem to be limiting decisions). Nope. Not a whit, nor a bit, books, a few movie sites that provide a few ads (not yet enough to make us quit like we quit cable)...with no subscription. We have paid subscriptions to few very worthwhile things...specifically because we wish to support them...witness our subscription to this very substack. We're looking at you, Dr. Robert Malone...even though you, (and we mark this with respect) provide your thoughts, invaluable insights, discussion, GRATIS. Thank You. In addition, our residence, modest, and in sylvan surroundings one might even say, "rural"...was years ago fully paid for through 40 years of work life...through the buy, live, sell and reboot system, to which I might add...don't go into hock to do "improvements"...other than basics like rood, plumbing, etc....all it does it put you back into more debt...AND....your property taxes will be raised at the next assessment. Aaaaand don't buy a new car, buy a used one it doesn't require a monthly subscription for a steering wheel, hehe. And it won't tell your insurance company if you go a few miles over the speed limit to pass a truck that is blinding you with water off the road; it won't stop if someone somewhere decides you drove too much this week...and you can get a maintenance manual! Get an old sunbeam mixer and other needs at the many vintage/antique/thrift/donation stores, aaaah, no don't you laugh, that mixer is humming like a top...fantastic, efficient, heavy (doesn't hop all over the counter and is quite minimalist in the space it takes). Love it in all its vintage glory. We joke that motor could send a rocket to the moon. (Note to self, notify Elon). All kidding aside, and with great encouragement we say..."just say NO to a world that is nothing more than attempting to impose upon us what was a "company town" of old. Grok can tell you what that was as you are all likely younger than this writer. So. Beware..."all that glisters is not gold". No need for the newest "thing" each time something pops up. It is wise to have the skills and means to take care of one's self. "God helps those who help themselves". Stay tuned! More platitudes are available upon request. Sitting at my solid vintage oak table, (courtesy of St. Vincent de Paul), looking out at the pine trees, as I tappity tap on this years old venerable I-Pad...assuring all of each of everyone of you, it is utterly well worth the work to be independent. Be alert to the calls for standardization, "one size fits all" language, and the absurd notion that being dependent upon anyone, or anything else, for ones food, shelter, clothing, entertainment, travel, health and/or welfare for a monthly/yearly payment for same is magically somehow a great way to live. That is what is being sold you when they prattle "you will own nothing and be happy". Oh sure. Right. Uh huh. Lets rephrase that shall we? How about simply, starkly, honestly stating the truth, which is: "We will own everything and we will charge you for everything from toothpaste to cherry doughnuts, we'll let you know what is available and how much you can have, and too bad if you can't pay.....in return...WE will be very happy". To that a resounding reply: "In a pig's eye!". Or "when hades turns into frost". Or as my Grandfather used to say: "Pull the other one!" Cheers to all with prayers for all. You all be good to each other now.
You are 100% correct in every degree, or angle, when it comes to buying “vintage”; I feel new is not always best, or works better for that matter! My old furniture is fine, & has been with me for a long, long time! I can refinish the old, rough spots, use a little “elbow grease”, & it looks better than the new stuff made in China! Thank you, have a great evening!
If only someone would listen to us. Bring back simple things. Someone could make a killing doing so. The EV/AI push / the Real ID push - has been the tipping for many of us. Sadly, if AI happens in the way President Trump is talking, I believe, we will Lose in 2026, and 2028. People have had enough of Tech/China products/AI doom and gloom but the Trump admin has him convinced it's a Race. And to a athletic Winner type- that's all you need to say.
Love this comment. Exactly our thoughts.
And Substack! quite pricey if you subscribe to 20 or so.
I hate most, that some stores want subscriptions. I never ever will go to one of those.
My solution is to subscribe to Substacks monthly, and I time my subscriptions so that the statements all arrive on the same day each month. It's a reminder of how many subscriptions I have, and I can unsubscribe easily if/when I no longer see a benefit. Malone News is a keeper though!
I experienced the forced conversion to subscription-based with Adobe software. As a graphic designer, I was perfectly happy using one of the early versions that I had bought on a disc and did everything that I wanted it to do.
The problem was that Adobe couldn’t grow their business fast enough on that model so they discontinued their verification computers.Then when your computer inevitably died and you tried to install the same software on a new computer, you couldn’t get more than a 30-day use of the software because there was no way to verify that it was not a pirated edition.
Therefore, the software that you had paid hundreds of dollars for and worked perfectly well was no longer usable. I’ve never really forgiven them for that! Bastards!
I too bought Adobe Acrobat, in 2003 and ran it on a computer bought that same year. It worked perfectly. And then one day about 5 years ago, it quit working. I am sure that Adobe did something on their end that blocked my paid-for program from working. They of course denied it, but I have the proof. They tell me I have to buy a brand new computer, because my version of Acrobat will no longer work on Windows 7. I call that extortion.
Adobe launched their Creative Cloud service in 2013. up to that point I had probably invested over $1000 in purchasing the standalone versions of Photoshop and In-design.
Over time they did everything they could to force people to go to the cloud where they can make 50 bucks a month forever. I always believed there was a class action suit in there somewhere!
Mike beat me to it—subscription fees like Substack provide a great business opportunity to individuals and smaller enterprises as well.
"You will own nothing and be happy"
- The great and powerful Wizard of Oz
WEF Classic (1:47) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKyqZm7927Y
Fortunately there are still some "free memberships" but those are getting rather rare. This also applies to copyrighted materials verses creative commons. Software that is unlicensed is great stuff...donations accepted. If companies really want their products to be used, then perhaps a different approach like ownership is possible...own or rent. I still have boxes of software I own...and the computer those apps run on is no longer accessible by internet...not a bad thing really. Hard to put a virus on a disconnected device.
In 2019, I used the money from the sale of my small paid off condo in Los Angeles as a down on a brand new home, which I share with my daughter.. She is paying the mortgage on our new home in Utah. She is making double payments in order to pay it off ASAP. She has no desire to be paying it off at 90. It was a very sudden move. We went to Utah to visit friends and as we drove further away from California, I felt lighter as if a load were being taken off of me. When we got to Utah I was entranced with the scenery, billowing white clouds, blue skies and open spaces. I just didn't want to go back to California. Our friends took us around on a long drive and I learned that we could buy a place...and the monthly mortgage would be half of what we were paying for renting a large condo in Los Angeles. i shocked my daughter, when we went to see a brand new home and I pulled out my checkbook. to start proceedings to buy it. she said, "Are you sure?" I said, "Definitely!" It was the best move I ever made. We were very blessed to get out of California, before the riots and lock downs.