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Offline Flyin6

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Forum costs...Here I am again.
« on: April 02, 2021, 11:28:42 AM »
OK, back in 2018 I mentioned that the site costs were becoming something of a minor concern. With annual costs which now exceed $700 for storage and site security, with the latter being the bulk of the expense, I have another huge bill sitting on my desk for renewal.

When I mentioned it in 2018, you the membership responded by paying the tab, and I, well, all of us including the surfers appreciate it all very much. I didn't say anything in 2019 or 2020, and just paid the thing myself because I appreciate what was and continues to go on here. But I am not sure if I should pay this one.

Let me elaborate. I can easily afford to just pay this thing all by myself until it expands to the next level when the costs will start to exceed my comfort zone. I love the work that is getting done here with you men sharpening your fellow Christian. I love the scripture, the prayer, and the good work of the Lord. I like the coaching and I like all the cool discussion and cooking and projects, the political banter, and the openness some people share with the group.

Looks to me like God's work served up in the form of good cookin' and 4-wheel drives! I am pondering trusting in faith that God will support this effort, or setting it quietly aside. I believe that if it is of him and serves him, then he will support this place. But if it is of us, and serves to glorify us, then it would be of man and we should not support an effort to shed any glory on man and take away from Gad. In that I think we would all agree.

Since this crossroads just popped up, perhaps it is time to test this theory. I would personally do that by simply not paying the bill to renew, and at some not so distant date we simply fall into silence. Anyway, that is where my head is on this. It is my forum, but it is supposed to help men and glorify Jesus above us.

I don't know the first thing about making money from a forum, and although I have asked how to do it, I have gotten no answers. So I guess that is where it sits. I feel we could make money from something like advertising, but how? And if so, then how would I allow advertisers and keep them within guidelines. How could I have a girl in a bikini holding up some new gadget in some add pop up here? How could I allow a company who actively also contributes to pro-choice venues to advertise and PROFIT!!! from a place like this.

See what I mean? So, I am going to be in prayer about what to do about this invoice. Do I pay it myself? Do I wait on the Lord through faith to see what he does to keep the doors open? Do I reach out to some sort of organization or mechanism which will make us into a for-profit website? I don't know, so I would ask you to join with me in prayer to find the answer. It's been nearly seven years...Hey, I just realized that seven is the number of God, how interesting.

Feel free to share ideas if you so desire.
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Offline EL TATE

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2021, 01:25:36 PM »
I'm no expert, but some of the resources and suggestions make sense to me.

https://tosbourn.com/backup-making-website-pay/
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2021, 02:17:40 PM »
Above my pay grade,
but praying is in my wheelhouse.
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Offline oklawall

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2021, 02:42:57 PM »
Above my pay grade,
but praying is in my wheelhouse.
I'm with Ken I do good to post pictures but I can pray. Now if you wanted to go the non profit direction I know a few people that maybe able to give some insight

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Offline Flyin6

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2021, 06:33:42 PM »
Above my pay grade,
but praying is in my wheelhouse.
I'm with Ken I do good to post pictures but I can pray. Now if you wanted to go the non profit direction I know a few people that maybe able to give some insight

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I do not want to be encumbered by some overseeing government rules. You know like, you can be a nonprofit but you need to apply equal treatment to both worshipers of Christ and those who worship the devil. You know fair for everyone.
Nope, I will either keep this like a business where I state the rules and retain all my powers to tell some hater to take a hike. I'll write the rules and I'll enforce them.
But I think with all this government encroachment, I will need to totally privatize Real Man. I need to make enough from this site to purchase and maintain my own server. I need enough to purchase maintenance and security software, and be able to hire people to chase after bugs. If I had volunteers, perhaps I make them unpaid employees, pay them the same as I pay the rest of you $0.00 a work unit.

Still resting this for now.

So I think the pay due date is June, but need to check. I'd say the run out of time would be something around 30 days thereafter should it come to that.
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Offline JR

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2021, 04:11:55 PM »
Without going the 503 route, what about tapping a few companies that use link kickbacks.

Nothing real intrusive, just a box at the top or bottom of a page here and there. From my understanding you get less than a cent per click. But over time, lots of views it might be enough to pay for this thing.
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Online Atkinsmatt

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2021, 06:06:30 PM »
I will be lifting this up
Matt
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Offline Flyin6

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2021, 10:11:14 AM »
Well, I'm not getting anything

So, I'll put it up to the trusted members who are not named, well, heck with the excludin' thing, I'll put it up to everyone. What would you do?

Specifics please...No links or self help books

I will say this that I learned about God along the way. He doesn't change. If he gave you marching orders, then you carry on until a superior officer changes those orders. I have not received a change of orders. But neither has he specifically funded anything here. Leaves me somewhat confused. Continue to use my own funds, because he ultimately provides these funds, or just set it to Auto God-pilot, and watch what he does?
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Offline Bigdave_185

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2021, 10:35:23 AM »
I feel inclined that like in the lords work others use other methods to provide, I can help provide and have enjoyed doing such.


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Offline cj7ox

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2021, 03:32:08 PM »
Big D, what about creating a paid forum membership for those that wish to contribute? Make it special, like you get a coffee cup or a t-shirt if you are a paid member, and the benefit of 2-3 get out of being fired for free cards?

The 4wd club I belong to has business memberships, and those businesses have banner advertisements on our web forum (but we're a 501C).

Or, you could just have donation drive every spring to pay for the forum.
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Offline oklawall

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2021, 04:54:25 PM »
I'm good with a paid membership or just donating

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Offline Flyin6

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2021, 12:11:19 PM »
Big D, what about creating a paid forum membership for those that wish to contribute? Make it special, like you get a coffee cup or a t-shirt if you are a paid member, and the benefit of 2-3 get out of being fired for free cards?

The 4wd club I belong to has business memberships, and those businesses have banner advertisements on our web forum (but we're a 501C).

Or, you could just have donation drive every spring to pay for the forum.
Shawn, Get out of gettin' fired cards? Funny, and forget it, you aren't gettin' one! Reason is...Well, I don't exactly have a reason, but with you being a tanker, I'm sure you've done something wrong at some point.

So, in all seriousness:

I have been thinking about this and I have come to some conclusions. First I am not going to ask for donations. The reason is you have the same few people who always donate doing all the heavy lifting for everyone else.

I hope to use this forum to teach men something of honor and integrity, and work ethic, and courage, and loyalty, and with all of that bathed in the light from our God. What does that mean? To me, I do not like how someone will use something like this forum for their amusement but never help out with any of the heavy lifting. I think there is honor to be earned in the shadows, and according to my bible, perhaps a blessing. That is certainly where integrity grows. I would hope to teach men to be much deeper than what you see in front of you.

I would hope to lead in such a way to point men to learn the lessons. And to call out the correct lessons at the appropriate times to teach men to become doers of good in the shadows. To do these things and never seek recognition but to remain anonymous. I mean, how else can one grow in a relationship with Jesus without doing things out of the sight of men, that only he knows about?

Although I would hope to lead men to go in that direction, I have my struggles. My own feelings say, "Yep, just another guy surfin' on the backs of others." But how could I hope to hold them here in a holding pattern while little bit by little bit they get washed by the holy spirit which ultimately saves them, and causes them to be good leaders of their own families, and a good counsel to other men around them?

The simple answer is that I can't feel the way my earthly self sometimes wants to feel like. I wish to become wholly transformed into the spittin' image of he who created me. (Caveat: I will never come close)

Mike Clever was such a man. I can speak of him openly, now because he has gone on to be with his creator. Mike would donate to anything and everything here. Every Christmas. He gave to feeding the homeless, and drug addicts, prostitutes, and thieves we fed up in the Cincinnati. He also gave money to paying for the forum fees. He maybe gave too much. Sometimes he would make 2-3 donations per event. Some of you here still do that as well...The heavy lifter club.

I know who you are, and I will not take that blessing away from you for giving so much, so often, and faithfully. And I should say that one of you in that heavy lifter club just donated again...$200 this time. I wasn't asking for anything, but at the same time if our Lord commands you to do something that involves this forum, I will be obedient to that and see it through as much as a simple old warrant can.

Just this morning I got an email from my publisher over my upcoming book royalties. Granted it is not much, but I will consider donating all of that to this forum. Thing is, I already donate 100% of it to a pastor in Britain who is on fire for God and has developed quite the following. England is a godless place and I feel he could use all the help he can get. But I will ponder this and do what I feel is right.

I will not go on a donations drive. I will lead by example here and I feel at the moment, that I should do whatever is necessary to keep the doors open. This is, after all, like a church community to some, at least a place of safe fellowship. I will not go on some donations drive...Sorree, but that just aint me.

I am not going to start a non profit. Suppose I wish to make it a "for profit" some day? Suppose after I pass on and one of you boneheads takes the helm, he decides to become for profit? I am not going to build in some sort of limitation others may have to deal with later.

As for making this a paid membership site, I think that could possibly be coming at some point, but for a different reason. Remaining in the public view, we may become  the object of some upcoming control measure (WOKE). so by charging everyone a buck for life membership keeps everything inside a "company" veil and may give me better control later on. I do not fully understand the concept at the moment, but it remains an avenue.
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Offline JR

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2021, 02:18:43 PM »
If you do, make it reasonable. Some sites are like $20 a year, even one I helped build up has gone that way and has many advertizers.

My vote is $5 a year, like a stupid lala coffee (MCD is fine with me $1). That would not scare members away at all. I would pay more and I'm cheap!
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Offline Flyin6

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2021, 09:55:52 PM »
If you do, make it reasonable. Some sites are like $20 a year, even one I helped build up has gone that way and has many advertizers.

My vote is $5 a year, like a stupid lala coffee (MCD is fine with me $1). That would not scare members away at all. I would pay more and I'm cheap!
If I went that route, I think I'd have you all vote on it yea or nay. If you all decided to go that route then fine...But we are not there yet

Just to cover the security and hosting costs it would take140 members @ $5 ea.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2021, 09:57:33 PM by Flyin6 »
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
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Offline JR

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2021, 10:08:52 PM »
If you had just 1 or 2 advertizers and some small payment, wouldn't that cover a lot of it.

Nothing fancy, just a box top or bottom with stores we like to buy from. You get under a cent per click on the link, but over a year it could really add up. At least take the sting out your pocket when you get the bill.

You could lower our wages too, er wait, no good we are worth nothing,,,,,,,,,,
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Offline stlaser

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #15 on: April 08, 2021, 10:17:12 PM »
My 2 cents, and no I didn’t read that long winded post boss sorry. Granted I skimmed it and decided to go my own direction as apparently someone else already did. I think that two makes a consensus anyhow.

So those who can man up, ignore the old guy. I’m sure dementia or something is setting in anyhow and I’ll probably be fired again. Although I’m not sure I ever got unfired the last time?  :facepalm:

Frankly, I’m tired of the debate. This is silly really but this forum does good probably beyond what most of us can comprehend and that’s kind of the point. So if you can support it, you’ll get ten fold in return. Pretty sure that’s how it works, man up real man style.  :wink:
Living in the remote north hoping Ken doesn’t bring H up here any time soon…..

Offline Bob Smith

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #16 on: April 08, 2021, 10:20:54 PM »
My vote is do what you have to do. I would rather send something once a year or one lifetime membership. I don’t like making monthly payments or donations however you set it up. And I vote no for adds, wish I could kill the ones on tv too

Offline JR

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2021, 10:22:23 PM »
I agree Shawn, just throwing out options.

Wait, listen to who??
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Offline Bigdave_185

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #18 on: April 08, 2021, 10:38:05 PM »
I’m just over here wishing I could donate from Tapatalk lol. Then I have to get with Nate, he helps me log in on a real computor and find the small print that says donate     Real world problems right?


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Offline Nate

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Offline Bigdave_185

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #20 on: April 09, 2021, 10:27:17 AM »
My man!!


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Offline KensAuto

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #21 on: April 09, 2021, 11:49:17 AM »
Can't believe I agree with Shawn...

....so I won't, out of spite!
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Offline Sammconn

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Re: Forum costs...Here I am again.
« Reply #22 on: April 09, 2021, 10:05:04 PM »
I’m with the hooligans.
 :likebutton:
I just don't want to wind up missing a digit or limb.  I can sometimes get in a hurry to get results.
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