Magazines for Miles?!

If you're anything like me, you have tons of frequent flier miles - unfortunately, they are basically rendered useless since they are from varying airlines across the board. I can't fly without a frequent flier # though, since you just never know. Case in point: I have a United MileagePlus account that I only have about 9,725 miles in. Not nearly the 25,000 mark to get a "free" flight (although I'll be honest, I've considered doing the credit card for a year so I could get that free flight with the bonus mileage they dump into your account when you sign up), but given my past history with United, I'm not thrilled about that idea.

When I went through my mail today, there was something from the "United Airlines Rewards Processing Center," which I almost instinctively threw right in the garbage can. Feeling extra generous (or bored, take your pick), I opened it. And what did I see, after the "URGENT NOTICE" that my miles were expiring (side note - since when do miles "expire?" Not sure how I feel about that one!!), well the letter went on to tell me that I could redeem some of my miles for magazine subscriptions. I know, I know, another magazine. More junk to collect and subsequently throw away or recycle, depending on what day of the week it is and how ambitious I'm feeling. Just what I need. BUT ...

I looked at the list of magazines, and what to my wondering eyes did appear, but Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine. Two of my favorites, but two that I have never really felt the overwhelming desire to pay the exorbitant amount of money than an annual subscription would set me back. And really, let's be honest, even when I did get SI, how often did I actually read it? Do I think anything is going to change now? Not really, I'm not that delusional. However, if my miles are going to just disappear into thin air anyway, I might as well cash in 1,400 miles for a year's subscription (56 issues) of Sports Illustrated, along with another 500 miles to indulge myself into ESPN the Magazine to boot! I'm sure its not actually that good of a deal, and I may very well have a really cool looking dust-collecting pile soon enough, but hey, I have nothing to lose - except those darn miles!