Member payment options
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Main
Forum Name: Suggestion Box/Recommendations
Forum Description: This is the place to submit recommendations to the WMAS presidency.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4192
Printed Date: July 07 2026 at 5:20am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Member payment options
Posted By: SSpargur
Subject: Member payment options
Date Posted: October 30 2004 at 8:14pm
|
I think it would be a great idea to have a PayPal link on our page for members to pay their dues. It sure would make it a lot easier on the members who don't make the meetings nor like to use the USPS system! Have an icon to "become a member" and wham - the club is paid. Just my .02 ------------- Sean Spargur West Valley, UT |
Replies:
Posted By: Kull
Date Posted: October 30 2004 at 8:16pm
|
Hey guess what there is one! It is in about WMAS, I just paid my dues by using it.
however I do agree. If MArk hadn;t told me it wwas there, I never would have guessed!
------------- "So this is what gives meaning to your life." -Unknown Daniel in Santaquin |
Posted By: Connie
Date Posted: October 30 2004 at 8:51pm
|
I think that the club should allow 25 post and then if you wish to contiune to gain knowledge, support, and deals, you must become a member...... That is just my 2 cents or 25.00 bucks.....Either way, I think its the best 25 Ive ever spent... If you dont agree, you should not have the advantage of club... Or maybe members should trade and or sell only to member thus giving incentive to join... Just a thought ------------- I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them. 180 gallon money pit that I love..... |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 30 2004 at 10:22pm
|
The paypal option on this site is actually quite popular. We've had about 20 people pay that way in just the last couple months. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 6:50am
|
I agree with Connie somewhat! but i still want to get people interested in the hobby. If they don't want to pay for a membership the price of frags at the propagation meetings should be raised to them. $24.00 in this hobby means nothing!!!!!! ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: smatney
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 7:11am
|
Hey - $24 could mean a couple frags Anyway, I agree with Connie - non-members should have a limited number of posts (she suggested 25) and then be alerted to join before more posts are allowed. It's a club benefit and more posts take up server space which is not free. ------------- Susan Matney Farmington, UT |
Posted By: ssilcox
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 9:39am
| I have to disagree. There are many people on this board who are not members, however they give freely of their knowledge. The board has always been a free resource to everyone. I would hate that to turn into a "paid" subscription, and turn valuable resources away. |
Posted By: Weimers
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 10:00am
| PayPal was easier than I thought it would be. I'm paid! |
Posted By: H200
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 1:22pm
|
I found out about the club on the reef tour. Sponsored member for the rest of 04 (thanks Eric), can I pay now for 05? thanks Randy H200 ------------- 210 gallon glass aquarium 90 gal Refuge. 900Gal Pond |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 1:51pm
IMO, everyone is welcome on this board and at our meetings. I would never turn away anyone who wanted to participate just because they didn't pay their dues. But, this club can not function without membership dues. It does take money to run this club (rent on meeting place, guest speakers, etc.). If you enjoy attending meetings you really should consider paying your dues. It's the "adult" thing to do  .------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 2:12pm
|
GREAT JOB JON! THATS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY. What is a sponsered member? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: smatney
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 2:42pm
|
Ok, after reading the discussion - I agree that this messageboard is a place to listen and learn. Hopefully, when people become serious about the hobby, they'll join. If not, that's ok too. ------------- Susan Matney Farmington, UT |
Posted By: Weimers
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 2:53pm
|
Jeff, hopefully I explain this correctly. I should leave it for someone else, but I'll give it a shot. Arjen and Eric at Marine Aquatics sponsored customers' membership dues for the remainder of 2004. It was a wonderful gesture on their part; a real win-win deal. ------------- Renee and Damon Weimer Tankless in Hawaii |
Posted By: vangvace
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 4:03pm
|
^^^^ This is why my wife and I joined^^^^ well that and we met people we liked. Oh, my first meeting was the last coral cutting seminar and one thing that I was surprised about was that there wasn't too much difference between members and nonmembers price for frags. I think it was 5/8 resectively? I wouldn't limit who could sell to who (seller's option of course) or anything like that but maybe I would bump up the price on frag's for nonmembers to $10 if something must be done ------------- McGuire AFB, NJ Moments of brilliance |
jfinch wrote:Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 4:54pm
|
The frags for non-members is $10.00 on the frags that the club supplies. What i don't get is the fact that we have 691 forum members and only 180 that pay. The club as Jon said has expenses for speakers and other functions. Knowledge passed on is a good thing and I have used it more than most members, but if we had a higher percentage of paying members we could do more for everyone! Why should the few pay for the many? If people want to bring frags and sell them at the meetings that's great, and i do buy from alot of people but a little more money in the club will benifit everyone. ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: vangvace
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 6:50pm
|
Oops True we have 691 forum members, but over 200 hundred of them have never made a post. ------------- McGuire AFB, NJ Moments of brilliance |
Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 6:52pm
Yeah -- oops!! -- I never realized that option was there! So much for my brainstorming...  ------------- Sean Spargur West Valley, UT |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 9:18pm
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 31 2004 at 10:46pm
|
Personally I don't think we should even charge for memberships..... but for 9 years straight now I've been out voted (unanimously against me, I believe). Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: H200
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 7:32am
|
Done! Thanks Mark! ------------- 210 gallon glass aquarium 90 gal Refuge. 900Gal Pond |
Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 7:37am
I just sent my 2005 dues via Paypal. Man that was easy!  ------------- Sean Spargur West Valley, UT |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 8:25am
Does the club make enough money from it's fund raisers to fly in guest speakers and such? Is the club running a surplus or what "services" would we cut back? ------------- Jared Neilsen Lehi, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 10:36am
|
If Adam wasn't outvoted we'd have to meet in someones garage and not even be able to pay for this website. Thanks to Jake, who voluteers a lot of time and his own $$$ to provide it.
Actually, membership could be eliminated if we charged more for frags. Let's see 160 memberships acquired over the course of the year is approx $2000. Split that between the 3 propagation seminars... Then the membership list could be just a list of people that volunteer to be on the list no money required. For some reason this is sounding pretty good. And maybe the presidency could be dissolved and it would just be whoever wants to do something, come and do it. I wonder how long that would last?  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 11:12am
|
Is the club running a surplus? Mark could answer that question to the tee, but I think I can safely say that NO there is no surplus. Without membership dues we would either have to cut back on "services" or acquire funds in another way. Adam wants free membership and I want affordable health care... both appear to be pipe dreams to me
No not the election... it's my birthday!!! ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 4:53pm
|
HAPPY B-DAY JON!!!!!! HOW OLD ARE YOU? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: Weimers
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 5:00pm
| Happy Birthday! |
Posted By: Kahuna
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 5:07pm
|
You are a Stud! (So your wife says.) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! ------------- Cell 801 860-7333 |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 7:05pm
|
Thanks In the year I was born... Lyndon B. Johnson was president declared our nation a "Great Society". The US sends troops to Vietnam. India and Packistan fight over Kashmir. Ben Stiller and Elizabeth Hurley (grrr) were born. Malcom X, Winston Churchill and T.S. Eliot died. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
. Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 9:06pm
Wow, I don't even know what happened last year.... let alone on the year I was born. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 9:08pm
|
Oh, and to answer the question. Yes we'd have to cut back a lot. Remember about 8 years ago we had about 20 paid members. I didn't think the $400 it brought in annually was worth the hassle. But as Mark pointed out, it now accounts for $2,000 annually. We certainly don't have a surplus..... Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 9:26pm
|
Wow, I don't even know what happened last year.... let alone on the year I was born.
------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
I had to look all that up myself Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 10:14pm
|
I recently wanted to visit the MASNA (Marine Aquarium Societies of North America) website to see if there was a marine club in Michigan.
I ran up against a brick wall. I could not get past the homepage. I could not even see the list of member clubs unless I or my club paid a membership fee to grant me a password. It was one of the stupidest things I have ever seen. MASNA purports to be the voice of the hobbyist, but it's just another stupid "elitist group". MASNA shuns everyone that hasn't paid money. I can see now why we are no longer members. And why the last MASNA Conference (called MACNA) was such a mess of politics and positioning and dare I say, profit mongering. 
I've come to the decision that I absolutely like and agree with the way the WMAS does things, with everything open to everyone, encouraging them to join but welcoming them the same even if they don't.
I seem to remember how the 2002 Olympics here had a lot more volunteers than ever in Olympic history. Likewise, the really cool thing about our group is all the time and donations which are given to help fulfill the club's purposes of education and promotion of the hobby in an ethical and responsible way. From presidency members to Reef Tour participants; from people that donate a coral for fragging to people that answer a newbies questions, the list of people is a very long one. I congratulate all of you who have, in one way or another, freely given.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: November 01 2004 at 10:16pm
|
Well said Mark! ------------- Sean Spargur West Valley, UT |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: November 02 2004 at 9:41am
|
Yes well said Mark. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: smQQkin
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 12:20pm
|
I am still a "Rookie" compared to some in this club. However, I agree with charging membership dues. It helps the club provide useful information about this hobby, provides technology(the use of this forum), and provides us a place to meet. I also think that the frags that are being offered should only be offered to those that have a current membership first. Then if there are frags left, sold to those individuals that do not have a membership. What is the motivation to those that choose not to pay dues or fees? If you can afford to set up tank, you should be able to afford the membership.
------------- http://www.CheckDaddy.com - CheckDaddy.com Your online cash advance store. |
Posted By: KeoDog
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 12:31pm
|
I totally agree with smQQkin. With such a mad dash to get frags, I think that members should get the first chance. This can be explained at the beginning so if someone wants a better selection then they can buy a membership. ------------- Kevin Kunz (Sandy, UT) 300g reef "A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud." Ayn Rand |
Posted By: jfoerster
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 3:25pm
|
I am also very new to salt water. I knew that to truely get into the hobby I needed to belong to a club. I agree with smQQkin that yes this is an expensive hobby and $24 a year is nothing compared to what you pay throughout the year on your tank. I believe that those who do pay the membership fee should have first choice at frags that are being sold at the meeting. They were the ones willing to pay the dues which allow for the meeting to be held in the first place. If it weren't for those who pay the small due there wouldn't be much of a club. I understand there are those out there that do offer advice for free on this site. I would love to see a paid member section only, but then a general post section for those that aren't paid memebers. This would allow the benefits to those who do pay and also allow for those free riders in life. ------------- Jason Foerster Salt Lake City, UT |
Posted By: pmpt
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 3:41pm
|
As a non-paying member thinking about getting a paid membership for the year 2005. I would like to give my opinion on this issue. If I would have had to pay for a membership before I could browse the forum, getting and asking advice, I probably would have just passed it on by. The club would probably lose its most valueable recruiting tool, the friendly advice we get here. But from day one I haven't felt like I was discriminated against because I wasn't a paid member. On the topic of only letting paid member get corals, or for lower prices, or only selling to paid members, or offering the frags at the meetings to paid members first I believe would only push people away from the club.
By letting everyone share in the vast knowledge that is on this website, both paid and non-paid users, I believe you will only encourage people to become a paid member. That is how I am going to become a paid member, through the warm friendship I've seen in this club. |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 4:12pm
|
smokin I agree with you completely!!!! And yes I smoke way too much!! ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: smQQkin
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 4:21pm
|
I think Connie has a great idea. It gives visitors the chance to take a look around. They get to see the benefits of belonging to the club.
As for the visitors that continue to use the resources, but dont want to spend the $$$. Put them on a payment plan at 21% bill them $8.00 a month for three months. Or better yet. After the 25 posts or views, give them the oppunitity to purchase a 30 day membership for $5.95. If they like what they see, they can convert it to a annaul membership. Foremost, I am not to keen on paying for those who want a free ride. This world continues to teach people that they can expect everything, but give nothing in return. Yet retaining all the benefits that the life has to offer. If the benefits are the same, then I dont see alot of difference from joining/not joining. My accountant wont even let me take the tax deduction for the membership fee. I would rather donate if thats the case.
------------- http://www.CheckDaddy.com - CheckDaddy.com Your online cash advance store. |
Posted By: vangvace
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 6:01pm
|
Silly thoughts... So should guests post things that they have to sell or trade in buy/sell/ or trade since they're not paid members? (side thought: I find it interesting that some paid members have no problem getting something from a guest, but have heartburn if it's the other way around) Other than mainly being folks from Utah what seperates this forum from other ones available online? Shipping charges if you trade or buy from another on the forum? Mark's everchanging hotline? I think that the discount some stores give as well as being able to show off our tanks (say on the reef tour) are the two best benefits the club offers as a club I believe that if you make guests wait while paid-members pick through frags there will not be anything left for the guests. Well maybe some Xenia The fact that guests pay more when they buy frags from the club I think works out well. As soon as a guest buys 5 frags from the club the bring in more money for the club then a paid member in a year that also bought 5 frags. (Dues + frag cost) As a non-profit organization should WMAS have just enough money, a surplus, or be a means for "elitists" to procure rare corals cheap?
------------- McGuire AFB, NJ Moments of brilliance |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 10:04pm
|
All such wonderful questions and ideas...... which we've discussed ad nauseum in presidency meetings for years. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 03 2004 at 10:30pm
|
ad noseum?
a. ideas are running out your nose b. stuff that idea up your nose c. here's a good idea, add another nose d. I've got a mind to add your nose to a museum e. all of the above f. none of the above  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|