Membership Discount

I logged into HBT just 3 minutes or so ago, and saw that I had a private message. "Ohh" my mind went, wondering what it could be. Well, TxBrew sent me a message saying that until next Monday a year membership will be just $20.

Well, I have been thinking about getting a membership for awhile, you know, just to give back to the community here. The only problem is my extreme frugality. 20 bucks isn't really that much, but it is a full batch of beer.

So this got me thinking. What are the benefits of being a member?

Giving back to HBT is clearly number one
More Private message space (doesn't really affect me)
A picture to the left (which is actually pretty cool)
No ads
Gallery space

What do you think? Should I do it? Are you going to do it? Have you done it?

I am happy being a member here. I use the site so much it seemed silly to me not to join. Plus I use a crap ton of gallery space.

Pondering too.....

Access to politics and religeon forum would be good for me, but bad for everyone else there.

To me it's not really what I can gain so much as what I HAVE gained. This is what makes me pay for a membership. I think it's well worth the money to give back to a community that has helped me out countless times. If I wasn't so cheap I would shell out for a lifetime membership.

After I'd used the site for a few months, and knew I was getting good information, I decided I would probably be staying here long term. At that point, it just seemed right to support the place. I do like having a picture though!

I've never joined an internet forum that cost money. I always thought it a ridiculous idea. Then I came here. I'm on my second year subscription with money sitting in my HBT account for next July 11th.

I've even heard people discuss NOT getting the lifetime membership because they want to support each year... Yea that is my reason for only paying one year at a time!

On my second re-up. The wealth of shared knowledge is definately worth the cost of membership. There are also some othere added benefits of becoming a paid supporter that you will truly enjoy. Fork over the dough and prepare to spend a good day catching up on what you didn't even know existed.

I was just about ready to shell out for lifetime, and our roof started leaking Saturday. Maybe after the holidays. I agree, this is a wealth of info and much worth it.

Some online HBS offer discounts to HBT members too.

cford1 said:

So this got me thinking. What are the benefits of being a member?

Click to expand...

If you have a blackberry, the mobile site for members saves a ton of time loading pages.

I just bit the bullet.
I have learned so much already, and I am just beginning this journey.

This site is worth it, but cash has been pretty tight, now I get this holiday offer. I guess this will be my present to myself!

Way back when I bought my first membership, I think it was $15. I think it was within a week of me finding the site. I got so much information so fast, and thought it was cheaper than the money I spent on even one book.

This was the first (and only) site I've ever paid. I went from extract brewing to all-grain with a pretty decent knowledge of brewing science just from this forum. Of course, that started my downward slide into kegging, and now wanting to create a brew sculpture. It's created a monster!

I'm on my 2nd year of membership. It's totally worth it for the knowledge gained. I know how much it costs to run a website like this so the membership fee was really just a drop in the bucket.

I mainly renewed for the beer swaps tho.

I have a surprise payday on some back pay from the Army so I think I will finally open the wallet and get my membership. I post more than enough for a non-member so I think for what I have gained in knowledge and just the giving back for the satisfaction I gained from this site is worth it. But be warned when I enter the political/military debates... mu-hahahaha!

I just joined the "premium" club.

not sure why though...it just felt right.

alcibiades said:

I just joined the "premium" club.

not sure why though...it just felt dirty.

Click to expand...

Oh even more reason to join.... I would wash up and perhaps see a doctor to insure you have no side affects..

If I didnt just get laid off last week you'd have my 20$. Right now my son's christmas list needs that more.

Thanks for offering the discount though.

I'll be re-upping mine shortly here, which is good because I need the sticker for my new truck. I'm gonna go pay now.

Also, its alot easier to find your last post if you have your page set to 40 posts with a picture next to your name.

CrazyJames said:

If I didnt just get laid off last week you'd have my 20$. Right now my son's christmas list needs that more.

Thanks for offering the discount though.

Click to expand...

I'd like to thank the gracious reader who donated the money to upgrade my account.

You rock!

I would not be the brewer I am with out the help from this site and from everyone of you. I thank you, and most of all my beer thanks you.

I'd like to become a premium member, but I don't conduct biz online. I'd like to mail in a payment (USPS M.O.), but I still don't have an address to send it to. Even if I did have an address, the payment likely wouldn't get there before the deadline. Any chance of providing an address, who to make out the M.O. to & extending the deadline by a week or so for those technologically backward people like myself?

I finally paid up a few months back. I kept asking myself what more could I possibly get from this site that I haven't already learned. Then it hit me how much I've learned already!

Sure there's a few new things when you pay, but for me the biggest reason was to give back to tx and support the site that has by far been the best source of information about brewing. Sure I have a several books, and they are a great read and a great source of information, but the sheer volume of new info and cutting-edge experiments makes them a second choice when I'm not in a hurry.

And don't forget the camaraderie that you get here. The competitions and swaps you can take part in.

If money is tight, don't feel bad not choosing a membership over paying bills or giving your family a nice Christmas. But if you can spare it, I think it's well worth the cost to help support the site.