Well, Dia, there was time until about 1970 that publishers were required to place 12 magazines a month and pioneers 100 magazines a month (pioneers paid only 1 penny each and placed for 5 cents so the pioneer made a 4 cent profit per magazine; the publishers paid 4 cents per mag and placed for 5 cents so made 1 cent per magazine--remember 1 penny was worth more then). The idea was that this paid for their gas.
This was true of the books too. The pioneers paid 5 cents for the Truth book and placed for 25 cents, the pioneer keeping the 20 cents profit to pay for their expenses. Publishers paid 15 cents per book and placed for 25 cents. Many publishers got the full 12 because it would look like they weren't even trying to make their monthly quota. My mother couldn't even afford that and got our study copies (we couldn't afford subscriptions) and 1 set each of the magazines for her and each child over ten.
By the early 70's the quota of hours and magazines was done away for the publishers. Eventually, the only quota left for the pioneers was hourly. By the 1980's the cost to the publisher became equal to that for the householder. Even the pioneers no longer had a price break.
I hope that helps Dia.
Blondie