Best Lifestyle Magazines

Magazines and the Internet
As reading on the Internet takes over tangible, real-life reading, magazines are struggling to stay afloat. Some magazines have made the wise choice to switch to online platforms, enabling subscribers to read their magazine on a tablet or other portable devices. From the point of view of the magazine, this is probably a good thing. They get to save on production costs while retaining subscribers who pay the bills. For some of us, however, the switch to digital magazines isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Lifestyle Magazines
Lifestyle magazines in particular are not well-suited to digital media. Many readers of lifestyle magazines enjoy picking up a physical copy and reading it in comfort on the couch or while soaking in the bath. These favorite pastimes may be on their way out, and future generations might never know the simple joy of leafing through the latest issue of a favorite title. Magazines aren't quite dead yet, though, and there are even a few lifestyle magazines that have retained their high quality content despite the changing times. To those few, we are grateful. The list below gives an overview of some of the best and most popular lifestyle magazines in print.

Real Simple
First Issue: 2000
Published: Monthly
Approx. Subscriber Base: 2 million

Real Simple is a lifestyle title owned by Time, Inc. You've probably seen it at the grocery store checkout counter, and you would recognize it by its forward-thinking, elegant design. This magazine covers topics from decorating and dieting to childcare and product guides. Like many lifestyle magazines, Real Simple is written with women in mind, but that doesn't mean men can't get something out of it, too! This one is especially good for people who like to organize and simplify their lives. As the title implies, simple, authentic living is the magazine's main theme.
Better Homes and Gardens
First Issue: 1922
Published: Monthly
Approx. Subscriber Base: 7.6 million

Better Homes and Gardens is a household name when it comes to lifestyle magazines. It's been around since 1922, so the title has a long history of providing high quality, useful content. Since it's one of the top-selling magazines in the United States, subscribers of Better Homes and Gardens can rest assured that the magazine won't go under any time soon. Decorating and gardening, as the title suggests, are common topics in the magazine, but BH&G is also known for its excellent recipes.
Woman's Day
First Issue: 1937
Published: Monthly
Approx. Subscriber Base: 3.5 million

If you're looking for a magazine that combines lifestyle and fashion content, Woman's Day might be a good choice. It has a readership of over 3 million women across the United States. Some of the unique characteristics of Woman's Day include its focus on traditional values and its commitment to giving women realistic advice. Many magazines feature lifestyles that are out of reach for the majority of American families, but Woman's Day tries to give practical advice and suggestions that its real-world readers can put into practice.
Taste of Home
First Issue: 1993
Published: Bi-Monthly
Approx. Subscriber Base: 3.2 million

For people who want a magazine that's entirely dedicated to cooking, recipes, nutrition, and other food-related content, Taste of Home has been a popular choice since it was founded in 1933. The good news in the Internet age is that Taste of Home has an unusually rich history of giving its readers what they want. The magazine only started including advertisements in 2007, before which it was ad-free. Although the inclusion of ads could be seen as a downside, the fact that the magazine only had to start using ads a few years ago means that it's probably doing pretty well financially.