Some of you may have never come close to the 20 articles it takes before New York Times’ online paywall goes up — heck, maybe you don’t even use their site. But for those who do, bad news starting in April: Now you’ve just got 10 articles for free before your free access is cut off.

A notice posted on NYT.com alerts readers to the change, with the below message:

This change will strengthen our ability to continue providing the world’s most insightful and investigative reporting in journalism today, as well as support the ongoing development of digital innovations and apps that make The Times an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

So why now, we’re all probably whining? What’s your deal, NYT? Well, you know, money makes the world go round.

We think 10 articles a month, plus free access to our home page, strikes a better balance between visiting and subscribing. Most of our readers will continue to enjoy their Times experience without interruption. At the same time, the change provides us with an opportunity to convince another segment of our audience that what The Times has to offer is worth paying for.

Included in that limit of 10 are slide shows, blog posts, video and any other media on the site. But all you need to get around it is find where your friends have posted links on social media and click on those URLs. So maybe now is the time to make best pals with someone who has a digital subscriber account, or just pony up the cash to get your fix.

*Thanks for the heads up, Howard!

Beginning in April, visitors to NYTimes.com can access 10 free articles each month, rather than 20. [New York Times]

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