I love to read and magazines are with me everywhere I go.  Whether I am traveling, sitting at home or waiting on a colleague, I read.  Usually I will read whatever, but after years of travel, I have learned there are certain magazines that are better then others.  Or maybe not better, but more enjoyable for my taste. Below is a boutique list of magazines that I recommend for any and all;

National Geographic

People

Kiplinger

InTouch

Real Simple

In random order, these magazines are good for simple reasons, reasons I would like to explain.

National Geographic’s magazine is in-depth writing by some of the finest writers that I have ever read (in my opinion) the flare of the magazine is about various animals, going green, travel tips and much more. The articles are delicious and what you take away is forever printed in your brain. This magazine has tips on cultures if you are traveling overseas (or in to American), it has helpful tips for kids and many extra’s to boot. The website is as good as the magazine, however, when I am traveling on a plane or waiting on my son in the dentist office, then I prefer the magazine. Make sure you check out the “daily news” section of the website or magazine, it’s just insightful and very interesting to me.

People Magazine, as much as I would like to deny this, I wait for my People magazine, on Friday, I look for it. People is pure entertainment with a twist of real life stories. The stories centered around people that have overcome obstacles, life lessons or how they are educating us on bad people (yes, bad people that are hurting others). I read people when sipping a glass of wine (when all is quiet) or when I have time for myself (like on a plane). I read it from cover to cover because to me, it’s that good. The entertainment side regarding the celebrities are fabulous too, just hearing how the other side lives is amusing to me. The website has the latest news, gossip and trends too.

Kiplinger Magazine, small magazine that helps everyday people like me and learn how to manage our money. Yes, it’s a magazine that is simple in turns of explaining investing, money, stocks, companies, bonds and much more. In essence it’s a financial planner for normal white collared workers that need a little help understanding what to do with their money. The website is first-rate too and it will send you daily tips on your email address if you wish. Some of these tips are very helpful; in fact, it has helped us a lot with our taxes, so keep that in mind when browsing the website or magazine. The articles are refreshing, light and informative so I highly recommend it. I read this magazine in the morning, when my head is on straight and I am focused on the money that I have and need to invest. The simple tips are priceless.

InTouch Magazine, yep, trash with a side of entertainment, it’s pleasurable and straightforward. Effortless reading that is easy, breezy and no thinking required. I usually read this magazine when I need to just put my mind in a stress free environment. I love the pictures of the celebrities and I enjoy all the styles and fashions that they highlight. The stories are short and uncomplicated with a bit of humor. It is a true stress reliever for me. Plus, I am learning some fashion trend tips that I need from time to time. The website is fun with the up-to-date gossip on all the celebrities. Gossip, fashion, news, an entertainment, what else can a person ask for? I recommend this when flying, waiting for something or someone or walking on the treadmill, it’s just an easy read.

Real Simple Magazine, this magazine has everything, recipes, home tips, health tips, work, life and so much more. Seriously, this magazine is awesome, it is the whole package. The information in this magazine is brilliant and most of all useful. I have learned a lot from this magazine, from how to clean out cat urine to making the best chicken dish possible. It has it all and I highly recommend it. In addition, the website is pretty cool too. I prefer the magazine only to keep with me, because the tips and helpful information is useful and I pull these out of the magazine and keep for future mishaps or needs. The recipes are easy to follow and perfect for my family. This magazine is more “real life” and when the say “real simple” they are true to their word.

These top 5 magazines are perfect for the everyday person that needs a little bit of life added into theirs. Reading and learning is always good and these magazines do give us a huge amount of entertainment, a bit of trash, a wealth of knowledge, helps to reduce our problems, if not solve them and helps people in everyday life. Pick one and see what I mean, magazines are fun, informative and helpful.